title: Do microplastic loads reflect the population demographics along the southern African coastline?
abstract: Plastic pollution is a major anthropogenic contaminant effecting the marine environment and is often associated with high human population densities and industrial activities. The microplastic (63 to 5000μm) burden of beach sediment and surf-zone water was investigated at selected sites along the entire length of the South African coastline. It was predicted that samples collected in areas of high population density, would contain a higher microplastic burden than those along coasts that demonstrate very low population densities. With the exception of water column microplastics within Richard's Bay Harbour (413.3±77.53particles·m-3) and Durban Harbour (1200±133.2particles·m-3), there were no significant spatial differences in microplastic loads. This supports the theory that harbours act as a source of microplastics for the surrounding marine environment. Additionally, the absence of any spatial variation highlights the possible long range distribution of microplastic pollutants by large scale ocean currents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology and Entomology, Faculty of Science, Rhodes University, PO Box 94, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa. Electronic address: hollynel1988@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Holly Astrid
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Nel
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology and Entomology, Faculty of Science, Rhodes University, PO Box 94, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa.
authors.forename: Jeffrey William
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Hean
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Rhodes University, P.O. Box 94, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa.
authors.forename: Xavier Siwe
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Noundou
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology and Entomology, Faculty of Science, Rhodes University, PO Box 94, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa.
authors.forename: Pierre William
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Froneman
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D010969:Plastics / Q000032:analysis*; D011156:Population Density; D013019:South Africa; D062206:Spatial Analysis; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D010969:Plastics; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Country-wide; Human population densities; Microfibers; Plastic pollution; Spatial distribution