July 22, 2024

Microplastics in marine, estuarine and freshwater compartments of Tamil Nadu, India: Current status and future prospects

The Government of Tamil Nadu commissioned a three-year study project on “Assessment of microplastics in coastal areas, estuaries and lakes in Tamil Nadu”. The study project, funded by Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), was implemented by the Environment Management Agency of Tamil Nadu (EMAT) through Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Institute (SDMRI), Tuticorin. Detailed data on the status of microplastics was collected along the 1,076 km long Tamil Nadu coast from the district of Thiruvallur in the north to Kanniyakumari in the south.

The voluminous field data collected through the project has been systematically compiled, documented and published as a book titled “Microplastics in marine, estuarine and freshwater compartments of Tamil Nadu, India: Current status and future prospects”. This publication has been brought out by the Environment, Climate Change and Forests Department of Government of Tamil Nadu in partnership with Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Institute, Tuticorin.

This scientific documentation will help relevant stakeholders to know about microplastic pollution, its impact on environment and human health and will serve as a comprehensive baseline to take collective plastic control and management measures.