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First evidence of microplastics in atmospheric deposition over the Gulf of Thailand: Distribution, characteristics, and ecological risk
(2026-09-15)
Chinfak, Narainrit
;
Gunasekaran, Kannan
;
Jandang, Suppakarn
;
Li, Qipei
;
Sricharoenvech, Piyaporn
Microplastics (MPs) have been extensively studied in aquatic environments; however, their occurrence in atmospheric deposition remains poorly understood. This study provides the first insights into the distribution of MPs in wet deposition across different locations and evaluates their potential environmental risks in the Gulf of Thailand (GoT). The ocean is likely a sink for MPs, with approximately 10% of the total MPs in atmospheric deposition detected in oceanic rainwater. MP abundances in terrestrial rainwater, including urban and agricultural rainwater (62.70 ± 15.89 items/m2 and 29.37 ± 12.29 items/m2, respectively) were significantly higher than those in the GoT rainwater (9.72 ± 3.70 items/m2) ( p = 0.001), with greater MPs abundance observed in the urban center. MPs exhibited similar morphological (shape and color) and compositional characteristics across all locations. Fibrous MPs (100–500 μm) dominated urban (42%) and agricultural (55%) rainwater, whereas smaller fibers (<100 μm) were predominant in the GoT (69%). White and black were the dominant colors found in both terrestrial and GoT rainwater. Low-density polymers (PE, PP and PS) were the most frequently detected polymers, comprising up to 80% of the total MPs. Among them, PE was predominant, accounting for 48%, 51%, and 62% of all MPs identified in urban, agriculture and the GoT rainwater, respectively. Ecological risk assessment indicated a minor potential ecological risk associated with MPs in wet deposition. Future studies investigating both wet and dry deposition, as well as factors influencing MP distribution and transport in the GoT, are needed to support transport modeling, identify potential sources, and assess the impact of climate forcing on MP distribution.
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Microplastics and phthalate esters in tropical estuaries of Hainan Island, China: Spatial distribution and interrelationship patterns
(2026-07-15)
Cai, Bing
;
Shen, Jiashun
;
Long, Xinrui
;
Liu, Ruifeng
;
Zhou, Yanyu
Microplastics (MPs) and phthalate esters (PAEs) are widespread plastic-related contaminants in aquatic environments, yet their co-occurrence in tropical estuarine ecosystems remains limited. In this study, MPs and PAEs were simultaneous investigation in surface seawater and sediments from 65 sites across 10 estuarine regions of Hainan Island, China during the spring dry season of 2024. MPs were examined using stereomicroscope followed by micro-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (μ-FTIR), while the PAEs were analyzed by solid-phase extraction and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Both MPs and PAEs were widely detected throughout the study area. In seawater, MPs abundances and PAEs concentrations ranged from 1.1 to 15.1 items/L (mean: 5.3 ± 2.6 items/L) and 158.2 to 2317.6 ng/L (mean: 1023.7 ± 448.3 ng/L), respectively. In sediments, MPs abundance and PAEs concentrations ranged from 60 to 1053.3 items/kg dry weight (dw) (mean: 264.6 ± 189.1 items/kg dw) and 45.8 to 863.7 μg/kg dw (mean: 337.9 ± 179.6 μg/kg dw), respectively. In terms of composition, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and cellulose were detected as primary MP polymers, while di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) were identified as major PAE congeners in both seawater and sediments. Correlation analysis revealed significant positive correlations between the abundances of MPs and the concentrations of PAEs in both seawater and sediments, with a stronger correlation observed in sediments (r = 0.57, p < 0.01) than in seawater (r = 0.40, p < 0.01). Overall, these findings provide a regional dry-season baseline for the co-occurrence of MPs and PAEs in Hainan Island's estuarine–coastal environments and support future monitoring and source-oriented pollution management.
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Occurrence of microplastics in farmed and wild snails along the coasts of Thailand: Implications for consumer exposure and health risks
(2026-03-01)
Saetan, Jirawat
;
Chinfak, Narainrit
;
Gunasekaran, Kannan
;
Li, Qipei
;
Zhang, Jing
Microplastics (MPs) pollution has become a critical global issue due to its harmful effects on the environment and public health. This study investigates the abundance of MPs in commercial spotted babylon snails ( Babylonia areolata ) from farmed and wild populations along the coasts of Thailand, evaluates daily MP exposure for consumers, assesses potential health risks, and explores strategies to mitigate MP exposure and associated human health risks. MP occurrence ranged from 55 % to 99 % in both farmed and wild B. areolata , with an average abundance of 1.17 ± 1.02 items/individual and 2.64 ± 2.17 items/individual, respectively. Wild B. areolata exhibited significantly higher MP levels than their farmed counterparts, but MP abundance in wild snails decreased by approximately 70 % following a 72-h depuration period. The most common MPs (<1000 μm) were small black and blue fibers, primarily composed of polyethylene terephthalate and polyester. The estimated daily MP exposure for B. areolata consumers was 0.005 items/person/day with a minimal health risk after the clearance experiment. As a mitigation strategy, we recommend acclimating B. areolata in MPs-free water systems for 2–3 days to reduce MP-related health risks.

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