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Characterization of plastic debris and association of metals with microplastics in coastline sediment along the Persian Gulf
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Microplastics and sediment samples from Persian Gulf coastlines were found to contain elevated concentrations of heavy metals including lead, cadmium, and mercury, with metals associated with both the plastic surfaces and the surrounding sediment. The study demonstrates that microplastics in this industrialized coastal region accumulate hazardous metals that can be transferred to marine organisms.
This study reports number, size and color distribution, and metal contents of microplastics as well as adherent sediments along the Persian Gulf. Samples were collected from 9 stations in summer 2015 with a sampling time interval of 10 days. Plastic size of 2-5 mm, and ≤0.25 mm with 45 and 33% and white and colorless plastics with 62 and 33% had the highest abundance considering number per m, respectively. In general, the majority of collected plastics (79%) were smaller than 5 mm (defined size for microplastics). The mean Al, Fe, Mn, Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, Cu contents of plastic fragments were 115, 531, 32.2, 0.035, 0.915, 2.03, 4.59, and 3.6 μg g, respectively while the mean Al, Fe, Mn, Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, Cu contents of sediments were 186, 3050, 127, 0.81, 5.01, 14.5, 48.6 and 5.43 μg g respectively. There were significant differences between the abundance of plastic items as well as the all examined metal concentrations of microplastics and sediments at different sampling times. As there is no regular cleanup program in the studied areas, significant differences between plastic items number at different sampling times (with higher plastic items number at the first day of sampling) showed that a large number of plastic items may enter from beaches to the sea and become available to marine organisms.
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The occurrence of microplastic contamination in littoral sediments of the Persian Gulf, Iran
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Researchers surveyed littoral sediments of the Persian Gulf for microplastics, finding plastic particles across all sampling sites with a variety of polymer types. The study provides early baseline contamination data for a region with major petrochemical and industrial activity.
Source and risk assessment of heavy metals and microplastics in bivalves and coastal sediments of the Northern Persian Gulf, Hormogzan Province
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Researchers assessed heavy metal contamination and microplastic distribution in coastal sediments and edible bivalves from the northern Persian Gulf in Hormozgan Province. They found varying levels of both pollutant types across sampling sites, with proximity to industrial and urban areas correlating with higher contamination. The study provides a risk assessment indicating that combined exposure to heavy metals and microplastics through seafood consumption in the region warrants monitoring.
Abundances and characteristics of microplastics in core sediments of the Persian Gulf coast, Iran
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Researchers sampled coastal sediments in Iran's Persian Gulf and found microplastics — including polystyrene, polyethylene, and PVC — at all six sites and at every depth down to 30 cm, averaging nearly 118 particles per kilogram of dry sediment. Fibers and fragments dominated, pointing to widespread plastic contamination from local waste mismanagement in this tidal ecosystem.
Potential ecological risk assessment of microplastics in coastal sediments: Their metal accumulation and interaction with sedimentary metal concentration
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Scientists surveyed 21 locations along Qatar's coastline and found microplastics in sediments at every site, with most particles showing signs of chemical degradation from the harsh environment. The microplastics had adsorbed metals from the surrounding environment, though at lower concentrations than those found in the sediment itself. This research shows how microplastics in coastal areas can act as carriers for toxic metals, potentially increasing the exposure of marine organisms and, through the food chain, humans.
Assessing the relationship between the abundance of microplastics in sediments, surface waters, and fish in the Iran southern shores
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Researchers found microplastic contamination across sediments, surface waters, and four fish species along Iran's Persian Gulf coast, with concentrations of 190 items/kg in sediments and 9.28 items/km in surface waters, though no correlation was observed between MP abundance across the different environmental compartments.
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