ABSTRACT
Previous studies of Microplastics (Mps) pollution focused on abundance, effect on organisms, and origins. Mps could also be indicators to evaluate pollution level. Beach Quality Indices (BQIs) are useful in understanding Mps pollution level. This study is to assess magnitude, impact and quality of beaches using BQIs, by determining abundance, shape, and size of Mps in beach sediments, which is the first effort in China. Three BQIs, i.e. Microplastic Pollution Index (MPPI), Environmental Status Index (ESI), Coefficient of Microplastic Impact (CMPI), were employed involving Sector Analysis Approach. All beaches had "very high" abundance by MPPI, were classified "bad" by ESI, and fell in "red" sector using Sector Analysis Approach by intergradation of MPPI and ESI. The impact of fiber morphology was "extreme" based on CMPI. The average abundance was 664±80 Mps/kg. Fibers occupied >97 % of Mps, with 31 % of black Mps. A model was proposed to determine Mps origins.
