Marine Pollution Bulletin 114 (2017) 1057–1062

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Marine Pollution Bulletin

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/marpolbul

Plastic debris and microplastics along the beaches of the Strait of Hormuz,
Persian Gulf
Abolfazl Naji a,⁎, Zinat Esmaili a, Farhan R Khan b,⁎
a
Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Marine Science and Technology, Hormozgan University, Bandar Abbas, Iran
b
Department of Science and Environment, Roskilde University, Universitetsvej 1, PO Box 260, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark.

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: Currently little is known about the prevalence of plastics and microplastics (MPs) in the Persian Gulf. Five sam-
Received 5 September 2016 pling stations were selected along the Strait of Hormuz (Iran) that exhibited different levels of industrialization
Received in revised form 11 November 2016 and urbanization, and included a marine protected area. Debris was observed and sediments were collected for
Accepted 15 November 2016
MPs extraction via fluidization/floatation methodology. The order of MP abundance (par/kg) generally reflected
Available online 25 November 2016
the level of anthropogenic activity: Bostanu (1258 ± 291) N Gorsozan (122 ± 23) N Khor-e-Yekshabeh (26 ±
Keywords:
6) N Suru (14 ± 4) N Khor-e-Azini (2 ± 1). Across all sites fibers dominated (83%, 11% film, 6% fragments). FT-
Plastic debris: microplastics IR analysis showed polyethylene (PE), nylon, and PET (polyethylene terephthalate) were the commonly recov-
Sediment extraction ered polymers. Likely sources include beach debris, discarded fishing gear, and urban and industrial outflows
Iran that contain fibers from clothes. This study provides a ‘snapshot’ of MP pollution and longitudinal studies are re-
MP characteristics quired to fully understand plastic contamination in the region.
© 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction
Plastic pollution in the marine environment is a global phenomenon
and, owing to the durability and persistence of plastics, presents a sig-
nificant threat to aquatic ecosystems and organisms (Derraik, 2002).
The ecological risk is likely to amplify as the majority of plastics prod-
ucts are discarded within the first year of production (Hopewell et al.,
2009). The degradation of discarded plastics debris by photolysis, bio-
degradation and physical wave action (Andrady, 2011; Bonhomme
et al., 2003) provides an ongoing source of microplastics (MPs) in the
aquatic environment (Jambeck et al., 2015), where MPs are typically de-
fined as b5 mm in diameter, though this definition has been subject to
debate (Cole et al., 2011). The heterogeneity of these secondary MPs
in terms of polymer type, size, shape and density, not only presents a
challenge to environmental monitoring programs, but also increases
the variety of ecological effects, considering that different characteristics
may lead to differential fates in the environment and influence interac-
tions other chemicals and biota (Syberg et al., 2015). Moreover, envi-
ronmental conditions may heavily influence MP behavior, for instance,
plastic degradation rates are accelerated in strong UV light (Andrady,
2011; Bonhomme et al., 2003). Such considerations must be accounted
for when reporting plastics from different world regions (i.e. temperate
v tropical climates), and although a global picture of MP pollution in the
marine environment has emerged (Ivar Do Sul and Costa, 2014) some
⁎ Corresponding authors.
E-mail addresses: abolfazlnaji@gmail.com (A. Naji), frkhan@ruc.dk,
farhan.khan@gmx.com (F.R. Khan).
marine regions are abundantly studied, such as the Mediterranean Sea
(e.g. Collignon et al., 2012; Fossi et al., 2012; Cozar et al., 2015; Alomar
et al., 2016), whereas less is known about other areas of the world.
Reports of plastic and MP pollution in Asia are generally scarce and are
particularly limited in the waters and sediments of the Middle East.
Reporting from these areas is vital as plastic use is predicted to increase,
but there are limited capabilities for recycling and waste management
(UNEP, 2014). Khordagui and Abu-Hilal (1994) were amongst the first to re-
port plastic debris in this region, finding highly polluted sites with densities
as high as 80,000 particles/m2 along the coast of the United Arab Emirates
(Khordagui and Abu-Hilal, 1994). More recently, Sarafraz et al. (2016), main-
ly focusing on larger sized plastics (N50 cm), conducted beach surveys near
the Iranian city of Bandar Abbas (Sarafraz et al., 2016). Their study showed
the majority of marine litter on sampled beaches was polyethylene and poly-
styrene, and that the largest source of plastic was through recreational activ-
ities and tourism, which accounted for N 90% of the debris.
The present study is conducted in the same region, along the Strait of
Hormuz (Persian Gulf), with the primary aim of documenting the pres-
ence of MPs in sediments. Although, MPs have been found in all com-
partments of the marine environment, as with many pollutants,
sediments are likely to be the ultimate sink, but there is little data on
the occurrence of MPs within this complex matrix, not least because
of the lack of extraction methods (Nuelle et al., 2014). Whilst focusing
on sediment MPs, we also report the presence of larger items of plastic
debris which has been often cited a major source of marine MPs
(Jambeck et al., 2015). However, the presence of debris does not always
correlate to the prevalence of MPs in the sediment (Dekiff et al., 2014).

