Plastic pellets on the beaches of the northern Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea
Keywords:
occurrence, transportation, accumulation, distribution, degradation, sources, controlling factorAbstract
The occurrence of plastic pellets on the Jordanian beaches along the northeastern side of the Gulf of Aqaba (Red Sea) is being reported for the first time. Five beaches of about 4,650 m in length and 134,000 m2 in area were surveyed for the presence of these spherules during two successive years. Pellets with a variety of colors, shapes and sizes were found. The presence of these pellets is most likely due to accidental spillages: cargo loss during sea transport and sweeping of raw plastic materials, such as those imported as feedstock for local plastic factories in Jordan, into shore by wave action. When compared with other beaches of other parts of the world, the Jordanian beaches on the Gulf of Aqaba are considered heavily polluted with these pellets. This report discusses type, degree of degradation, sources and possible effects on the marine environment and suggests actions to reduce the input of plastic pellets to the marine environment at the source.
References
Azzarello, M. Y. and Van-Vleet, E. S. 1987. Marine birds and plastic pollution. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 37: 295–303.
Carpenter, E. J. 1972. Polystyrene sperules in coastal waters. Science, 178: 749–750.
Carpenter, E. J. and Smith, K. K. Jr. 1972. Plastic on the Sargasso Sea surface. Science, 175: 1240–1241.
Carpenter, E. J., Anderson, S. J., Harvey, G. R., Miklas, H. P. and Peck, B. B. 1972. Polystyrene spherules in coastal waters. Science, 178: 749–750.
Chottiner, J. and Bowden, E. B. 1965. How plastics resist weathering. Materials Engineering, 62: 97–99.
Derraik, J. G. B. 2002. The pollution of the marine environment by plastic debris: a review. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 44: 842–852.
Dixon, T. R. and Dixon, T. J. 1981. Marine litter surveillance. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 9: 289–295.
Dixon, T. R. and Cooke, A. J. 1977. Discarded containers on a Kent beach. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 8: 105–109.
Endo, S., Takizawa, R., Okuda, K., Takada, H., Chiba, K., Kanehiro, H., Ogi, H., Yamashita, R. and Date, T. 2005. Concentration of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in beached resin pellets: variability among individual particles and regional differences. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 50: 1103–1114.
Garrity, S. D. and Levings, S. C. 1993. Marine debris along the Caribbean coast of Panama. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 26: 317–324.
Goldberg, E. D. 1997. Placticizing the seafloor: an overview. Environmental Technology, 18: 195–202.
Gregory, M. R. 1977. Plastic pellets on the New Zealand beaches. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 8: 82–84.
Gregory, M. R. 1978. Accumulation and distribution of virgin plastic granules on New Zealand beaches. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 12: 399–414.
Gregory, M. R. 1991. The hazards of persistent marine pollution: drift plastics and conservation islands. Journal Royal Society New Zealand, 21: 83–100.
Hansen, J. 1990. Draft position statement on plastic debris in marine environments. Fisheries, 15: 16–17.
Hulings, N. C. 1979. Currents in the Jordan Gulf of Aqaba. Dirasat, 6: 21–33.
Ives, G. C., Mead, J. A. and Riley, M. M. 1971. Handbook of Plastics Test Methods, London: Iliffe Books.
Laist, D. W. 1987. Overview of the biological effects of lost and discarded plastic debris in the marine environment. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 18: 319–326.
Lee, K., Tanabe, S. and Koh, C. 2001. Contamination of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in sediments from Kyeonggi Bay and nearby areas, Korea. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 42: 273–279.
Mato, Y., Isobe, T., Takada, H., Kahnehiro, H., Ohtake, C. and Kaminuma, T. 2001. Plastic resin pellets as a transport medium for toxic chemicals in the marine environment. Environmental Science & Technology, 35: 318–324.
McDermid, K. J. and McMullen, T. L. 2004. Quantitative analysis of small-plastic debris on beaches in the Hawaiian archipelago. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 48: 790–794.
Minchin, D. 1996. Tar pellets and plastic as attachment surfaces for Lepadid cirripede In the North Atlantic Ocean. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 32: 855–859.
Moser, M. L. and Lee, D. S. 1992. A fourteen-year survey of plastic ingestion by western North Atlantic seabird. Colonial Waterbirds, 15: 83–94.
Quayle, D. V. 1992. Plastic in the marine environment: problems and solution. Chemistry and Ecology, 6: 69–78.
Rayan, P. G. 1988. Effects of ingested plastic on seabird feeding: evidence from chickens. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 19: 125–128.
Rios, L. M., Moore, C. and Jones, P. R. 2007. Persistent organic pollutants carried by synthetic polymers in the ocean environment. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 54: 1230–1237.
Shiber, J. G. 1979. Plastic pellets and on the coast of Lebanon. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 10: 28–30.
Shiber, J. G. 1987. Plastic pellets and tar on Spain!s Mediterranean beaches. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 18: 84–86.
Zitko, V. and Hanlon, M. 1991. Another source of pollution by plastics: skin cleanser with plastic scrubbers. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 22: 41–42.
Published
Issue
Section
License
Manuscripts must be original. They must not be published or be under consideration for publication elsewhere, in whole or in part. It is required that the lead author of accepted papers complete and sign the MSU Press AEHM Author Publishing Agreement and provide it to the publisher upon acceptance.
