Spatiotemporal distribution and diversity of microplastics in the sediment of beaches in Xiamen City, China

Fengrun WU; Xueyan LI; Chengyi ZHANG; Tao WANG

doi:0.1007/s00343-024-3277-8

Your Location：

Home >

Browse articles >

Spatiotemporal distribution and diversity of microplastics in the sediment of beaches in Xiamen City, China

Micro- and nano-plastics in marine environments | Updated：2025-03-21

- Spatiotemporal distribution and diversity of microplastics in the sediment of beaches in Xiamen City, China
- Journal of Oceanology and Limnology Vol. 43, Issue 2, Pages: 396-405(2025)
- Affiliations：
  
  1.School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Xiamen University of Technology, Xiamen 361024, China
  2.State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
- Author bio：
  
  frwu1993@163.com
- Funds：
- DOI：0.1007/s00343-024-3277-8
  CLC：
- Received：20 December 2023，
  
  Online First：21 February 2024，
  
  Published：01 March 2025
- Accepted：
Scan QR Code
WU Fengrun,LI Xueyan,ZHANG Chengyi,et al.Spatiotemporal distribution and diversity of microplastics in the sediment of beaches in Xiamen City, China[J].Journal of Oceanology and Limnology,2025,43(02):396-405.
DOI：

WU Fengrun,LI Xueyan,ZHANG Chengyi,et al.Spatiotemporal distribution and diversity of microplastics in the sediment of beaches in Xiamen City, China[J].Journal of Oceanology and Limnology,2025,43(02):396-405. DOI： 0.1007/s00343-024-3277-8.

摘要

Abstract

Coastal ecosystems are plagued by high levels of microplastic pollution. Conducting baseline surveys is crucial to comprehend the distribution and influencing factors of this pollution. The present study investigates the spatiotemporal variation and diversity of microplastic on the coastal beaches in Xiamen City

China

considering the combined effects of seasons

human activities

and physicochemical properties of sediments. It is detected that the abundance of microplastics in Xiamen beaches was 0.271±0.01 items/g. The abundance of microplastics in dry season was significantly higher than in rainy season. In terms of spatial variation

the beaches that attracted a larger number of tourists exhibited significantly higher microplastic abundance. The temporal pattern of microplastic distribution on different beaches varied greatly due to region-specific human activities (e.g.

mangrove restoration project) and sedimentary properties (e.g.

bulk density). When the assemblage of microplastics in the coastal area was viewed as a biological community

the Shannon-Wiener index and Pielou’s index were higher in rainy season and in the beaches with high intensity of tourist activities

which suggests that the human activities and the surface runoff may contribute to the diversity of microplastics on coastal beaches. Future investigations are encouraged to combine controlled experiments and long-term monitoring at multiple scales to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and factors associated with microplastic pollution in coastal zone.

关键词

Keywords

references

Andrady A L . 2011 . Microplastics in the marine environment . Marine Pollution Bulletin , 62 ( 8 ): 1596 - 1605 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2011.05.030 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2011.05.030 .

Balthazar-Silva D , Turra A , Moreira F T et al . 2020 . Rainfall and tidal cycle regulate seasonal inputs of microplastic pellets to sandy beaches . Frontiers in Environmental Science , 8 : 123 , https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2020.00123 https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2020.00123 .

Cai M G , Liu M Y , Qi H Y et al . 2022 . Transport of microplastics in the South China Sea: a review . Gondwana Research , 108 : 49 - 59 , https://doi.‍org/10.1016/j.gr.2021.12.003 https://doi.‍org/10.1016/j.gr.2021.12.003 . https://do 10.1016/j.gr.2021.12.003 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gr.2021.12.003

Claessens M , Meester S D , Landuyt L V et al . 2011 . Occurrence and distribution of microplastics in marine sediments along the Belgian coast . Marine Pollution Bulletin , 62 : 2199 - 2204 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2011.06.030 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2011.06.030

Cordova M R , Iskandar M R , Muhtadi A et al . 2022 . Spatio-temporal variation and seasonal dynamics of stranded beach anthropogenic debris on Indonesian beach from the results of nationwide monitoring . Marine Pollution Bulletin , 182 : 114035 , https://doi.‍org/10.1016/j.‍marpolbul.2022.114035 https://doi.‍org/10.1016/j.‍marpolbul.2022.114035 . https://do 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114035 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114035

Costa L L , David da Costa I , da Silva Oliveira A et al . 2023 . " Microplastic ecology": testing the influence of ecological traits and urbanization in microplastic ingestion by sandy beach fauna . Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science , 290 : 108406 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2023.108406 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2023.108406 .