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.11.032
0025-326X/© 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
1058 A. Naji et al. / Marine Pollution Bulletin 114 (2017) 1057–1062
Thus, our objective is to report the prevalence and characteristics of MPs
in the sediments and relate this to the assemblages of plastic debris
found at the sampling locations.
2. Materials and methods
2.1. Study area and sampling
The Persian Gulf has a total area of approximately 240,000 km2 mak-
ing it one of the largest gulf areas in the world (the largest being the Gulf
of Mexico). It is considered to be highly anthropogenically impacted,
particularly when considering the oil industry and associated potential
for pollution (Nadim et al., 2008), and that industrial and urban waste-
water often discharge directly into the sea (Agah et al., 2012; Naser,
2013). Furthermore, an estimated 40% of the coasts of the Gulf have
been subject to development (Hamza and Munawar, 2009).
To the northern coast of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman lies
Iran with a coastline of approximately 1770 km (Fisher, 1968). The
Strait of Hormuz lies between these two gulfs and provides the only ac-
cess from the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea (Fig. 1). As such, it is an im-
portant trade route particularly in the case of petroleum. Hormozgan
Province provides the northern coast of the Strait of Hormuz with Ban-
dar Abbas being the capital and main port city. In the present study five
sampling sites were selected along the Strait of Hormuz covering a total
range of approximately 200 km from the most easterly site at Khor-e-
Azini to the most westerly at Bostanu (Fig. 1). Khor-e-Azini is dominat-
ed by mangrove forest and has been designated as a Marine Protected
Area (MPA) and is thus without urbanization. As the four remaining
sites are within 50 km of each other, Khor-e-Azini is also the most geo-
graphically distinct. The other sites exhibit differing degrees of urbani-
zation and industrialization with Bostanu being the most developed in
this regard. Table 1 describes the 5 sites with their location as deter-
mined by global positioning system (GPS).
The sampling campaign was carried out between January and Febru-
ary 2016, and samples were taken from the within the intertidal zone at
high tide. At each site three sampling spots were randomly selected and
1 m2 sampling areas were defined with a wooden frame. Sediments
were collected with a stainless steel spoon from within each frame
with the removal of the top 5 cm of the sediment surface. Approximate-
ly 3 kg sediments were collected from each 1 m2 square. The spoon was
cleaned between samples using sea water and lint-free paper. Sediment
samples were preserved in brown glass bottles and transported to the
laboratory. Sealed bottles were stored at room temperature in the labo-
ratory until analysis.
Fig. 1. Study sites along the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf.
2.2. Extraction of MPs from sediments
To separate the MPs from sediments the recently developed two-
step air-induced overflow (AIO) extraction procedure was used
(Nuelle et al., 2014). The principle of this method is to use a combination
of fluidization of sediments in a lower density salt solution (NaCl (1.2
g/cm3)) facilitated by the pumping of air into the solution (step 1),
followed by flotation of MPs in a higher density salt solution (NaI (1.8
g/cm3), step 2). Laboratory set-up and method was conducted in accor-
dance with Nuelle et al. (2014), but modifications from the established
method are described herein.
In their method, Nuelle et al. (2014) used an initial air flow rate of
0.1 L/s to moderately bubble the NaCl solution. As the volume of NaCl
was increased to create an overflow the air flow rate was increased to
0.2 L/s to recover the MPs and reduce the sediment mass. Differences
in sediment particle sizes between studies, and also between sites in
the present study, likely influences the air flow rate needed to achieve
fluidization. Thus, prior to extraction, aliquots of sediments from each
site (n = 3) were subject to particle size analysis, in which percentages
of sand, silt and clay were determined by the hydrometer method (Gee
et al., 1986). This method is based on the differential rates of sedimen-
tation of particles suspended in water. At sites 1–4 grain composition
