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Occurrence and distribution of microplastics in beach sediments along Phuket coastline

Marine Pollution Bulletin 2021 79 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.

Pensiri Akkajit, Pensiri Akkajit, Pensiri Akkajit, Pensiri Akkajit, Pensiri Akkajit, Pensiri Akkajit, Pensiri Akkajit, Pensiri Akkajit, Phaothep Cherdsukjai, Phaothep Cherdsukjai, Danai Tipmanee, Phaothep Cherdsukjai, Phaothep Cherdsukjai, Danai Tipmanee, Sudarat Thongnonghin, Sudarat Thongnonghin Phaothep Cherdsukjai, Phaothep Cherdsukjai, Pensiri Akkajit, Phaothep Cherdsukjai, Phaothep Cherdsukjai, Pensiri Akkajit, Thongchai Suteerasak, Pensiri Akkajit, Thongchai Suteerasak, Pensiri Akkajit, Danai Tipmanee, Sudarat Thongnonghin, Sudarat Thongnonghin

Summary

Microplastics were found in beach sediments across multiple Phuket coastline sites in Thailand, with fragment and fiber shapes and polyethylene and polypropylene polymers dominating, reflecting tourism and coastal development pressures.

Polymers

PET PP PU

Study Type Environmental

Phuket is a popular tourism destination in Thailand. This study examined the distribution of microplastics found on beaches along the East and West coasts of Phuket including Tri Trang, Patong, Kalim, Chalong, Makham, and Rawai beaches. A total of 18 samples from a 0.5 m × 0.5 m quadrat at the intertidal zone were sorted into >300-μm and 20-300-μm size classes. For all sizes combined, the mean abundance was 188.3 ± 34.5 items kg. White (29.2%) and fiber (85.6%) were the most abundant plastic; and the polymer types based on μFTIR analysis were PET > PS > PP > PU > PVC > Epoxy with a great amount of cotton and regenerated cellulose also detected. Principal component analysis indicated the correlation between PET, regenerated cellulose, PP and PU with Chalong and Patong beaches, suggesting that highly visited tourist beaches with harbor activities, and a tourist departure point, are possible sources of microplastics.

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