Critchell K , Lambrechts J . 2016 . Modelling accumulation of marine plastics in the coastal zone; what are the dominant physical processes? Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science , 171 : 111 - 122 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2016.01.036 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2016.01.036 .

Geyer R , Jambeck J R , Law K L . 2017 . Production, use, and fate of all plastics ever made . Science Advances , 3 ( 7 ): e1700782 , https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1700782 https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1700782 .

Gül M R . 2023 . Short-term tourism alters abundance, size, and composition of microplastics on sandy beaches . Environmental Pollution , 316 : 120561 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120561 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120561 .

Jocelyn T F , Areanely C S A , Carolina M S et al . 2023 . Presence of microplastics deposited in Sargassum sp. on sandy beaches . Regional Studies in Marine Science , 66 : 103152 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2023.103152 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2023.103152 .

Jualaong S , Pransilpa M , Pradit S et al . 2021 . Type and distribution of microplastics in beach sediment along the coast of the Eastern Gulf of Thailand . Journal of Marine Science and Engineering , 9 ( 12 ): 1405 , https://doi.‍org/10.3390/jmse9121405 https://doi.‍org/10.3390/jmse9121405 . https://do 10.3390/jmse9121405 http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jmse9121405

Li J , Zhang H , Zhang K N et al . 2018 . Characterization, source, and retention of microplastic in sandy beaches and mangrove wetlands of the Qinzhou Bay, China . Marine Pollution Bulletin , 136 : 401 - 406 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.09.025 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.09.025 .

Li J S , Shan E C , Zhao J M et al . 2023a . The factors influencing the vertical transport of microplastics in marine environment: a review . Science of the Total Environment , 870 : 161893 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161893 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161893 .

Li K T , Tan H , Li J L et al . 2023b . Unveiling the effects of carbon-based nanomaterials on crop growth: from benefits to detriments . Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry , 71 ( 31 ): 11860 - 11874 , https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.3c02768 https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.3c02768 .

Li S Z , Xie T , Pennings S C et al . 2019 . A comparison of coastal habitat restoration projects in China and the United States . Scientific Reports , 9 ( 1 ): 14388 , https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-50930-6 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-50930-6 .

Lin T , Cao X , Huang N et al . 2021 . Social cognition of climate change in coastal community: a case study in Xiamen City, China . Ocean & Coastal Management , 207 : 104429 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2018.02.025 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2018.02.025 .

Liu Q M , Liang H T , Xi G L et al . 2019 . Microplastic pollution of the beaches in Xiamen Bay, China . Environmental Science , 40 ( 3 ): 1217 - 1221 , https://doi.org/10.13227/j.hjkx.201807217. https://doi.org/10.13227/j.hjkx.201807217. (in Chinese with English abstract)

Lo H S , Xu X Y , Wong C Y et al . 2018 . Comparisons of microplastic pollution between mudflats and sandy beaches in Hong Kong . Environmental Pollution , 236 : 208 - 217 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2018.01.031 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2018.01.031 .

Malafaia G , Barceló D . 2023 . Microplastics in human samples: recent advances, hot-spots, and analytical challenges . Trends in Analytical Chemistry , 161 : 117016 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trac.2023.117016 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trac.2023.117016 .

Mandal A , Singh N , Mondal A et al . 2023 . The extent of microplastic pollution along the eastern coast of India: focussing on marine waters, beach sand, and fish . Marine Pollution Bulletin , 194 : 115265 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115265 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115265 .

Martí E , Martin C , Galli M et al . 2020 . The colors of the ocean plastics . Environmental Science & Technology , 54 ( 11 ): 6594 - 6601 , https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.9b06400 https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.9b06400 .

