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Patterns and variability in the microplastic contamination along the southwest coast of India with emphasis on submarine groundwater discharge sites

Marine Pollution Bulletin 2023 15 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 45 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

Aishwarya Purushothaman, N.K. Vishnudattan, Kariyil Veettil Neethu, Kariyil Veettil Neethu, Kariyil Veettil Neethu, Kariyil Veettil Neethu, Kariyil Veettil Neethu, S.P. Nehala, S. Bijoy Nandan, S.P. Nehala, Kariyil Veettil Neethu, M.D. Meghamol, S. Bijoy Nandan, S.P. Nehala, M.D. Meghamol, K. B. Padmakumar, Kariyil Veettil Neethu, Kariyil Veettil Neethu, Jorphin Joseph, S. Bijoy Nandan, S. Bijoy Nandan, S. Bijoy Nandan, K. B. Padmakumar, Lathika Cicily Thomas

Summary

Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in beach sediments along the southwest coast of India, including submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) sites, finding average loads of 230 particles per 100 g dominated by blue polyethylene fibers. Both SGD and non-SGD sites showed microplastic contamination, with SGD zones potentially acting as conduits for microplastics from groundwater to the coast.

Polymers

PA PE PP PS PVC

Study Type Environmental

Beach sediments of the southwest coast of India were analysed to estimate the microplastic contamination with emphasis on the submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) zones. Both SGD and non-SGD sites were assessed for abundance, morphotype and polymer type of microplastics. Microplastic load was 230.429 ± 62.87 particles per 100 g. Fibre, mainly blue, was the abundant morphotype, followed by fragment, foam and film. The polymer types were POLYETHYLENE (PE) (30.77 %), POLYPROPYLENE (PP) (26.92 %), POLYAMIDE (PA) (19.23 %), POLYSTYRENE (PS) (11.54 %), ETHYLENE VINYL ACETATE (EVA) (7.692 %) and POLYVINYL CHLORIDE (PVC) (3.846 %). The SGD zones exhibited higher microplastic contamination with statistically significant variations from non SGD sites. The study accounts the levels of microplastic contamination along the southwest coast of India, a major fishery zone. The higher abundance of microplastic in the SGD zones indicates the significance of subterranean groundwater through flow as a pathway of anthropogenic contaminants towards marine ecosystems.

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