Occurrence and size distribution of microplastics in mudflat sediments of the Cowichan-Koksilah Estuary, Canada: A baseline for plastic particles contamination in an anthropogenic-influenced estuary

Documenting the prevalence of microplastics in marine-coastal ecosystems serves as a first step towards understanding their impacts and risks presented to higher trophic levels. Estuaries exist at the interface between freshwater and marine systems, and provide habitats for a diverse suite of species, including shellfish, fish, and birds. We provide baseline values for estuarine mudflats using sediment samples collected at Cowichan-Koksilah Estuary in British Columbia, Canada, a biologically-rich estuary. The estuary also contains a marine shipping terminal, forestry log sort area, and input of contaminants from nearby residential and agricultural areas. Microplastics, both fragments and fibers, occurred in 93% (13/14) of sediment samples. A mean of 6.8 microfibers/kg dw (range: 0–12 microfibers/kg dw) and 7.9 microfragments/kg (range: 0–19 fragments/kg dw) occurred in individual samples, and counts of fibers and fragments were strongly correlated (r = 0.78, p = 0.008, n = 14). The abundance of microplastics tended to be higher on the north side of the estuary that receives greater inputs from upland sources relative to the south side. Size distributions of microplastic fragments and fibers were similar to sediment grain size distribution with size categories 0.063 to 0.25 mm and 0.25 to 0.6 mm being the most common for plastics and sediment, indicating the occurrence of microplastics likely followed existing depositional processes within the estuary. Microplastics in sediments were composed of a variety of polymers, including high density polyethylene (HDPE), Nylon 6/6 (polyhexamethylene adipamide), and polyethylene terephthalate-PETE (poly(1,4-cyclohexylene dimethylene terephthalate)). This study indicates that microplastics occur throughout most of the Cowichan-Koksilah Estuary, and future studies should focus on the exposure risk and potential for bioaccumulation for wildlife species that feed on the surface of intertidal mudflats.