Quantitative assessment of influx and efflux of marine debris in a water channel of South Juhu creek, Mumbai, India

Abstract The marine debris flowing to the sea through a water channel was characterized and quantified using a newly designed entrapment device installed at the down-stream end of Juhu creek in Mumbai, India. The tidal events showed a pronounced effect on the quantity and quality of the marine debris flowing towards the sea or vice-versa. The results show that as compared to high tide, a significantly higher number and quantity of marine debris, mainly consisting of plastics, flows towards the sea during low tide conditions. A higher magnitude (both number and weight) of the debris was transported to sea at tidal height 2m. It is evident from the findings that the water channel traversing through the thickly populated catchment areas transport a considerable quantity of marine debris consisting of a substantial quantity of plastics to the sea. The quantity of microplastic was negligible (1-2g/Kg debris), indicating that water channels connected to the sea mostly transport macro- and mega plastic, which may disintegrate to form microplastic in due course of time.