Quantitative analysis of plastic debris on recreational beaches in Mumbai, India

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin Vol. 77; no. 1-2; pp. 107 - 112
• Main Authors: Jayasiri, H.B., Purushothaman, C.S., Vennila, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 15.12.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Abundance; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Bathing Beaches - statistics & numerical data; Beaches; Biological and medical sciences; Debris; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Environmental Monitoring; fractionation; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; India; ingestion; Marine and brackish environment; Microplastics; Mumbai; particles; Plastics; Plastics - analysis; quantitative analysis; recreation; risk; Sea water ecosystems; Synecology; Waste Products - analysis; water pollution; Maharashtra; Asia; India; Abundance; Microplastics; Beaches; Plastics; Debris; Mumbai; Recreational activity; Marine environment; Tropical zone; Quantitative analysis; Plastic waste
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2013.10.024

•Plastic litter in sediment was quantified on four sandy beaches of Mumbai, India.•Spatial and temporal variations in plastic accumulation are reported.•Increasing trend in plastic abundance from north to south was observed.•Small plastics were numerically predominant with 41.85% microplastics.•Beach usage is the major contributing factor for plastic pollution. Plastic litter was quantified on four sandy beaches in Mumbai. The mean abundance of 7.49g and 68.83 items per square metre was recorded. The abundance of plastics significantly varied among the beaches showing an increasing trend in the southern part. The abundance of plastics by weight in Dadar was significantly higher than that in Aksa. The size fractionation of plastics proved that small particles (1–20mm) are predominant with 41.85% microplastics (1–5mm) which emphasizes the high risk to marine organisms due to possible ingestion. The highest quantity of microplastics was seen in Juhu beach (55.33%) followed by Versova, Aksa and Dadar. The major contributing factors for the abundance are beach usage for different activities such as recreational, religious and fishing which suggest that the land-based sources provide major inputs to plastic pollution in these beaches.