Microplastic pollution in the marine waters and sediments of Hong Kong

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin Vol. 115; no. 1-2; pp. 20 - 28
• Main Authors: Tsang, Y.Y., Mak, C.W., Liebich, C., Lam, S.W., Sze, E. T-P., Chan, K.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 15-02-2017
• Subjects: Coastal waters; Environmental Monitoring; Geologic Sediments; Hong Kong; Plastic pollution; Plastics; Polyethylene; Sediments; Spatial variation; Temporal variation; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Coastal waters; Temporal variation; Sediments; Spatial variation; Plastic pollution
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.11.003

The presence of plastic waste with a diameter of less than 5mm (“microplastics”) in marine environments has prompted increasing concern in recent years, both locally and globally. We conducted seasonal surveys of microplastic pollution in the surface waters and sediments from Deep Bay, Tolo Harbor, Tsing Yi, and Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong between June 2015 and March 2016. The average concentrations of microplastics in local coastal waters and sediments respectively ranged from 51 to 27,909particles per 100m3 and 49 to 279particles per kilogram. Microplastics of different shapes (mainly fragments, lines, fibers, and pellets) were identified as polypropylene, low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, a blend of polypropylene and ethylene propylene, and styrene acrylonitrile by means of Attenuated Total Reflectance - Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. This is the first comprehensive study to assess the spatial and temporal variations of microplastic pollution in Hong Kong coastal regions.
•The severity of marine microplastic pollution in Hong Kong is moderate.•Microplastics found are less dense plastics including PP, PE, PP+EPDM and SAN.•Temporal and spatial variations of microplastics in surface water were observed.•Victoria Harbour was the most polluted coastal region (27,909±7407particles/100m3).