Variation in polymer types and abundance of microplastics from two rivers and beaches in Adelaide, South Australia

Microplastics are a major source of marine pollution and comprise of many recyclable polymers. For this study, we investigated the prevalence of microplastic polymers in an urban and non-urban setting and determined what type of plastic polymers was most common in these areas. This was conducted by extracting sediment and sand samples from 2 rivers and beaches in Adelaide, South Australia. The microplastics were extracted using density separation and were identified using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. We found a significantly higher abundance of microplastics and variety of polymers in the sediment of the Patawalonga creek, compared to the less urbanised environment. Most of the microplastics found in the study were from recyclable products which highlight the lack of recycling practices undertaken by the inhabitants of that area.

Automated summary

This study investigated the prevalence of microplastic polymers in urban and non-urban settings in Adelaide, South Australia, and found that areas with higher urbanization had higher levels of microplastics and a greater variety of polymers. The majority of microplastics identified in the study were from recyclable products, highlighting a lack of recycling practices by the inhabitants of that area.