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. 2021 Oct 15;18(20):10826.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph182010826.

Marine Debris in the Beilun Estuary Mangrove Forest: Monitoring, Assessment and Implications

Dongmei Li  1   2   3   4 , Li Zhao  1   2   3   4 , Zhiming Guo  1   2   3   4 , Xi Yang  1   2   3   4 , Wei Deng  1   2   3   4 , Haoxiang Zhong  5 , Peng Zhou  1   2   3   4
Affiliations

Marine Debris in the Beilun Estuary Mangrove Forest: Monitoring, Assessment and Implications

Dongmei Li et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

A modified approach for marine debris investigation in mangrove forests is developed, including some practical programs, viz., sampling location, time, area, materials, size and sources data processing. The marine debris method was practiced in the Beilun Estuary mangrove forest region in Fangchenggang in 2019, viz., the debris items were classified, counted, weighed and recorded, and the marine debris pollution was assessed to understand the impact of human activities. The results show that the mass density is 21.123 (2.355~51.760) g/m2, and more than 90% came from the land-based and human activities. More than 60% of the total debris weights are plastics, followed by fabrics (17.91%) and Styrofoam (10.07%); the big-size and oversize debris account for 76.41% and 13.33%, respectively. The quantity density is 0.163 (0.013~0.420) item/m2, and ~95% came from land-based human activities. More than 75% of the total debris items were plastics, followed by Styrofoam (14.36%), fabrics (4.10%) and glass (3.59%); the big-size, medium-size and oversize debris are 76.41%, 13.33% and 10.26%, respectively. The results suggest that mangrove forests are barriers for the medium-/big-size marine debris, acting as traps for marine debris. Our study provides recommendations and practical guidance for establishing programs to monitor and assess the distribution and abundance of marine debris. The results show that mangrove areas in the Beilun Estuary are filled with some plastic debris (plastics plus Styrofoam) and that the density and type at Zhushan and Rongshutou near the China-Vietnam border are more than those at Shijiao and Jiaodong. The results of this study are also expected to not only provide baseline data for the future assessment of Beilun Estuary mangroves but also to help China and Vietnam strengthen marine land-based pollution control and promote coastal wetland and mangrove conservation, marine species conservation and sustainable use.

Keywords: Beilun Estuary; debris pollution; mangrove forest; monitoring and assessment.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Transects and stations of the debris monitoring in Beilun Estuary mangrove forest region.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The in situ monitoring and collection of the debris in mangrove forest. (a) Plastic bag hung by the branch in Jiaodong; (b) Rope hung by branches in Jiaodong; (c) Plastic bag in the mud at Jiaodong; (d) Beverage boxes and used clothes at Rongshutou; (e) Styrofoam hung by the branch in Zhushan; (f) Electronic debris in Zhushan; (g) In situ collection of the debris.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The in situ monitoring and collection of the debris in mangrove forest. (a) Plastic bag hung by the branch in Jiaodong; (b) Rope hung by branches in Jiaodong; (c) Plastic bag in the mud at Jiaodong; (d) Beverage boxes and used clothes at Rongshutou; (e) Styrofoam hung by the branch in Zhushan; (f) Electronic debris in Zhushan; (g) In situ collection of the debris.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The mass (A) and quantity (B) densities of the debris.
Figure 4
Figure 4
The mass (A) and quantity (B) percentages of the debris.
Figure 5
Figure 5
The percentages of medium-size, big-size and oversize debris.
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References

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