Gulf of Mannar (GoM) is one of the four major coral reef regions in India. In this region the reefs are distributed around twenty-one uninhabited islands spread across 160 km along the coast between Rameswaram and Tuticorin. The average distance between the shore and the islands is about 8 km and the reefs are easily accessible. The coast is densely populated and over 100,000 small-scale fisher folk depend solely on the reef associated fishery for their livelihood. In the coastal areas of GoM there is a reported increase of about 34% in population during the period between 1989 and 2009.

The coast is polluted by the dumping of solid wastes including plastics and the discharge of untreated domestic wastewater into the sea. Plastic items break down into smaller pieces and further degrade into microscale plastics. Such microplastics have been detected in organisms at all levels of the marine food chain. Microplastics, being perilous pollutants, spoil the sea environment and reduce the quality of the marine ecosystems.

The present study is undertaken to assess the microplastic contamination of the sediment and water along the coast of Gulf of Mannar and also around the islands (both shoreward and seaward sides), and to document the abundance and distribution of the contaminants as well as the characterization and chemical weathering. The following are the objectives:

1. To assess the abundance and distribution of microplastics in the sediment and water in coral reef ecosystem of Gulf of Mannar.

2. To study the polymer composition, chemical weathering and surface morphology of microplastics

3. To suggest appropriate management practices to conservation managers and policy makers in order to reduce the impacts of microplastics.