Background
The use of plastics has exploded worldwide during the last decades. Between 1950 and 2015, the world's annual production of plastics grew from 1.5 million tons to 299 million tons. Plastics is now found in all habitats around the world, even far away from human settlement. Plastic garbage is transported with ocean currents and accumulated in huge garbage patches. It is also broken down into tiny particles and taken up by filter feeders, thereby entering the marine food chains.
Microplastic particles also accumulate in the sand. There they might alter the physical properties of the sand, such as thermal capacity, water permeability etc., having profound effects on burrowing organisms and sand temperature. This is particularly harmful for sea turtles because the sex of the turtles are determined by the sand temperature surrounding the eggs.
The use of plastics has exploded worldwide during the last decades. Between 1950 and 2015, the world's annual production of plastics grew from 1.5 million tons to 299 million tons. Plastics is now found in all habitats around the world, even far away from human settlement. Plastic garbage is transported with ocean currents and accumulated in huge garbage patches. It is also broken down into tiny particles and taken up by filter feeders, thereby entering the marine food chains.
Microplastic particles also accumulate in the sand. There they might alter the physical properties of the sand, such as thermal capacity, water permeability etc., having profound effects on burrowing organisms and sand temperature. This is particularly harmful for sea turtles because the sex of the turtles are determined by the sand temperature surrounding the eggs.
Microplastic sources and cycling in the marine environment.
There is little knowledge of how much microplastics is found in the water column and on the beaches globally. The effect on ecosystems is also still poorly understood. The goal of our project is to estimate the amount of microplastic particles (< 5 mm) on sandy beaches along a depth gradient.
Materials and Methods
The research will be carried out in Southern Thailand in the Phuket area, which is a busy tourist and fishing area and where we expect the shorelines to be heavily polluted by microplastics. Southeast Asia, Thailand included, is one of the world's biggest contributors to plastic debris entering the oceans. Samples will be collected from the shoreline, 5 meter and 10 meter. The origin of the plastic particles will be identified using FT-IR spectrometry.
Results and anticipated output
Knowing how much microplastic there is in different marine habitats and how it affects organisms is a crucial piece of knowledge in order to assess where the ecosystems most at risk are found. We need to identify heavily polluted areas and allocate resources in order to protect these ecosystems. This research will provide basic information about the pollution status in the Andaman Sea region. Further on, knowing where the microplastics originate from, we can campaign against the use of such plastics and work for a decrease in the use of these pollution sources.
There is little knowledge of how much microplastics is found in the water column and on the beaches globally. The effect on ecosystems is also still poorly understood. The goal of our project is to estimate the amount of microplastic particles (< 5 mm) on sandy beaches along a depth gradient.
Materials and Methods
The research will be carried out in Southern Thailand in the Phuket area, which is a busy tourist and fishing area and where we expect the shorelines to be heavily polluted by microplastics. Southeast Asia, Thailand included, is one of the world's biggest contributors to plastic debris entering the oceans. Samples will be collected from the shoreline, 5 meter and 10 meter. The origin of the plastic particles will be identified using FT-IR spectrometry.
Results and anticipated output
Knowing how much microplastic there is in different marine habitats and how it affects organisms is a crucial piece of knowledge in order to assess where the ecosystems most at risk are found. We need to identify heavily polluted areas and allocate resources in order to protect these ecosystems. This research will provide basic information about the pollution status in the Andaman Sea region. Further on, knowing where the microplastics originate from, we can campaign against the use of such plastics and work for a decrease in the use of these pollution sources.
Anu sampling a sandy beach at 3 meter in Racha Yai, Thailand.