in the sediment followed the order of sand N clay N silt (i.e. domination
of the larger particle class), but at Bostanu (S5) silt (finer particles) was
more common (Table 2). Similarly, Nuelle et al. (2014) made an initial
sieving of the sediments at 1 mm, whereas we used a 4.75 mm stainless
steel mesh in order target larger plastic debris. This again would have a
bearing on air flow rate needed for fluidization in NaCl. Therefore, sed-
iments from the 5 sites were subjected to air flow tests with initial bub-
bling at rates of 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4 L/s and increases at 0.2, 0.4, 0.5 and
0.6 L/s. These tests showed that for sites 1–4 an air flow rate of 0.3 L/s
was needed to fluidize the heavier sand-rich sediment in the NaCl solu-
tion, whereas 0.2 L/s was sufficient for Bostanu's siltier sediment. In
both cases an air flow rate of 0.4 L/s was sufficient for fluidization in
the NaCl overflow. Sediments from all sites contained little biogenic ma-
terial, thus the AIO extractions were performed without the H2O2 ‘oxi-
dation step’. In developing the AIO protocol, Nuelle and co-workers
showed that without the oxidation step, the extraction procedure was
shown to have a recovery of N90% for the majority of tested polymer
types, and N 95% for common polymers including polyethylene (PE),
polypropylene (PP) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
With these adaptations to the protocol in mind, the method
proceeded as follows. Two kilograms of wet sediment from each sample
(15 in total, n = 3 per site) was transferred to ceramic bowls, which
were covered with aluminum foil, and placed in a drying oven at
 A. Naji et al. / Marine Pollution Bulletin 114 (2017) 1057–1062
Table 1
Location of the sampling sites along the Strait of Hormuz in Persian Gulf.
Site Station
1 Khor-e-Azini
2 Khor-e-Yekshabeh
3 Gorsozan
4 Suru
5 Bostanu
60 °C until the sediments had dried to constant weight. One kilogram of
dry sediment was weighed and sieved through a 4.75 mm stainless steel
mesh. Larger MPs were the target of this first sieving and an initial in-
spection was made by eye and under light dissection microscope for
plastic. The first extraction step was performed based on the fluidization
of the sediments in a saturated NaCl (grade 99.5% Darmstadt, Germany)
solution (26% weight/weight) with a density of 1.2 g/cm3. A 2 L glass
beaker was placed within a glass vessel (25 × 30 cm). Approximately
1.5 L from a total prepared 6.5 L of saturated NaCl solution was pumped
from a glass storage tank into the 2 L glass beaker. The pump was then
stopped and the NaCl solution was moderately bubbled with air at 0.3 L/
s (0.2 L/s for Bostanu sediment). The 1 kg of dry sediment sample was
added quickly to the NaCl solution and stirred well with glass stirrer.
The stirrer was rinsed into the solution with NaCl to remove any poten-
tial microplastics that had adhered to the glass. The remaining 4 L of
NaCl solution was pumped into the beaker at a rate of 2.4 L/min
which induced an overflow into the outer glass vessel and the air flow
rate was increased to 0.4 L/s. The NaCl overflow and floating particles
(sediment and MPs) collected in the outer beaker, whilst sediments
that had not floated remained in the inner beaker. The latter was
checked for MPs by eye then discarded. Floating particles were sieved
from the NaCl through 25 μm stainless steel sieve and then collected
on to filter paper. The filter cake was rinsed in distilled water
(700 mL) to remove NaCl and then the filter was dried (60 °C over-
night). If possible, MPs were removed from the filter cake at this stage,
but irrespective of the number of MPs recovered the samples were
weighed and preceded to the second extraction step (NaI floatation).
The second MP extraction step used a 60% weight/weight NaI solu-
tion (grade 99.5% Darmstadt, Germany) with a density of 1.8 g/cm3
and was performed without modification from the method of Nuelle
et al. (2014). One 200 mL volumetric flask was used per site, with thor-
ough washing between site replicates. Briefly, sediments were trans-
ferred into the volumetric flasks followed by approximately 150 mL of
NaI solution. The flask was shaken by hand (20 s) and then filled to
the calibration mark and shaken again (10 s). After a settling time of
10 min, the MPs floated near the top of the flask and were decanted
into a new beaker. Additional NaI was added to the volumetric flask to
