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Abundance, distribution and characterization of microplastics in Tropical River Estuary, South East Coast of India
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Researchers sampled water and sediment across seven sites along the Palar River estuary in southeast India, finding that fiber-shaped high-density polyethylene microplastics dominate, likely originating from fishing gear and industrial discharge. The study establishes a contamination baseline for a multi-source river system, highlighting how riverine environments serve as highways transporting plastic pollution from inland industrial and agricultural sources into coastal marine ecosystems.
Rivers play pivotal role in transporting plastic litter into the ocean. The present study aimed to estimate microplastics (MPs) in Palar River (PR), that receives waste inputs of agricultural, industries, fishing, and domestic origin. Water and sediment samples were collected during low tide, at seven locations from inner check dam to mouth region. Highest concentration of MPs in water are observed at PR-6 (28.01 × 104 particles.km−2) and the lowest was recorded at PR-4 (2.6 × 104 particles.km−2). In sediment, highest count was detected at PR-1 (8.8 × 102 ± 226 particles.kg−1 d.w) and the lowest was recorded in PR-6 (2.5 × 102 ± 14 particles.kg−1d.w). MPs distribution in water is more in the outer mouth (PR-6) in comparison to inner region (PR-4). Fibres were dominating morphotype of MPs, comprised of 79.4% in water and 89.8% in sediment samples. According to size classification, the majority of particles (41.02% in water and 56.1% in sediment) were in the size range of 1 μm to 1000 μm. Characterization of MPs through Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy revealed that High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) is the dominant polymer indicating the use of plastic fishing nets and ropes along with the outfall from nearby industries may be the main contributor to the microplastic pollution in the river.
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Researchers investigated microplastic distribution in semi-urban estuary waters along India's west coast, finding that human activities such as port operations, tourism, fishing, and industrial discharges are major contributors to microplastic contamination in these ecologically vital coastal ecosystems.
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Surveys of the northeastern Bay of Bengal found surface water MP concentrations up to 1,640 items/m³ in the Karnaphuli estuary, dominated by fiber-shaped polypropylene particles, with pollution risk indices ranging from medium to very high across estuarine and coastal zones. The high MP burden in this densely populated coastal region poses serious risks to marine biodiversity, local fisheries, and the millions of people who depend on Bay of Bengal seafood as a dietary staple.
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Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination across inner, outer, and mangrove zones of the Kollidam River estuary on India's east coast, finding polypropylene and polyethylene as dominant polymers and identifying mangrove regions as significant sinks for MP accumulation. The designation of mangroves as MP hotspots is ecologically important because these coastal nursery habitats support fisheries and biodiversity, meaning plastic accumulation there can enter food webs that ultimately reach human consumers.
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Researchers measured the concentration and types of microplastics in coastal waters of Kerala, India, contributing regional data to the global picture of ocean plastic contamination. Understanding microplastic distribution in coastal zones is critical because these areas are biodiversity hotspots and major sources of seafood consumed by local and global populations.
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Microplastics were surveyed across water and sediment of Chennai's Kosasthalaiyar River, with highest concentrations found near Buckingham Canal discharge and the Ennore estuary, and FTIR confirming polyethylene, PVC, PET, polypropylene, and nylon fibers as dominant polymers. The study identifies sewage discharge and anthropogenic activity zones as primary MP entry points, demonstrating that inadequate urban waste infrastructure directly drives microplastic loading into coastal marine environments.
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