McNeish R E , Kim L H , Barrett H A et al . 2018 . Microplastic in riverine fish is connected to species traits . Scientific Reports , 8 ( 1 ): 11639 , https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-29980-9 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-29980-9 .

Mejía-Estrella I A , Peña-Montes C , Peralta-Peláez L A et al . 2023 . Microplastics in sandy beaches of Puerto Vallarta in the Pacific Coast of Mexico . Sustainability , 15 ( 21 ): 15259 , https://doi.org/10.3390/su152115259 https://doi.org/10.3390/su152115259 .

Naji A , Esmaili Z , Mason S A et al . 2017 . The occurrence of microplastic contamination in littoral sediments of the Persian Gulf, Iran . Environmental Science and Pollution Research , 24 ( 25 ): 20459 - 20468 , https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-9587-z https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-9587-z .

Nor N H M , Obbard J P . 2014 . Microplastics in Singapore's coastal mangrove ecosystems . Marine Pollution Bulletin , 79 ( 1-2 ): 278 - 283 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2013.11.025 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2013.11.025 .

Pegado T , Andrades R , Noleto-Filho E et al . 2024 . Meso- and microplastic composition, distribution patterns and drivers: a snapshot of plastic pollution on Brazilian beaches . Science of the Total Environment , 907 : 167769 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167769 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167769 .

Peng G Y , Bellerby R , Zhang F et al . 2020 . The ocean's ultimate trashcan: hadal trenches as major depositories for plastic pollution . Water Research , 168 : 115121 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2019.115121 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2019.115121 .

Peng G Y , Zhu B S , Yang D Q et al . 2017 . Microplastics in sediments of the Changjiang Estuary, China . Environmental Pollution , 225 : 283 - 290 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2016.12.064 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2016.12.064 .

Poff N L R , Ward J V . 1989 . Implications of streamflow variability and predictability for lotic community structure: a regional analysis of streamflow patterns . Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences , 46 ( 10 ): 1805 - 1818 , https://doi.org/10.1139/f89-228 https://doi.org/10.1139/f89-228 .

Prata J C , Reis V , Paço A et al . 2020 . Effects of spatial and seasonal factors on the characteristics and carbonyl index of (micro)plastics in a sandy beach in Aveiro, Portugal . Science of the Total Environment , 709 : 135892 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135892 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135892 .

Qi H Y , Li H L , Meng X L et al . 2022 . Fate of microplastics in deep-sea sediments and its influencing factors: evidence from the Eastern Indian Ocean . Science of the Total Environment , 828 : 154266 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154266 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154266 .

Rabari V , Patel K , Patel H et al . 2022 . Quantitative assessment of microplastic in sandy beaches of Gujarat state, India . Marine Pollution Bulletin , 181 : 113925 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113925 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113925 .

Rios-Mendoza L M , Ontiveros-Cuadras J F , Leon-Vargas D et al . 2021 . Microplastic contamination and fluxes in a touristic area at the SE Gulf of California . Marine Pollution Bulletin , 170 : 112638 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112638 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112638 .

Ruangpanupan N , Ussawarujikulchai A , Prapagdee B et al . 2023 . Seasonal variation in the abundance of microplastics in three commercial bivalves from Bandon Bay, Gulf of Thailand . Marine Pollution Bulletin , 197 : 115600 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115600 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115600 .

Su L , Cai H W , Kolandhasamy P et al . 2018 . Using the Asian clam as an indicator of microplastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems . Environmental Pollution , 234 : 347 - 355 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2017.11.075 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2017.11.075 .

Sun X M , Wang T , Chen B J et al . 2021 . Factors influencing the occurrence and distribution of microplastics in coastal sediments: from source to sink . Journal of Hazardous Materials , 410 : 124982 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124982 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124982 .

Thompson R C , Olsen Y , Mitchell R P et al . 2004 . Lost at sea: where is all the plastic? Science , 304 ( 5672 ): 838 , https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1094559 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1094559 .

