Microplastic Contamination in Chinnamuttom Coast Seawaters: An Investigative Study | InformativeBD

N. Sivalingitha, Jeni Chandar Padua, P. C. Jeba Preethi Jansi, and J. Agnel, from the different institute of India. wrote a Research Article about, Microplastic Contamination in Chinnamuttom Coast Seawaters: An Investigative Study. Entitled, Microplastic footprints in the seawaters of Chinnamuttom Coast, Kanyakumari: An investigation. This research paper published by the Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences (JBES). an open access scholarly research journal on Biodiversity. under the affiliation of the International Network For Natural Sciences| INNSpub. an open access multidisciplinary research journal publisher.

Abstract

The study examines the microplastics contamination in marine waters along the Chinnamuttom coast. Density separation, filtration and sieving methods are employed to collect microplastics. The morphology, shape and colour of the microplastics collected were determined through visual analysis using microscopic identification. Microplastics were characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and FT-Raman spectroscopic investigations. The study revealed the presence of microplastics smaller than 5 mm. Approximately 70 mg of dried microplastics were obtained per 5 liters of water. The microplastics primarily consisted of fibers, pellets, and fragments, exhibiting a range of colours including orange pellets, black filaments and fibers in blue, pink, white and purple hues. Particles as small as 20 µm in diameter were detected using scanning electron microscopy, while Raman spectroscopy identified polymers such as polystyrene and nylon through their distinctive vibrational peaks, confirming the presence of bonds like C-H, aldehyde and C=C. The extensive pollution underscores critical ecological issues facing the Chinnamuttom coastal environment, potentially intensified by nearby fishing and tourism practices. The results emphasize the critical necessity for approaches aimed at reducing microplastic contamination in these aquatic environments to safeguard marine biodiversity and the overall health of ecosystems.

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Introduction

Microplastics are defined as plastic fragments or particles that measure less than 5 mm in diameter, resulting from the breakdown of larger plastic materials (Pellini et al., 2018). 

Microplastics are widespread in the environment, particularly in marine settings, as a result of hydrodynamic processes and transportation via wind and ocean currents. Large ocean gyres such as the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans, along with polar regions and the equator, host them, stretching from coastal areas to the open seas (Galgani et al., 2013). Microplastics are characterized by a variety of morphologies, including foils, foams, fibers, granules, fragments, and microbeads (Klein et al., 2018).

Microplastics can be classified into two categories based on their original dimensions. Municipal effluent could directly introduce industrially produced particulates and powders, originally designed as plastic microbeads, into the ocean as primary microplastics (Cole et al., 2011). Various physical, biological, and chemical processes fragment and degrade substantial plastic pieces, resulting in smaller particles known as secondary microplastics that may enter marine ecosystems (Arias-Villamizar et al., 2018).

Secondary microplastics refer to the fragmentation of larger plastic materials resulting from various forms of degradation, including biological processes involving microbial species, photodegradation caused by solar ultraviolet radiation, and mechanical abrasion due to wave action. Mechanical damage, photodegradation, and oxidative degradation are all mechanisms that degrade fragile polymers into microplastics in the ocean (Wagner et al., 2014).

A diverse array of sources contributes to microplastic pollution in the marine environment, broadly classified as inland-based, sea-based, and air-based (Andrady, 2011; Browne et al., 2011). According to Lebreton et al. (2017), rivers are the most critical conduits for the transportation of microplastics from inland regions to the ocean. The terrestrial environment is the source of approximately 80% of the plastic debris in the ocean (Andrady, 2011; Mani et al., 2015). Rivers transport plastic debris from urban drainage systems and sewage effluents to the sea, while coastal tourists immediately dispose of their plastic garbage in the environment (Andrady, 2011). Marine sources come from fisheries, maritime transport, and offshore industry (Bell et al., 2017). Plastic debris may end up in the waterways due to broken or lost fishing or aquaculture gear (Law and Thompson, 2014). 

Due to their increased bioavailability and potential negative effects on marine ecosystems over the long term, microplastics are expected to garner significant public attention in the next few years (Velzeboer et al., 2014). Although the exact nature of microplastics (MPs) and the harm they do to marine life is still largely unknown, there is mounting evidence that these contaminants pose a serious threat to marine ecosystems (Chen et al., 2017). Measures and initiatives are necessary to address the issues arising from microplastics and enhance plastic waste management. Hence, the present study aims to classify the microplastics based on their shape, size, colour and to evaluate the chemical composition of microplastics found in the seawater of the Chinnamuttom coast.

