Towards long-term monitoring of plastic pollution in the Matagorda Bay systems: Quantitative analysis and FTIR characterization of macroplastics

Marine environments are constantly subjected to the threat of microplastic pollution due to anthropogenic activities Texas coastlines are increasingly polluted with industrial and domestic wastes Microplastics are known to adsorb and transport toxic pollutants including metals such as mercury, within the water column thus becoming a major risk to marine life This study is one of the projects funded by Matagorda Bay Mitigation Trust aimed toward the long term assessment and remediation of Matagorda Bay from decades of industrial pollution We carried out surface extraction of plastic particles/items along the shorelines in 12 sites across the Bay, processed and characterized the plastics using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy The overall result will help us better understand how plastic influences the biodistribution and bioavailability of other toxic pollutants in this Bay and how this affects marine life and its environments.