Thompson R C , Swan S H , Moore C J et al . 2009 . Our plastic age . Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B : Biological Sciences , 364 ( 1526 ): 1973 - 1976 , https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2009.0054 https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2009.0054 .

Venkatramanan S , Chung S Y , Selvam S et al . 2022 . Characteristics of microplastics in the beach sediments of Marina tourist beach, Chennai, India . Marine Pollution Bulletin , 176 : 113409 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113409 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113409 .

Vetrimurugan E , Jonathan M P , Sarkar S K et al . 2020 . Occurrence, distribution and provenance of micro plastics: a large scale quantitative analysis of beach sediments from southeastern coast of South Africa . Science of the Total Environment , 746 : 141103 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141103 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141103 .

Wang F , Lai Z P , Peng G Y et al . 2021 . Microplastic abundance and distribution in a Central Asian desert . Science of the Total Environment , 800 : 149529 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149529 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149529 .

Wilson G V , Zhang T Y , Wells R R et al . 2020 . Consolidation effects on relationships among soil erosion properties and soil physical quality indicators . Soil and Tillage Research , 198 : 104550 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2019.104550 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2019.104550 .

Wright L S , Napper I E , Thompson R C . 2021 . Potential microplastic release from beached fishing gear in Great Britain's region of highest fishing litter density . Marine Pollution Bulletin , 173 : 113115 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.113115 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.113115 .

Wu F R , Pennings S C , Tong C F et al . 2020 . Variation in microplastics composition at small spatial and temporal scales in a tidal flat of the Yangtze Estuary, China . Science of the Total Environment , 699 : 134252 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134252 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134252 .

Wu F R , Wang T . 2022 . Investigating a probable relationship between the distribution of microplastics and crab burrows in the intertidal zone of Chongming Island, Yangtze Estuary . Science of the Total Environment , 851 : 158187 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158187 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158187 .

Wu F R , Wang T , Li X Y et al . 2023 . Microplastic contamination in the dominant crabs at the intertidal zone of Chongming Island, Yangtze Estuary . Science of the Total Environment , 896 : 165258 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165258 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165258 .

Wu Y , Wang S Q , Wu L B et al . 2022 . Vertical distribution and river-sea transport of microplastics with tidal fluctuation in a subtropical estuary, China . Science of the Total Environment , 822 : 153603 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153603 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153603 .

Zhang Y L , Gao T G , Kang S C et al . 2021 . Microplastics in glaciers of the Tibetan Plateau: evidence for the long-range transport of microplastics . Science of the Total Environment , 758 : 143634 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143634 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143634 .

Views

Downloads

CSCD

Alert me when the article has been cited

Submit

Tools

Publicity Resources

Greater niche overlap and species association of phytoplankton in dry season than in wet season in Wujiang River, Yungui Plateau, China

Population dynamics of a northward invasive ctenophore, Pleurobrachia globosa Moser, 1903 in the Bohai Bay, China

Epiphytic zooplankton community profiles in a typical urban wetland as revealed by DNA metabarcoding

Spatiotemporal variations of parameters of internal solitary waves in the northern South China Sea

PI Gain Scheduling Control for Flight EnvironmentSimulation System of Altitude Ground TestFacilities Based on LMI Pole Assignment

Related Author

Yang YANG

Yiqin CHEN

Qinglan CHEN

Luigi NASELLI-FLORES

Deyue SUN

Hongliang GU

Xiaohong SUN

Fengshang DUAN

Related Institution

Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, University of Palermo

School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University

Tianjin Marine Environmental Monitoring Central Station

Weihai Marine and Fishery Monitoring and Hazard Mitigation Center

Marine College, Shandong University

Address：Editorial Office of JOL, 88 Haijun Rd. Qingdao, 266000, China
Tel：+86-532-82898754 Email：jol@qdio.ac.cn
Technical support is provided by Beijing Founder electronics co., LTD 京ICP备09064830号-19 京公网安备11010802024621
It is recommended to read the content of this site in Chrome&IE9+. Please switch to extreme mode in browser 360.
Cookies We use cookies to help provide and enhance our service and tailor content. By continuing, you agree to the use of cookies.

⁰