Characterization of microplastics in the surface waters of Kingston Harbour.

Microplastic contamination of the marine environment has garnered global attention in recent years, and its distribution and effects in many small island developing states (SIDS) are still undetermined. As such, this study serves to detail an investigation of the abundance, spatial distribution and characteristics of surface water microplastics in the Kingston Harbour, a heavily polluted embayment in Jamaica. Fortnightly sampling with a manta trawl (335 μm mesh) revealed non-variable concentrations of 0-5.73 particles/m3 (0-2,697,674.13 particles/km2) across stations adjacent to mangrove forests, key nursery grounds for many commercially important finfish and shellfish. Microplastics found in samples were predominantly fragments and were between 1 mm and 2.5 mm. Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy identified polyethylene and polypropylene in fragments selected for analysis. These data serve to establish a crucial baseline of the status of microplastic pollution in Kingston Harbour.