Microplastic Distribution and Influence Factor Analysis of Seawater and Surface Sediments in a Typical Bay With Diverse Functional Areas: A Case Study in Xincun Lagoon, China

Abstract

Microplastics come directly or indirectly from human activities. The bay and coastal areas are constantly under pressure from human activities, including tourism, fishing, and aquaculture. Microplastic pollution is now recognized as a great threat to bay environments. In this study, we assessed microplastics in the Xincun Lagoon Bay, which had multiple human activities, to understand whether human activities could directly reflect the pollution level of microplastics. The results showed the dominant microplastics were small (100–500 μm, 45.2%) and transparent (57.0%), mainly consisting of fibers (95.7%), and cellophane (54.4%) was the dominant polymer. The color, type, and component indicated that wastes from aquaculture, laundry wastewater in the Tanka fishing raft area, and domestic wastes from tourism were the primary sources of microplastics in Xincun Bay. During the rainy season, microplastic abundances in surface water and surface sediment at the outer bay were found to be significantly higher (108.8 ± 37.1 item/L and 250.4 ± 92.0 item/kg, respectively) than those found at the inner bay (34.3 ± 12.9 item/L and 167.6 ± 71.7 item/kg, respectively), which presented a reverse trend in the dry season (p < .01). Although Xincun bay has a relatively closed environment and diverse human activities, concentrated rainfall and strong winds could cause microplastic abundance inside the bay during the rainy season to be lower than that outside the bay. Furthermore, the comparison of microplastic abundances in the areas with intensive human activities and non-human activity areas indicated that the intensity of human activities could not directly reflect the pollution of microplastics in the lagoon bay. It is also necessary to consider the geographical and seasonal characteristics in order to explain the pollution degree of microplastics in a bay.

Microplastic pollution in two industrial locations of the Karnaphuli River, Bangladesh: insights on abundance, types, and characteristics

“…Moreover, studies by Laermanns et al (2021) documented MP size ranges of 0.5 mm to 1 mm and 0.05 mm to 0.1 mm at the Confluence of the Elbe and Mulde Rivers in Germany, respectively. The findings of the size range are in agreement with previous research conducted by Fatema et al (2023), Hossain et al (2022), andWei et al (2022), as well. The combination of strong water flow and abrasion resulting from tidal movements in river systems were identified as key factors contributing to the fragmentation of larger plastic pieces.…”

Microplastics and heavy metals in the sediment of Songkhla Lagoon: distribution and risk assessment

“…Microplastic distribution in the surface sediment at all sampling sites in Songkhla Lagoon. Pradit et al 10.3389/fmars.2023.1292361 sediments, as similarly found in other studies (Yuan et al, 2019;Wakkaf et al, 2022;Wei et al, 2022). The other polymers found, rayon, PET, and copolymer, are all based on fibrous substrates, although fragments were found in smaller proportions.…”

“…Several studies of MPs in sediments in different environments in lagoons, lakes, bays, estuaries, coasts, rivers, beaches, and mangroves have found lower amounts than in the present study. Studies of MPs in the Lagoon of Tunisia found 63.8 ± 30.9 items/kg (Wakkaf et al, 2022), while in China 250.4 ± 92.0 items/kg were found (Wei et al, 2022), and in the Colombian Caribbean 0-3.1 items/kg were found (Garceś-Ordoñez et al, 2022). Elsewhere, 54-506 items/kg were found in the Lake of China (Yuan et al, 2019), while another study at the same lake found 244 ± 121 items/kg (Tang et al, 2022).…”

“…Polyester, PET, and PA are important synthetic fibers used to produce synthetic fabrics such as clothing and carpets. Therefore, polyester may be derived from the deterioration of clothing when spun for washing and drying (S ̌aravanja et al, 2022;Wei et al, 2022). The accumulation of MPs in the environment occurs via waterways, followed by the MPs settling in the sediment over time if left undisturbed.…”

An investigation on the prevalence of microplastic in commercial and open pan salts obtained from Cox's Bazar and Maheshkhali region of Bay of Bengal (Bangladesh)

“…The salt samples gathered from Cox's Bazar contained more MPs/kg than the samples acquired from Maheshkhali. Prior studies revealed a significant association between MP pollution and tourism (Garcés Ordóñez et al, 2020;Wei et al, 2022). Furthermore, tourism was identified as one of the reasons for MP pollution in the Cox's Bazar region (Pushan et al, 2022).…”