fill back to the calibration mark, shaken and left to settle (10 min).
This process was repeated 5 tines with supernatant containing MPs
decanted to the beaker each time. The collected supernatant containing
MPs was then poured a through a vacuum filtration unit fitted with a
0.45 μm nitrocellulose filter (Sartorius Stedim Biotech, Göttingen,
Germany). The filter was air-dried and MPs removed for further
Table 2
Grain size composition of sediments at sampling locations along the Strait of Hormuz. Par-
ticle sizes determined by hydrometer method with three replicates per site (n = 3). Pre-
sented as mean value (%) ± S.D.
Site Station Particle size (%)
Clay Silt
1 Khor-e-Azini 14.5 ± 8 4 ±2
2 Khor-e-Yekshabeh 21 ± 5 9 ±3
3 Gorsozan 17 ± 6 8 ±2
4 Suru 27.5 ± 4 15 ± 2
5 Bostanu 19 ± 3 63 ± 18
1059
Location (longitude, latitude) Description
57.107433, 26.329806 Intertidal, Marine Protected Area, mangrove forest
56.369933, 27.177631 Intertidal, estuarine, mangrove forest
56.292903, 27.180464 Intertidal, urbanized
56.231442, 27.144414 Intertidal, urbanized, domestic sewage and fisheries
56.007581, 27.082828 Intertidal, industrial, industrial sewage
analysis. MPs were washed in distilled water to remove salts. The pro-
portion of suspected MPs recovered between the two steps per site
can be found in Table 3.
Optical analysis of plastics on the filters was performed using a ste-
reomicroscope (NOVEL NSZ-810, Ningbo YongxinOpitics Co., Ltd,
Zhejiang, China). Images of suspected plastics were taken using a digital
camera which was connected to the microscope. A representative sub-
sample of particles that had been optically identified as potential plas-
tics were analyzed by FT-IR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy).
In total 81 individual MPs were analyzed across all five sites.
2.3. FT-IR analysis
MP polymer composition was analyzed using a Fourier Transform
Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) instrument. FT-IR absorption spectra
were recorded at an average of 64 scans in the mid-infrared range of
4000 cm−1 to 400 cm−1 at a resolution of 4 cm−1 using a Bruker Vertex
70 spectrometer (Bruker, Billirica, MA, USA). Polymer type was identi-
fied based on the absorption frequencies for specific chemical bond
types present in relevant polymer samples.
2.4. Quality assurance measures
To exclude inadvertent contamination of the samples, all laboratory
equipment and glass vessels were rinsed twice with double distilled
water left to dry at room temperature inside the fume hood, and then
covered with aluminum foil immediately after drying them. Laboratory
coats, cotton clothing and gloves were worn at all times during analysis
to reduce contamination. Sieves were covered to prevent airborne plas-
tics affecting the sample. Post-filtration, the collected samples were im-
mediately wrapped in aluminum foil. All work surfaces were
thoroughly cleaned with alcohol, and hands and forearms scrubbed to
prevent contamination from skin, hair, and dirt particles.
3. Results and discussion
3.1. Abundance and distribution of plastic debris and MPs
Plastic debris was noted on beaches at sites 2–5 (Khor-e-Yekshabeh
to Bostanu), but was absent within the marine protected area at Khor-e-
Azini (site 1) (Fig. 2). These observations are in support of the previous
study Sarafraz et al. (2016) who attributed the presence of beach debris
to tourism and recreational activities. Debris of this nature would be ex-
pected to a major contributor to the MPs extracted from the sediments,
especially as rates of degradation are accelerated in conditions that are
typical of those found in the Middle East's coastal environment, namely
high salinity and high levels of UV light (Andrady, 2011; Bonhomme
et al., 2003).
The distribution of MPs amongst the sites resembled that of the plas-
tic debris. Although MPs were found at all five of the sampling sites (ex-
Sand amples shown in Fig. 3) along the Strait of Hormuz (4265 individual
81.5 ± 8 suspected MPs in total), there was considerable spatial variability. An
70 ± 8 average of 2 ± 1 par/kg (dry sediment) was found from the 3 collections
75 ± 15 made at Khor-e-Azini, but at Bostanu, the most industrial of the sam-
57.5 ± 22 pling sites the average abundance was 1258 ± 291 par/kg (dry sedi-
18 ± 10
ment) (Table 3). Between the five sampling sites the mean
1060 A. Naji et al. / Marine Pollution Bulletin 114 (2017) 1057–1062

