Microplastics among Islands of Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve

Plastics are commonly used product without knowing much of its adverse effects. Their presence in marine interferes with the life forms of aquatic ecosystem and cause unimaginable crux. Plastics ends up in the aquatic environment leads to breakdown of larger into small plastic particles and fibres in the environment called microplastics which are further bioaccumulated into different marine life forms and then biomagnified in various trophic levels in food chain and food web. The Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve is a biological paradise inhabited with unique organisms which need to be preserved. To avoid the future detrimental effects of microplastic, it is necessary to assess its distribution and hence this study has been carried out. Samples from 12 islands were collected, separated, cleaned, and examined for the presence of plastics and then analyzed using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy for the confirmation of polymer. The study reveals that, the microplastics were mostly derived from plastic bottles, plastic bags, fishing net, buoys and abundantly present in sediments of 10 islands followed by seagrass in Krusadai island and seaweed in Appa island. The Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy analysis reveals that, the microplastic size ranged from 0.8 to 1.0mm in diameter and the derivatives are polyurethane, high density polyethylene and ethylene vinyl acetate.