EVALUATION OF MICROPLASTICS IN BEACH SANDS ON ISLE OF MAN

Plastics have become ubiquitous environmental pollutants that can release harmful chemicals, entangle wildlife, and be ingested and biomagnified in the food chain. They can also be broken down to create microplastics (<5mm) identified as microbeads, nurdles, fragments, and microfibers. The objective of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of microplastics in beach sands on the Isle of Man (IoM) in the British Isles. The IoM is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve with stakeholders who regularly remove trash from the island’s beaches, resulting in visibly clean beaches. However, whether debris has broken down into micro-fragments has not been examined. Four beaches on the IoM were sampled in June 2019 and one beach was sampled in May 2022. A total of 22 samples were collected from the high-tide and low-tide mark on the beaches in Niarbyl, White, Lhen, Ramsey, and Peel. Samples were sieved on site using 5.6 mm, 1 mm, and 0.3 mm sieves. The 1 mm and 0.3 mm samples were archived for analysis. These samples were dried and weighed, then analyzed using a modified National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) method that included wet peroxide oxidation and density separation for a minimum of 24 hours. Floating particles were collected and examined under a microscope. All of the beaches sampled had microfibers identified although there were no microbeads or nurdles. The number of microfibers in the 0.3 mm sample ranged from 0 to 16 fibers per sample. Overall, high tide shoreline samples contained more microplastics than low tide samples. The microfibers may come from fabric fibers discharged through wastewater, from the fishing line or rope, or from other synthetic material that has washed into the shoreline. Compared to a survey of microplastic studies conducted in the United Kingdom, the microfiber count on Isle of Man beaches is relatively low. This study provides a preliminary assessment of the microplastic pollution and serves as a baseline for ongoing research that will explore the relationship of wastewater effluent and ocean currents on microplastic concentrations on the IoM. An understanding of the distribution of microplastic pollution can assist in the formation of marine litter policy strategies for mitigating sources of pollution, especially as projections for the global production of plastics continues to increase.