A First Study on the Distribution of Microplastics in Sea Water and Sediments of Abu Dhabi Emirate, U.A.E

Microplastics (MPs), defined as plastic particles smaller than 5 mm, have emerged as a global environmental concern owing to their widespread presence and potential adverse effects on marine ecosystems and human health. This study aimed to evaluate the abundance of MPs in the marine environment of Abu Dhabi emirate, UAE, and to identify their possible sources in the marine environment. The investigation focused on sampling sites of four ecologically different categories: sites near oilfields, sites near desalination plants, offshore islands, and reference areas (offshore), with two sites from each category. The MPs were identified and classified based on their size, shape, and color. The average concentrations of MPs in water samples ranged from 4.5 to 12 particles/L and from 2.5 to 11.5 particles/100 g across different categories. Overall, in both water and sediment samples, MPs of size 100–300 μm (61%) were more common than those measuring 300–5000 μm (39%). The most common colors observed were red (32%) in water and transparent (36%) in sediments. Eight distinct shapes were identified in both the sediment and water samples. In water, filaments and irregular shapes were the most prevalent, at 23% each, followed by fragments (20%). In sediments, filaments and rounded shapes dominated by 23% each, followed by irregular shapes (19%). The dominant polymers identified in both water and sediment were acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), nylon 6,6 (PA66), cellulose acetate (CA), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The Pollution Load Index (PLI) was calculated to assess the pollution levels at different sites. Sites near oilfields and offshore islands were found to be more polluted than sites near desalination plants.