Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

SEASONAL MICROPLASTIC DOCUMENTATION IN KERALA MANGROVE SEDIMENTS

Manju P. Nair, Minnu Maria Wilson, Jenees Mathew, Rosily A.V. and Anu Gopinath

Abstract

Seasonal microplastic abundance evaluation in the sediments of the diverse mangrove environments in Kerala - Kannur, Kochi and Kollam was attempted. Samples were collected from three stations of Kannur: Pazhayangadi (KP), Valapattanam (KV) and Dharmadam (KD); two stations of Kochi: Mangalavanam (MN) and Kundannur (KK) and two stations of Kollam : Munro Thuruthu (KM) and Ashramam (KA). Seasonal comparison recognized that microplastics are more in MN during pre-monsoon season and least in KP sediments during post monsoon. Among the samples analysed fragments identified as more in numbers than filament microplastics. The dominant colour of microplastics were observed as black. This study serves as a baseline for microplastics distribution in the mangrove sediments of Kerala.