title: Characterization of microplastic and mesoplastic debris in sediments from Kamilo Beach and Kahuku Beach, Hawai'i.
abstract: Sediment samples were collected from two Hawai'ian beaches, Kahuku Beach on O'ahu and Kamilo Beach on the Big Island of Hawai'i. A total of 48,988 large microplastic and small mesoplastic (0.5-8mm) particles were handpicked from the samples and sorted into four size classes (0.5-1mm, 1-2mm, 2-4mm, 4-8mm) and nine color categories. For all sizes combined the most common plastic fragment color was white/transparent (71.8%) followed by blue (8.5%), green (7.5%), black/grey (7.3%), red/pink (2.6%), yellow (1.2%), orange (0.6%), brown (0.3%) and purple (0.2%). Color frequency distribution based on both numbers and mass of particles was not significantly different among the various size classes nor between the two beaches. White and black/grey resin pellets accounted for 11.3% of the particles collected from Kahuku Beach and 4.2% of the particles from Kamilo Beach. Plastic type based on Raman Spectrometer analysis of a small representative subsample indicated that most of the fragments were polyethylene and a few were polypropylene.
authors.affiliation: Biology Department, Salem State University, 352 Lafayette Street, Salem, MA 01970, United States. Electronic address: ayoung@salemstate.edu.
authors.forename: Alan M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Young
authors.affiliation: Biology Department, Salem State University, 352 Lafayette Street, Salem, MA 01970, United States.
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Elliott
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D019015:Geologic Sediments; D006254:Hawaii; D010969:Plastics
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D010969:Plastics
keywords: Color; Kahuku Beach, Hawai'i, USA; Kamilo Beach, Hawai'i, USA; Marine debris; Mesoplastic; Microplastic