Evidence of microplastics pollution in coastal beaches and waters in southern Sri Lanka

J Bimali Koongolla; A L Andrady; P B Terney Pradeep Kumara; C S Gangabadage

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.10.031

Evidence of microplastics pollution in coastal beaches and waters in southern Sri Lanka

Mar Pollut Bull. 2018 Dec:137:277-284. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.10.031. Epub 2018 Oct 19.

Authors

J Bimali Koongolla¹, A L Andrady², P B Terney Pradeep Kumara³, C S Gangabadage⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Oceanography and Marine Geology, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences and Technology, University of Ruhuna, Matara, Sri Lanka. Electronic address: bimalikoongolla@gmail.com.
² Department of Biology and Marine Biology, University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Wilmington, NC 28403, USA.
³ Department of Oceanography and Marine Geology, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences and Technology, University of Ruhuna, Matara, Sri Lanka; Marine Environment Protection Authority, No. 758, 2nd Floor, Baseline Road, Colombo 09, Sri Lanka.
⁴ Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Ruhuna, Matara, Sri Lanka.

PMID: 30503436
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.10.031

Abstract

The abundance of microplastics (MPs) in surface water and beach sediment in Southern Sri Lanka covering a distance of 91 km of coastline is reported. MPs were classified according to polymer type, geometry and color of the sites tested 60% showed MP contamination in sand and 70% in surface waters off the coast. The size range of MPs from surface waters and beaches were to 1.5-2.5 mm and 3-4.5 mm, respectively. Majority of these were identified as polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) with some polystyrene (PS) foam at a few sites. Fragments derived from larger debris appears to be the dominant type of MP at most sites and only 2 sites showed virgin pellets that accounted for 14% of the samples collected.

Keywords: Coastal pollution; Marine environment; Microplastics; Plastics.

MeSH terms

Geologic Sediments / analysis*
Plastics / analysis*
Polyethylene / analysis
Polypropylenes / analysis
Polystyrenes / analysis
Sri Lanka
Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis*

Substances

Plastics
Polypropylenes
Polystyrenes
Water Pollutants, Chemical
Polyethylene