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Microplastics in the Inshore and Offshore Surface Water in the Andaman Sea

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Abstract

Microplastics have been reported in almost all marine realms, but only little knowledge is available in the Andaman Sea. The purpose is to investigate the distribution of surface floating microplastics regarding the sources and surface circulation in the Andaman Sea. Samples were collected at five stations in March 2021 using a manta trawl (mesh size: 315 μm), and the COAWST model system was applied to simulate the surface current during the observation. Results revealed the abundance of microplastics ranges from 0.02 to 0.74 (0.27 ± 0.18 in average) particles/m3. Polymer composition analysis with micro-FT-IR found the three most abundant types as polypropylene (46.24%), polyethylene (26.32%), and polystyrene (24.81%). The ocean circulation model reveals westward flow, which corresponds with accretion of microplastics offshore. This indicates the spreading of the microplastics along with current off the Andaman Sea. Our finding is thought-provoking; hence, the Andaman Sea needs more attention on microplastic pollution.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to express sincere thanks to Department of Marine and Coastal Resources for supporting observations in the nearshore area, Phuket Marine Biological Center for providing facilities and scientific equipment, and all staffs for their devotion to this study. We also thank Project Ocean Forecasting and Marine Disaster Mitigation System of Southeast Asia Seas under Thailand-China Joint Laboratory for Climate and Marine Ecosystem for giving us great opportunity to join the cruise to collect samples in the offshore area, and all staffs in the RV Chakthong Thongyai, the RV of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources. Last, we would also like to extend our appreciation to Combating Marine Debris Laboratory from Department of Marine Science, Faculty of Fisheries, Kasetsart University for their support and contribution to this study.

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  1. Phuket Marine Biological Center, Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, Phuket, 83000, Thailand

    Phaothep Cherdsukjai & Chalermrat Sangmanee

  2. Department of Marine Science, Faculty of Fisheries, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, 10900, Thailand

    Suchai Worachananant & Jitraporn Phaksopa

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  1. Phaothep Cherdsukjai
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Cherdsukjai, P., Sangmanee, C., Worachananant, S. et al. Microplastics in the Inshore and Offshore Surface Water in the Andaman Sea. Water Air Soil Pollut 233, 500 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-022-05975-1

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