We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Occurrences, Distribution and Composition of Microplastics in the Surface Seawater and Beach Sediments of the Southern Shandong Peninsula, China
Summary
Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in beach sediments and surface seawater along 13 beaches and 7 ocean stations on the southern Shandong Peninsula of China. Microplastics were widespread across all sites, with concentrations and polymer types reflecting local human activity levels and coastal current patterns.
Abstract The current work provides the detailed analysis about microplastics contamination of the beach sediments and surface seawater. Sediment samples were collected from the high tidal zone at 13 beaches, and surface seawaters of seven stations along the southern Shandong Peninsula. The presence of microplastics was recorded on both beaches and surface seawater. The mean quantity of microplastics was approximately 664±80 microplastics/kg of dry weight (dw) with 0.5~0.125 mm in beach sediments, and 5.62±0.4 microplastics/liter (L) of surface seawater. Predominant microplastics were fibers (>97%). While other plastic forms had lower percentage. Microplastics possessed different color with polymer composition including polypropylene, polyethylene, and polystyrene. The accumulation of microplastics on beaches is an alarming issue and provides better understanding about microplastics pollution along the coastal regions of the southern Shandong Peninsula. It would also help to establish better monitoring system for future and evaluate possible risks by microplastics due to rapid economic growth of China.