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An Integrated Spatial Assessment of Macro-, Meso-, and Microplastic Pollution Along Cox’s Bazar Beach in Bangladesh
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Researchers conducted the first comprehensive assessment of macro-, meso-, and microplastic pollution along the full coastline of Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh, sampling 23 stations across tourism, active, and less active beach zones. Plastic abundance varied significantly by zone and land use, with fragments and films as dominant types, reflecting Bangladesh's high plastic waste mismanagement rates.
Bangladesh generates approximately 3000 tons of plastic waste daily, and high mismanagement leads to substantial discharge into soils, rivers, and oceans. Limited research exists on plastic pollution along Cox’s Bazar in southeastern Bangladesh, with no studies spanning the entire coast; this study provides the first comprehensive assessment of the full coastline. This study investigates the abundance, types, and distribution of macro-, meso-, and microplastics in sediments from 23 stations covering Tourism, Active, and Less Active areas. Plastics were classified by size, shape, color, and polymer composition using stereomicroscopy and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), while spatial patterns of microplastic polymers were analyzed using Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) interpolation. A total of 11,558 plastic particles were identified, with microplastics dominating (409.04 particles/m2), followed by mesoplastics (60.7 particles/m2) and macroplastics (32.8 particles/m2). Expanded polystyrene (EPS) and fragments were the most prevalent shapes, while transparent-white particles dominated in color. Polystyrene (PS), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene (PE) comprised over 95% of polymers. IDW mapping highlighted Tourism, urban, and industrial zones as microplastic hotspots, with higher abundances in tourism areas. These findings provide a baseline for monitoring coastal plastic pollution and emphasize improved plastic management and recycling, contributing globally to understanding contamination in rapidly urbanizing, tourism-driven developing regions.
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Characterization and Spatial Abundance of Microplastics in the Coastal Regions of Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh: An Integration of Field, Laboratory, and GIS Techniques
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This large-scale field and GIS study characterized microplastics in coastal sediments of Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, finding high concentrations linked to tourism pressure, inadequate waste management, and the proximity of rivers carrying inland plastic waste.
Microplastic pollution in coastal Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh: Quantification, distribution, and characteristics
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This study surveyed microplastic pollution along the Cox's Bazar coastline in Bangladesh, one of the world's longest beaches, finding significant contamination in both sediments and seawater with levels varying by tidal zone and beach location. Polyethylene was the most common polymer type, and scanning electron microscopy revealed weathered particle surfaces indicating long-term environmental exposure. The findings establish a baseline for microplastic monitoring in a heavily visited coastal region with limited waste management infrastructure.
Occurrence and spatial distribution of microplastics in beach sediments of Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh
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Microplastics were found throughout beach sediments along a 36 km stretch in Bangladesh, with polypropylene and polyethylene as the dominant polymers and higher concentrations near tourist areas. This is the first study to document microplastic distribution at this site, highlighting tourism as a significant source.
Plastic litter pollution across recreational and non-recreational beaches of Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh.
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Researchers surveyed plastic litter on ten beaches in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, finding 903 items. Tourist beaches had more litter, mostly cigarette butts and packaging, while fishing-area beaches had more fishing-gear debris. All beaches were rated extremely dirty, with single-use plastics making up most of the waste.
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