Table 3
Mean number of MPs (par/kg) (±SD, n = 3) found in the surface sediments in each sampling station. Mean MP numbers are provide and then the proportion (in %) found in each step of
the air-induced overflow (AIO) extraction procedure; F1 (fluidization of the sediments in NaCl) and F2 (flotation in a NaI). The proportion of MPs that were classed as fibers, films or frag-
ments are presented (in %). Size dimensions (in mm) given as minimum and maximum width and length describe at least one dimension (width, often termed as diameter) in the MP
range (b5 mm), whereas maximum lengths may exceed the MP range in the case of fibers.

Site Station Mean MPs AIO recovery Type (%) Dimensions (mm)

F1 F2 Fibers Films Fragments Width (min.) Width (max.) Length (min.) Length (max.)

1 Khor-e-Azini 2 ±1 0±0 100 ± 50 100 0 0 0.03 0.06 0.97 1.40

2 Khor-e-Yekshabeh 26 ± 6 94 ± 16 6 ±3 81.3 3.1 15.6 0.02 4.69 4.36 50.00
3 Gorsozan 122 ± 23 18 ± 16 82 ± 16 73.3 25.3 1.4 0.55 2.03 1.83 46.00
4 Suru 14 ± 4 44 ± 11 56 ± 22 77.8 16.7 5.6 0.17 3.85 5.69 7.50
5 Bostanu 1258 ± 291 1±0 99 ± 16 99.8 0.2 0 0.07 4.44 0.14 32.60

