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Marine Macro- and Micro Plastic Litter on Beach Sediment of Northern Peninsular Malaysia
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A survey of beaches on Malaysia's northern Peninsular coast found abundant macro- and microplastic litter in sediments, with a correlation between the amount of macroplastic debris and microplastic concentration in the same area. The findings suggest that reducing visible plastic litter on beaches would also reduce the microplastic load accumulating in coastal sediments, where it can persist and affect marine organisms for decades.
This paper investigates the spatial distribution of small plastic litter on the beach of Kuala Perlis and Pulau Langkawi in the northern region of Peninsular Malaysia. The objectives are to ascertain the categories of macro marine litter and macroplastic types, the amount of microplastic in the sediment layer, and the relationship between macroplastic and microplastic. Macro marine litter was collected in 100-meter transects at six different locations. Sediment samples for microplastic identification were collected using a quadrat measuring 0.5 m × 0.5 m with a depth of 0.05 m. Plastic accounts up most of the macro marine litter collected (73.8%), followed by glass (12%), fabric (7.8%), rubber (4.4%), wood (2%), and metal (0.07%). Between 2018 and 2020, the overall weight of macroplastic (>5 mm) litter and the amount of microplastic (<5 mm) litter on northern beaches were 80.371 g/m2 and 11.094 g/m3, respectively. In this investigation, macroplastic collected on the beach surface ranged from 0.02 g to 14.09 g/m2, while microplastic in the beach sediment ranged from 0 to 1.192 g/m3. The packaging category seems to have the highest percentage of collected macroplastic. At the 95% confidence level, the calculated R2 of 0.7444 indicates a substantial association between macroplastic and microplastic. The linear regression equation is y = 0.1927x + 0.0226, with y representing microplastic (g/m3) and x being macroplastic (g/m2). This strong link demonstrates that the presence of microplastic in sediment is strongly related to the abundance of macroplastic on the beach. This finding provides a good approximation of actual microplastic occurrence to macroplastic abundance, which will be useful in environmental evaluation and management approaches.
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Researchers surveyed macro- and microplastic litter along the coastal area of Kuala Perlis in northern Malaysia, finding plastic debris at all sampling sites. The study provides baseline contamination data for this understudied coastal region.
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Researchers surveyed the abundance and distribution of macro-, meso-, and microplastic debris in beach sediments and seawater along the Northern Straits of Malacca in Malaysia, providing baseline contamination data relevant to the country's national roadmap toward reducing single-use plastics.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.