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Microplastics in Surface Waters and Sediments from Guangdong Coastal Areas, South China

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  • Yizheng Li

    (Joint Laboratory of Guangdong Province and Hong Kong Region on Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural Universtiy, Guangzhou 510641, China)

  • Yindan Zhang

    (Joint Laboratory of Guangdong Province and Hong Kong Region on Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural Universtiy, Guangzhou 510641, China)

  • Guanglong Chen

    (Joint Laboratory of Guangdong Province and Hong Kong Region on Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural Universtiy, Guangzhou 510641, China)

  • Kaihang Xu

    (Joint Laboratory of Guangdong Province and Hong Kong Region on Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural Universtiy, Guangzhou 510641, China)

  • Han Gong

    (Joint Laboratory of Guangdong Province and Hong Kong Region on Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural Universtiy, Guangzhou 510641, China)

  • Kai Huang

    (National Engineering Research Center for Non-Food Biorefinery, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Refinery, Guangxi Academy of Sciences, 98 Daling Road, Nanning 530007, China)

  • Muting Yan

    (Joint Laboratory of Guangdong Province and Hong Kong Region on Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural Universtiy, Guangzhou 510641, China)

  • Jun Wang

    (Joint Laboratory of Guangdong Province and Hong Kong Region on Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural Universtiy, Guangzhou 510641, China
    National Engineering Research Center for Non-Food Biorefinery, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-Refinery, Guangxi Academy of Sciences, 98 Daling Road, Nanning 530007, China
    Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China)

Abstract

Microplastic is an emerging global pollutant that have attracted a great deal of attention from researchers and the public. Guangdong Province has a large population and a relatively well-developed economy, but lacks a modern pollution control system. Guangdong has a long coastline with varying levels of pollution, and little research has been conducted on microplastics. Therefore, we investigated the level of microplastic pollution in coastal areas of Guangdong Province, and the abundance of microplastics in surface waters and sediments at 13 sampling sites. The abundance of microplastics in surface water and sediment samples ranged from 850 to 3500 items/L and 433.3 to 4166.3 items/kg, respectively. Fiber is the main type of microplastics in both surface water and sediment. The sampled microplastics were typically transparent. Raman results show that the surface water sample mainly includes rayon (38.2%), polyethylene terephthalate (16.4%), and ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer (12.7%). This study used the pollution load index method to evaluate the pollution risk of microplastics along the coast of Guangdong, and provided the basis for the formulation of environmental policy.

Suggested Citation

  • Yizheng Li & Yindan Zhang & Guanglong Chen & Kaihang Xu & Han Gong & Kai Huang & Muting Yan & Jun Wang, 2021. "Microplastics in Surface Waters and Sediments from Guangdong Coastal Areas, South China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-15, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:5:p:2691-:d:509214
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Zongguo Wen & Yiling Xie & Muhan Chen & Christian Doh Dinga, 2021. "China’s plastic import ban increases prospects of environmental impact mitigation of plastic waste trade flow worldwide," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Amanda L. Dawson & So Kawaguchi & Catherine K. King & Kathy A. Townsend & Robert King & Wilhelmina M. Huston & Susan M. Bengtson Nash, 2018. "Turning microplastics into nanoplastics through digestive fragmentation by Antarctic krill," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-8, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Isabella Gambino & Francesco Bagordo & Tiziana Grassi & Alessandra Panico & Antonella De Donno, 2022. "Occurrence of Microplastics in Tap and Bottled Water: Current Knowledge," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-15, April.

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