concentrations of MPs from most to least abundant was Bostanu (S5,
1258 ± 291 par/kg) N Gorsozan (S3, 122 ± 23 par/kg) N Khor-e-
Yekshabeh (S2, 26 ± 6 par/kg) N Suru (S4, 14 ± 4 par/kg) N Khor-e-
Azini (S1, 2 ± 1 par/kg).
Bostanu had approximately 10 times more MPs per kg sediment
than the second most polluted site Gorsozan. The area is heavily indus-
trialized (manufacturing, oil refineries and industrial sewage) with the
presence of industrial parks, ports and nearby fishing ground. Mean-
while, Gorsozan appears to be primarily polluted by urban activities
and MPs found here were more heterogeneous than those found at
Bostanu. Thus, amongst the five sampling sites the spatial pattern of
MPs in the sediments reflects their relative level of industrialization
and urbanization. The proximity to anthropogenic inputs has been
found to be a key determinant of MP abundance in numerous locations
globally (Browne et al., 2011; Castillo et al., 2016; Lozoya et al., 2016).
3.2. Characteristics and identification of polymer types
Fibers were the most common MP type identified (average of 83%
across all sites), followed by plastic films (average 11%) and fragments
(average 6%). At each site fibers contributed N 73% of the MP burden
and all but one of the 1258 ± 291 par/kg found at Bostanu (Table 3).
The disposal of municipal wastewaters contaminated with fibers from
washing clothes has been reported as a major source of MP fibers
(Browne et al., 2011). The abundance of this MP type could indicate
an urban origin of this debris. Fibers were identified predominantly as
nylon and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) in composition (Fig. 4B
and C), both of which are commonly found in clothing. Additionally,
nylon is used in fishing lines and since sites 3–5 are located close to rec-
reational fishing sites, fixed and floating fishing gear, and discarded or
abandoned nets, could also be considered an important MP source. FT-
IR analysis was used to identify common polymers from representative
subset of MPs recovered from all sites. Of the 81 samples analyzed
across all sites, PET (polyethylene terephthalate, 38), polyethylene
(PE, 26) and nylon (17) were the most abundant polymers found (ex-
amples of MPs and spectra shown in Fig. 4). In particular, the red PET fi-
bers almost completely accounted for all the MPs found in sediments at
Bostanu (99.8%).
According to Sarafraz et al. (2016) the origin of marine debris found
on the beaches of Bandar Abbas is primarily due to tourism and
recreational activities. Fisheries activities was also thought to contrib-
ute, but less so. Our study suggests that MPs in the sediment appear to
confirm this as both PE packaging and some proportion of nylon
would likely be attributed to the discarded debris (Fig. 2A–C). However
urban and industrial outflows that carry wastewater effluents contain-
ing MPs should not be discounted as a likely source, particularly in the
case of fibers that result from the washing of clothes.
3.3. Regional comparisons and future research needs
Our study provides the first assessment of MP pollution in the sedi-
ments of the Persian Gulf. Studies conducted in other parts of the world
in similar substrates (beach or sediments) that express particles on dry
weight basis (i.e. particles/kg) are presented in Table 4. MP concentra-
tion in the most polluted site in our study (Bostanu) was considerably
lower compared to other areas located in large industrialized and
densely populated regions such as China sea coastline (Qiu et al.,
2015) and East Frisian Islands (Liebezeit and Dubaish, 2012). The MP
concentration of the latter study (62,100 par/kg, Table 3), is based on
the extrapolation of the 621 par/10 g reported by the authors and is
therefore dependent on the homogenous distribution of MPs through-
out the sediment. Bostanu had a similar sediment burden to those
found at sampled locations along the Lagoon of Venice with the maxi-
mum burden of 2175 par/kg at Palude dell Rosa (Vianello et al., 2013).
However, amongst the 10 sampling stations in that study, the lowest
MP concentration was 672 par/kg indicating that MP pollution at the La-
goon of Venice is relatively evenly distributed and that all sites are sub-
ject to some degree of anthropogenic input. The gradient of change
along the Strait of Hormuz is much greater due to the inclusion of the
MPA. The pattern of differential MP concentrations amongst sampling
locations based on proximity to anthropogenic inputs has been ob-
served in numerous locations including the Lagoon of Venice (Vianello
et al., 2013), Belgium coastline (391 par/kg at harbour sites compared
to 72 par/kg in coastal areas, Claessens et al., 2011) and recently in
recreational beaches in Punta del Este, Uruguay (Lozoya et al., 2016).
The spatial distribution of MPs along the coastline of Hormozgan
Province is also appears to be dependent upon proximity to source.
Only 2 par/kg were found at Khor-e-Azini (in the MPA) and this level of pol-
lution compares favourably with other sites which have been found to be
relatively unaffected by anthropogenic activity (Table 4, Ng and Obbard,

Fig. 2. Examples of plastic debris found at the sampling sites. Beach debris including refuse, packaging materials and rubber tyres found at sampling sites of Bostanu (A), Gorsozan (B) and
Suru (C). The marine protected area at Khor-e-Azini with the absence of plastic debris (inset: close up of sediment) is shown as a comparison (D). Variety of plastics collected from all sites
(E).
 A. Naji et al. / Marine Pollution Bulletin 114 (2017) 1057–1062 1061

Fig. 3. Examples of MPs found at Khor-e-Yekshabeh (A), Bostanu (B and C) and Suru (D) comprising fibers, films and fragments.

