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Abundance and characteristics of microplastics in sediments from the world's longest natural beach, Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh
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This study provided the first description of microplastic presence, quantity, and diversity in intertidal sediments from Cox's Bazar, the world's longest natural beach in Bangladesh. Microplastics were extracted from 24 sediment samples and analyzed by density separation, revealing widespread contamination with diverse polymer types.
This study aimed to provide the first description of the presence, quantity, and diversity of microplastics (MPs) in intertidal sediments from the world's longest natural beach, Cox's Bazar. MPs were extracted from 24 surficial sediment samples through the density separation method, and identification was carried out using a stereomicroscope. Results showed that the abundance of MPs varied from 200 to 378.8 items kg with the mean abundance of 368.68 ± 10.65 items kg. Fibers were the dominant (53%) MPs in this study, followed by films (20%) and fragments (12%). The dominant plastic particle color was purple (18%), followed by pink (14%) and red (7%), with shapes that were mainly filamentous (53%) and irregular (41%). The majority (59%) of the MPs measured were 1-5 mm in size, followed by 0.5-1 mm (27%) and <0.5 mm (14%).
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Abundance, Types, and Polymer Composition of Microplastics Present in a Coastal Region of Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh
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This study provided the first quantification and polymer characterization of microplastics in seawater and beach sediments at Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh—the world's longest sea beach—across three sampling locations. Microplastic abundance was moderate at 369 items/kg in sediment and 210 items/m³ in seawater, with polyethylene (41%) and PVC (29%) the dominant polymers and colorful particles comprising 57% of the total. The findings establish a baseline contamination dataset for this high-traffic coastal site and raise concerns about regional marine pollution inputs to the Bay of Bengal.
Microplastic pollution in coastal Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh: Quantification, distribution, and characteristics
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This study surveyed microplastic pollution along the Cox's Bazar coastline in Bangladesh, one of the world's longest beaches, finding significant contamination in both sediments and seawater with levels varying by tidal zone and beach location. Polyethylene was the most common polymer type, and scanning electron microscopy revealed weathered particle surfaces indicating long-term environmental exposure. The findings establish a baseline for microplastic monitoring in a heavily visited coastal region with limited waste management infrastructure.
Occurrence and spatial distribution of microplastics in beach sediments of Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh
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Microplastics were found throughout beach sediments along a 36 km stretch in Bangladesh, with polypropylene and polyethylene as the dominant polymers and higher concentrations near tourist areas. This is the first study to document microplastic distribution at this site, highlighting tourism as a significant source.
An Integrated Spatial Assessment of Macro-, Meso-, and Microplastic Pollution Along Cox’s Bazar Beach in Bangladesh
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Researchers conducted the first comprehensive assessment of macro-, meso-, and microplastic pollution along the full coastline of Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh, sampling 23 stations across tourism, active, and less active beach zones. Plastic abundance varied significantly by zone and land use, with fragments and films as dominant types, reflecting Bangladesh's high plastic waste mismanagement rates.
Microplastics in beach sediments of the Northern Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh: Insights into occurrence, distribution, pollution indices, and ANN-based risk modeling
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Researchers investigated the occurrence, abundance, distribution, and risk of microplastics in beach sediments at two Bangladeshi coastal sites — Cox's Bazar and Kuakata — finding widespread contamination and raising concern about microplastic pollution in the Northern Bay of Bengal.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.