Identification and Characterization of Microplastic Pollutants from the Marine Sediments of Paradeep Coast of Bay of Bengal, India for their Sustainable Management

One of the serious environmental problems is the abundance and distribution of microplastics which has been identified as a potential factor, especially in oceans and seas. This study reveals MPs abundance, and distribution, based on the colors, size, and polymer type in surface sediment along the Eastern coast of Paradeep coast of Bay of Bengal, India. This site was taken for study due to being one of the most commercial ports on the East Coast. Samples were collected from 25 locations on the coast of the Bay of Bengal. Sample separation and purification were followed by a sieving and density gradient separation process. The concentration of microplastic ranged 5 to 7, obtained from per 200 gm of the sample (7 ± 200 particles gm−1), and the total collected microplastics were 100 from 40 samples. The highest abundance of MPs was found in the vicinity of highly populated areas. Mostly blue and white colors with a length of range 0.1 cm to 1.5 cm were found. Different types of synthetic polymers like polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyamide were identified. The abundance of blue color was the maximum (37%), and the last one was red color (7%). There was various range of colors found in the decreasing order of abundance as blue > white > orange > yellow > green > red. The analysis provided us with new insights into the human activities and natural processes of these marine environments. To solve the plastic accumulation problem, recycling, and production of bioplastic, by introducing laws to control the sources and the use of plastic additives.