Quantification and morphological characterization of plastic litter (0.30-100 mm) in surface waters of off Colombo, west coast of Sri Lanka.

This study focused on quantification and morphological characterization of plastics (0.30-100 mm) at seven sites, namely, Uswetakeiyawa, Kerawalapitiya, Dikowita, Modera, Kollupitiya, Bambalapitiya, and Wellawatta along the west coast, off Colombo, in August, October, and November, 2017. Samples were collected by dragging the floating net with a mesh size of 300 μm horizontally at the surface.

Bimonthly variability of persistent organochlorines in plastic pellets from four beaches in Mumbai coast, India.

Organochlorines (OCs) such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) were analysed in plastic pellets collected from four beaches of Mumbai coast bimonthly from May 2011 to March 2012. A total of 72 pools of pellets were extracted and analysed by gas chromatograph equipped with a Ni(63) electron capture detector (ECD). The median concentrations of seven ΣPCBs and 16 ΣOCPs were 37.

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

Plastic litter was quantified on four sandy beaches in Mumbai. The mean abundance of 7.49 g and 68.

Spatial and temporal variability of metals in inter-tidal beach sediment of Mumbai, India.

Nine metals were monitored in the beach sediment in Mumbai from May 2011 to March 2012 to evaluate the spatial and temporal distributions. The average heavy metal concentrations exhibited the following order: Fe > Mn > Cr > Co > Ni > Pb > Zn > Cu > Cd for the four sampling sites. The mean concentrations (± SD) of Fe, Mn, Cr, Co, Ni, Pb, Zn, Cu and Cd were estimated to be 31.

Plastic litter accumulation on high-water strandline of urban beaches in Mumbai, India.

Today, almost every beach on every coastline is threatened by human activities. The inadequate recycling and poor management of waste in developing countries has resulted in considerable quantities of plastic contaminating beaches. Though India has long coastline of 5,420 km along the mainland with 43 % of sandy beaches, data on litter accumulation, particularly the plastics, which are one of the most common and persistent pollutants in marine environment, are scanty.