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Source : Microplastic footprints in the seawaters of Chinnamuttom Coast, Kanyakumari: An investigation  

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Detecting Microplastic Contamination with Nile Red | InformativeBD

Ruvina T. Castillo and Justin Dumale, from the different institute of the Philippines. wrote a research article about, Detecting Microplastic Contamination with Nile Red. entitled, Rapid detection of microplastic contamination using Nile red fluorescent tagging. This research paper published by the International Journal of Biosciences (IJB). an open access scholarly research journal on Biosciences. under the affiliation of the International Network For Natural Sciences | NNSpub. an open access multidisciplinary research journal publisher.

Abstract

This study delves into the evaluation of fluorescent lights staining microscopy and its efficiency in cross validation by comparison with light microscopy. Rapid detection of microplastics of various sizes can be distinguished in assessing coastal marine sediment. A development of a novel approach in rapid detection is employed for analysis of coastal marine sediment microplastic contamination, based on fluorescent tagging using Nile Red (NR), separated by density-based extraction using Zinc Chloride (ZnCl2) and filtration. The fluorescent staining tags onto microplastic to fluorescent, aides with excitation of blue light and color filters. Fluorescence excitation is detected using simple smartphone photography through a polarizer filter. Rapid detection using light microscopy allows fluorescent particles to be identified and counted in image-analysis. The study used a paired sample t-test to compare particle counts across five mesh sizes, revealing minimal too little to no significant differences between fluoresced and suspected MPs particles, indicating a novel detection process with greater selectivity and fluorescence intensity.

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Introduction

The Philippines is an archipelagic country which consists of 7,641 islands and has an extensive and diverse coastline. It boasts as one of the longest coastlines in the world with a measure of approximately 36,000 kilometers (22,370 miles). This coastline encompasses a wide variety of features ranging from pristine beaches to rugged cliffs and rocky shores. These coastal areas play a crucial role in the country's culture, economy, and ecology as they provide habitat to numerous fish species, marine life, and migratory birds. It also serves as hubs for trade, tourism, and agriculture. However, with high level of tourism and recreational activities in the area such as fishing, swimming, sailing, and snorkeling may lead to have larger amount of plastic waste that can pollute and contaminate the marine environment (Chaisanguansuk et al., 2023)

Plastics and other synthetic, non-biodegradable pollutants, which are often referred to as “marine debris,” have been contaminating and polluting the world’s enclosed seas, coastal waters, and the wider open oceans for the past five or six decades (Gregory, 2009). The hazard posed by plastic waste is significant because it starves and suffocates wildlife, distributes invasive and possibly dangerous species, absorbs toxic chemicals, and breaks down into microplastics that can be ingested (Barnes et al., 2009). These microscopic particles, also known as microplastic which are smaller than 5 mm in size, are present in many different environments. It poses a threat to the ecosystem due to their small size (millimeters or less), it is accessible to a variety of organisms with the ability to cause both physical and toxicological harm (Law and Thompson, 2014). Microplastics can be swallowed by low-trophic feeders, filters, and deposits, as well as by detritivores and plankton-eating organisms. As a result, they can build up inside organisms and cause physical damage, like internal abrasions or blockages. Aside from the physical damage, microplastics can also leach into the environment, where they can cause cancer or endocrine disruption (Wright, 2013).

Even though microplastic contamination affects biota, the environment, and public health significantly, it is a difficult problem to solve since it is so pervasive, and the specific adverse consequences of both long-term and short-term exposure are unknown (Savuca, 2022). Because of the growing worries about the amount of marine plastic waste and the effects it has had on marine ecosystems, marine plastic debris pollution has been identified as a global concern (Mu et al., 2019).

This study serves as baseline studies in microplastic contamination in the coastal environment in sediments of Anda, Northwestern Pangasinan. This study generally aimed to identify the presence of microplastic contamination along the coastlines in sediments of Anda, Northwestern Pangasinan. Specifically, it aimed to detect microplastic contamination using Nile Red fluorescence along the coastlines in sediments of Anda, Northwestern Pangasinan and to assess the efficacy of Nile Red fluorescence in staining for rapid detection of microplastics along the coastline of Anda, Northwestern Pangasinan. 

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Source : Rapid detection of microplastic contamination using Nile red fluorescent tagging 

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