Do microplastic loads reflect the population demographics along the southern African coastline?

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin Vol. 115; no. 1-2; pp. 115 - 119
• Main Authors: Nel, Holly Astrid, Hean, Jeffrey William, Noundou, Xavier Siwe, Froneman, Pierre William
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 15.02.2017
• Subjects: Country-wide; Environmental Monitoring; Human population densities; Humans; Microfibers; Plastic pollution; Plastics - analysis; Population Density; South Africa; Spatial Analysis; Spatial distribution; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Human population densities; Country-wide; Spatial distribution; Microfibers; Plastic pollution
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.11.056

Plastic pollution is a major anthropogenic contaminant effecting the marine environment and is often associated with high human population densities and industrial activities. The microplastic (63 to 5000μm) burden of beach sediment and surf-zone water was investigated at selected sites along the entire length of the South African coastline. It was predicted that samples collected in areas of high population density, would contain a higher microplastic burden than those along coasts that demonstrate very low population densities. With the exception of water column microplastics within Richard's Bay Harbour (413.3±77.53particles·m−3) and Durban Harbour (1200±133.2particles·m−3), there were no significant spatial differences in microplastic loads. This supports the theory that harbours act as a source of microplastics for the surrounding marine environment. Additionally, the absence of any spatial variation highlights the possible long range distribution of microplastic pollutants by large scale ocean currents. •No significant spatial difference in microplastic contamination of sediment samples along the South African coastline.•Water column samples collected from two harbours along the east coast showed significantly higher values than sandy beach sites.•There appears to be no apparent relationship between microplastic pollution and density of human population in this study.•Harbours, however, showed to be a potentially high source of microplastics.