Abundance of microplastics in the mangrove dominated Indian Sundarbans: A mini-review

We monitored microplastics in ambient surface water and sediments in two different sectors of Indian Sundarbans during August 2023, which are significantly different in terms of salinity. The western sector of Indian Sundarbans is exposed to high anthropogenic influences compared to the central sector, which is adjacent to the Reserve Forest (RF) with almost negligible anthropogenic footprint. The western sector is dominated by fishing activities and industrial effluent drainage along with regular thoroughfare of tourists, making the estuarine waters a dumping ground for plastic waste and debris. Fishing nets and trawls also contribute to the waste load. The central sector, being nearer to the RF is less frequented by tourists, but tidal influx and frequent storms bring in the microplastics from other zones to accumulate here. Our first-order analysis reveals considerable plastic litter in the western sector, which can cause adverse impact on mangrove biodiversity. Nearly 78 tonnes of plastic wastes have been found in the delta complex due to unregulated tourism and fishing pressure. Transfer of microplastics through food-webs and their subsequent bioaccumulation can cause significant ecological damage to the biodiversity of Sundarbans. Although the Government of West Bengal, India, has been tackling the problem in their own capacity, more policy intervention is required to combat the danger arising from emerging contaminants like microplastics. In this context, continuous awareness programs are needed involving the major stakeholders like fishermen, tourists, and local island dwellers. This should be backed up with stringent regulatory measures to address the alarming situations keeping the goal of environment and biodiversity conservation in close alignment with the mission and vision of SDG 14.