Sources and impacts of microplastic on the world’s longest sea beach of the Bay of Bengal coasts: a review on microplastic management

ABSTRACT

The toxic impact of microplastics (MPs) in the terrestrial and aquatic environment has recently become a global problem. The Bay of Bengal coasts is an important bio-diverse ecosystem, which help the people for their sound living and gather natural resources. However, the distribution, impact, source and transport mechanism, and policy to take initiatives for MPs pollution control at the Bay of Bengal coasts' have received less attention. Therefore, this review summarizes MPs' distribution and their source in the Bay of Bengal coasts' ecosystems. Current knowledge extends the impacts of MP on this vital ecosystem, existing policy, and further recommendations to mitigate MPs contamination are critically assessed in this study. Furthermore, mechanisms of MP on human health are also highlighted with the identification of current research gaps and future study suggestions. Given the escalating plastic usage and the prevalence of important sea products globally, there is a pressing need to prioritize research efforts on the impacts of MPs on the Bay of Bengal coasts from a long-term perspective. Knowledge obtained in this way would inform the scientists, stakeholders, and policy makers in such a way as to help them mitigate impacts of the micro- and nano-plastic legacy at this region.

KEYWORDS:

• Bay of Bengal
• impact
• marine pollution
• microplastic
• mitigate

Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful for the kind help from the members of the Patuakhali Science and Technology University (PSTU), Bangladesh for library facilities to access the journal articles.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability

All data obtained and analysed during this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

The authors extend their appreciation to the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Khalid University for funding this work through Large Groups Projects under grant number (RGP.2/430/44).

Notes on contributors

Md. Saiful Islam

Md. Saiful Islam: Professor, department of Soil Science, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Bangladesh. Dr. Islam is working as an expert in the field of environmental science and toxicology.

Md. Shahin Hossin

Md. Shahin Hossin: Associate Professor, department of Soil Science, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Bangladesh. Dr. Hossin is working as an expert in the field of environmental science, soil chemistry and plant nutrition.

Md. Rafiq Uddin

Md. Rafiq Uddin: Assistant Professor, department of Soil Science, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Bangladesh. Mr. Uddin is working as an expert in the field of environmental science, soil chemistry and plant nutrition.

Md. Towhidul Islam

Md. Towhidul Islam: Research fellow, department of Soil Science, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Bangladesh. An expert in the field of environmental science and plant nutrition.

Uttam Biswas Antu

Uttam Biswas Antu: Research fellow, department of Soil Science, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Bangladesh. An expert in the field of environmental chemistry and plant nutrition.

Abu Reza Md. Towfiqul Islam

Abu Reza Md. Towfiqul Islam: Associate Professor, 2Department of Disaster Management, Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur, Bangladesh. Dr. Towfiqul Islam is working as an expert in the field of environmental science, ocean chemistry, and microplastic pollution.

Mahmudul Hasan

Mahmudul Hasan: Assistant Professor, department of Oceanography, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Mr. Hasan has a specialization on the oceanographic research, water and sediment chemistry and plastic pollution in the aquatic environment.

Md. Tanvir bin Hossain

Md. Tanvir bin Hossain: Research fellow, department of Soil and Environmental sciences, University of Barishal, Barishal-8254, Bangladesh. Mr. Hossain has been working on the water and sediment chemistry and plastic pollution in the aquatic environment.

Mir Mohammad Ali

Mir Mohammad Ali: Assistant Professor, department of Aquaculture, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh. Mr. Ali has a specialization on the oceanographic research, water and sediment chemistry and plastic pollution in the aquatic environment.

Zulhilmi Ismail

Zulhilmi Ismail: Professor, Centre for River and Coastal Engineering (CRCE), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Johor Bahru Malaysia. Dr. Ismail has a specialization on the oceanographic research, water and sediment chemistry and plastic pollution in the aquatic environment.

Sujat Ahmed

Sujat Ahmed: Research fellow, Environment, Center for People & Environ (CPE), Dhaka, Bangladesh. Mr. Ahmed is working as an expert in the field of environmental science, ocean chemistry, and microplastic pollution.

Abdullah Al Bakky

Abdullah Al Bakky: Scientific Officer, Agriculture wing, Bangladesh Jute Research Institute, Dhaka. An expert in the field of environmental chemistry and plant nutrition.

Abubakr M. Idris

Prof. Abubakr M. Idris: Professor, department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Khalid University, Abha-62529, Saudi Arabia. He has been working since 10 years in the field of Environmental Chemistry.