http://faculty.wwu.edu/~shulld/ESCI%20101/Andrady2011Plastics.pdf

Microplastics in the marine environment

One of the most ubiquitous and long-lasting recent changes to the surface of our planet is the accumulation and fragmentation of plastics. Within just a few decades since mass production of plastic...

/pdf/accumulation-and-fragmentation-of-plastic-debris-in-global-2ayi1pcd8z.pdf

Accumulation and fragmentation of plastic debris in global environments.

This review of 68 studies compares the methodologies used for the identification and quantification of microplastics from the marine environment. Three main sampling strategies were identified: selective, volume-reduced, and bulk sampling. Most sediment samples came from sandy beaches at the high tide line, and most seawater samples were taken at the sea surface using neuston nets. Four steps were distinguished during sample processing: density separation, filtration, sieving, and visual sorting of microplastics. Visual sorting was one of the most commonly used methods for the identification of microplastics (using type, shape, degradation stage, and color as criteria). Chemical and physical characteristics (e.g., specific density) were also used. The most reliable method to identify the chemical composition of microplastics is by infrared spectroscopy. Most studies reported that plastic fragments were polyethylene and polypropylene polymers. Units commonly used for abundance estimates are “items per m2” ...

/pdf/microplastics-in-the-marine-environment-a-review-of-the-fg3wzn5tjn.pdf

Microplastics in the Marine Environment: A Review of the Methods Used for Identification and Quantification

Plastic debris 1900 fibers per wash. This suggests that a large proportion of microplastic fibers found in the marine environment may be derived from sewage as a consequence of washing of clothes. As the human population grows and people use more synthetic textiles, contamination of habitats and animals by microplastic is likely to increase.

/pdf/accumulation-of-microplastic-on-shorelines-woldwide-sources-ltw1gk1ey5.pdf

Accumulation of Microplastic on Shorelines Woldwide: Sources and Sinks

http://resodema.org/publications/publication9.pdf

The physical impacts of microplastics on marine organisms: a review.

This study aimed to assess the accumulation of small plastic debris in the intertidal sediments of the world's largest ship-breaking 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 ship-breaking activities at the site.

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

Distribution, Enrichment and Accumulation of Heavy Metals in Coastal Sediments of Alang-Sosiya Ship Scrapping Yard, India

Evaluation of the emission characteristics of trace metals from coal and fuel oil fired power plants and their fate during combustion.

Seasonal distribution and contamination levels of total PHCs, PAHs and heavy metals in coastal waters of the Alang-Sosiya ship scrapping yard, Gulf of Cambay, India.

M. Srinivasa Reddy

Papers

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

Distribution, Enrichment and Accumulation of Heavy Metals in Coastal Sediments of Alang-Sosiya Ship Scrapping Yard, India

Evaluation of the emission characteristics of trace metals from coal and fuel oil fired power plants and their fate during combustion.

Seasonal distribution and contamination levels of total PHCs, PAHs and heavy metals in coastal waters of the Alang-Sosiya ship scrapping yard, Gulf of Cambay, India.

Quantification and classification of ship scraping waste at Alang-Sosiya, India.