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Microplastic pollution in Marine Protected Areas of Southern Sri Lanka
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Microplastic contamination was documented in coastal and lagoon sediments and water within two Marine Protected Areas in southern Sri Lanka, indicating that even protected zones are not shielded from plastic pollution.
Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous in marine environment. The prevalence of MPs in coastal and lagoon sediments, and water were studied in two Marine Protected Areas (MPAs); Bundala National Park (BNP) and Hikkaduwa Marine National Park (HNP) in Sri Lanka. Both areas are important for turtles, birds and coral ecosystems, all of which are particularly threatened by MPs. Abundance of MPs was generally higher in both coastal sediments and waters in HNP (111±29 MPs/m for sediments and 0.515±0.054 MPs/m for water) than in the BNP (102±16 MPs/m for sediments and 0.276±0.077 MPs/m for water). The most common shape and polymer type of MPs were fragments and Polyethylene respectively. This research is the first to survey MPs in MPAs in Sri Lanka and provides a baseline of MPs pollution in these environments for future research and management.
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Evidence of microplastics pollution in coastal beaches and waters in southern Sri Lanka
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Researchers found microplastic pollution along 91 km of coastline in southern Sri Lanka, with 60% of beach sand sites and 70% of surface water sites testing positive, characterizing the polymers, shapes, and colors present across the sampled coastal environments.
Sampling and Analysis of Microplastics in the Coastal Environments of Sri Lanka: Estuaries of Kelani River to Mahaoya
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Microplastic abundance and types were quantified in beach sediments and seawater across nine sites along 42 km of Sri Lanka's western coast, documenting widespread contamination in estuarine and coastal environments.
Sampling and Analysis of Microplastics in the Coastal Environments of Sri Lanka: Estuaries of the Kelani River to Mahaoya
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Microplastics were found in both beach sediments and coastal seawater along 42 kilometers of Sri Lanka's western coastline, with polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene being the most common types. The results document significant plastic contamination along the coast of a densely populated South Asian nation, raising concerns about exposure for coastal communities and marine life in the Indian Ocean region.
A global snapshot of microplastic contamination in sediments and biota of marine protected areas
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A global snapshot of microplastic contamination in sediments and biota across marine protected areas (MPAs) found that microplastics are ubiquitous even in these conservation zones, undermining their protective function. The review synthesizes occurrence data and calls for microplastic monitoring to be integrated into MPA management plans.
Microplastic contamination in seawater across global marine protected areas boundaries
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Researchers conducted a comprehensive assessment of microplastic contamination across global Marine Protected Areas, finding that these conservation zones are not immune to plastic pollution and highlighting the need for targeted mitigation strategies.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.