Occurrence of microplastic resin pellets from Chennai and Tinnakkara Island: Towards the establishment of background level for plastic pollution

Abstract

Plastic resin pellets collected from the metropolitan city Chennai (east coast of India) and remote Island Tinnakkara (west coast of India) were characterised by colour and their surface oxidation features. The most abundant pellets were yellow in Chennai and white pellets were plentiful in Tinnakkara Island. Surface oxidation features of pellet samples in the Chennai coast were cracks, material loss, erosion, adhesion and colour change. This is congruent with a long residence time in the marine environment associated with more pollutants. In Tinnakkara Island, white pellets were most abundant with less oxidation, which confirmed that short residence time in the marine environment and likely nearby sources.