Research Projects

Research on microplastics pollution in aquatic bodies is ongoing, but lack of universal protocol or guidelines in sampling procedures and analysis can underestimate or overestimate actual values. Estuarine environments, which are dynamic and significantly influence microplastic transport, are understudied. Investigating microplastic abundance in salinity zones can help generate baseline data for researchers studying microplastic distribution in these species zones. There is a lack of understanding on the vertical distribution of microplastics in estuarine environments compared to the horizontal distribution, particularly from an Indian perspective. The main objectives of this investigation are to categorize the spatiotemporal distribution of microplastics in the estuaries of Rivers Netravathi, Sharavathi, Kali, Zuari, Mandovi, Kallada, and the Hooghly along a salinity gradient, study fluxes of microplastics into the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, assess the degree of oxidation of microplastics and their weathering pattern, and study microbial biofilm communities associated with microplastics. Monitoring the modern-day presence of synthetic polymers in estuaries will help better understand their behavior, magnitude of accumulation, and environmental impact. The proposed project will deliver new knowledge on the quantities and distribution of material entering the estuarine system, key transfer pathways through the estuary, the abundance of synthetic polymer particles, and modification and transformation they undergo during their journey. The project will provide an evidence-based assessment of the likely flux of microplastics to the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.