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Assessing microplastic pollution in coastal sediments of the Oman Sea: ecological risk and land-use linkages
Summary
A survey of coastal sediments along the Oman Sea shoreline near Chabahar, Iran, found microplastic concentrations varied dramatically by land use—commercial port and market areas had up to 161 particles per 100 grams of sediment, while remote mangrove forests had as few as 6 particles per 100 grams. Fibers and fragments of polyethylene, polypropylene, and nylon were most common. The clear gradient from urbanized to natural areas confirms that human activity is the primary driver of coastal microplastic accumulation, and that mangrove ecosystems—despite their ecological importance—are not immune to plastic contamination.
Coastal areas are among the sensitive habitats where, today, the pollution of microplastics (MPs) is a serious threat. This study aimed to assess MPs pollution in sediments of the Oman Sea coast in Chabahar with emphasis on urban-commercial and natural land uses. Sampling of sediments was carried out in June 2024 at 9 stations along the shoreline, taking into account the land use, and in a systematic random manner. The stages of digestion and extraction of MPs were carried out using NaCl and NaI. A binocular optical microscope was used to count MPs. The type of polymers was identified by the Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrometer. The pH, EC, and soil texture were also determined for the samples. The highest frequency of MPs was related to the commercial centers of Chabahar (161 numbers/100 g of sediment), and the lowest was in the mangrove forests of Guatr (6 numbers/100 g of sediment). The frequency of MPs showed a significant difference (p = 0.001) among the studied stations. The mean abundances of MPs were obtained as 71.6 ± 28.9 and 43.25 ± 25.1 in urban-commercial and natural land uses, respectively. The MP's abundance in stations with urban-commercial, and natural uses showed no significant difference (p = 0.15). The largest particle size was identified in the range of 20-500 µm at most of the study stations. The most common forms of MPs were fiber (66%) and fragment (62%) in urban-commercial and natural land use, respectively. Detected polymers and their frequency percentage in the study station were polyethylene (39-77%), polyamide (16-40%), and polyethylene terephthalate (0-43%). The abundance of MPs showed a significant negative correlation only with soil pH (p = 0.03; r = -0.40), and it was not significantly correlated with EC (p = 0.36) and soil texture (0.07). The potential ecological risk index (PERI) was obtained in the range of 5-228. The current risk of MP pollution along the coast of the Oman Sea in the Chabahar region at 33% of stations is at a moderate level. Thus, it is essential to manage plastic waste and reduce its consumption in this region to prevent its spread in the environment.