Description of the small plastics fragments in marine sediments along the Alang-Sosiya shipbreaking yard, India:

Abstract:

This study aimed to assess the accumulation of small plastic debris in the intertidal sediments of the world's largest shipbreaking yard at Alang-Sosiya, India. Small plastics fragments were collected by flotation and separated according to their basic polymer type under a microscope, and subsequently identified by FT-IR spectroscopy as polyurethane, nylon, polystyrene, polyester and glass wool. The morphology of these materials was also studied using a scanning electron microscope. Overall, there were on average 81 mg of small plastics fragments per kg of sediment. The described plastic fragments are believed to have resulted directly from the shipbreaking activities at the site.

Keywords:

Alang-Sosiya; shipbreaking yard; small plastics; accumulation; intertidal sediments; microscopic fragmentation; FT-IR; SEM

Article Outline:

1. Introduction

2. Materials and methods

3. Results

4. Discussion

Acknowledgements

References

Authors:

M. Srinivasa Reddy^a, Shaik Basha^a, S. Adimurthy^a and G. Ramachandraiah ^{, a,}

^aCentral Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute, Gijubhai Badheka Marg, Bhavnagar 364 002, Gujarat, India

Published in:

Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science

Volume 68, Issues 3-4, July 2006, Pages 656-660

Ecological and Management Implications on Seagrass Landscapes

Received 11 October 2005; accepted 16 March 2006. Available online 16 June 2006.

Source: Science Direct.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272771406001156