2006, Dekiff et al., 2014, Mohamed Nor and Obbard, 2014). Nevertheless,
owing to the proximity to more polluted sites and the recreational uses of
the MPA, continuous monitoring of this location is advisable.
The present study is only a ‘snapshot in time’ of MP pollution in the
Persian Gulf and longitudinal studies are required to fully understand
the prevalence of MPs in the region, which are likely to fluctuate both
spatially and seasonally. Based on our preliminary findings we suggest
that waste management and daily human activities should be closely
monitored in order to mitigate the release of marine plastic debris in
the study area, particularly around the areas of Bostanu and Gorsozan.
We suggest the following focus areas to assess the current state of MP
pollution in the Persian Gulfs:
levels of industrialization and urbanization we suggest further
investigation into the sources of the MPs.
(3) Given the importance of this region to the oil industry and the
potential for MPs to sorb hydrophobic organic pollutants
(HOCs), we suggest analysis of environmentally relevant con-
taminants (i.e. HOCs and trace metals) on collected plastics.
(4) Investigating the impact of MP pollution to resident fauna, with
focus on regionally and economically important fish species
and sediment dwelling invertebrates. Studies should encompass
both the impact of MPs themselves and their potential as a vector
of other contaminants, as has been discussed elsewhere (Cole
et al., 2011; Syberg et al., 2015).

(1) In order to establish a complete picture of MP pollution in the

Persian Gulf, we advocate a continuous environmental monitor-
ing program for MP pollution that encompasses water, sediment
and biota sampling at a number of sites.
(2) Based on our findings concerning the spatial distribution of MPs
along the Strait of Hormuz and how this relates to differential
4. Conclusions
This study presents the first report on occurrence and distribution of
MPs in beach sediment of the northern part of Persian Gulf.

Fig. 4. FT-IR analysis of representative MPs found in the Strait of Hormuz: transparent polyethylene film (PE, A), blue nylon fiber (B) and red polyethylene terephthalate fiber (PET, C).
1062 A. Naji et al. / Marine Pollution Bulletin 114 (2017) 1057–1062

Table 4 Cole, M., Lindeque, P., Halsband, C., Galloway, T.S., 2011. Microplastics as contaminants in
Abundance of MPs in sediment and beach samples reported in published literature (in de- the marine environment: a review. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 62, 2588–2597.
Collignon, A., Hecq, J.H., Glagani, F., Voisin, P., Collard, F., Goffart, A., 2012. Neustonic
scending order). MP concentration (particles/kg) is the maximum value reported from
microplastic and zooplankton in the North Western Mediterranean Sea. Mar. Pollut.
sampled areas in those studies (rounded to the nearest integer). The sites of Bostanu, Bull. 64, 861–864.
Gorsozan and Khor-e-Azini representing three different sampling areas (industrial, urban Cozar, A., Sanz-Martín, M., Martí, E., Gonzalez-Gordillo, J.I., Ubeda, B., Galvez, J.A., Irigoien,
and MPA) are included for comparison. X., Duarte, C.M., 2015. Plastic accumulation in the Mediterranean sea. PLoS One 10,
e0121762.
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Derraik, J.G., 2002. The pollution of the marine environment by plastic debris: a review.
East Frisian Islands, Germany, Europe 62,100 Liebezeit and Dubaish, Mar. Pollut. Bull. 44, 842–852.
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Beibu Gulf and coast of China Sea, 8714 Qiu et al., 2015 Fossi, M.C., Panti, C., Guerranti, C., Coppola, D., Giannetti, M., Marsili, L., Minutoli, R., 2012.
China, Asia Are baleen whales exposed to the threat of microplastics? A case study of the Medi-
Lagoon of Venice, Italy, Europe 2175 Vianello et al., 2013 terranean fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus). Mar. Pollut. Bull. 64, 2374–2379.
Bostanu, Strait of Hormuz, Iran, Asia 1258 ± 291 Present study Gee, G.W., Bauder, J.W., Klute, A., 1986. Particle-size analysis. Methods of Soil Analysis.
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