Trace metals in water, sediment and fishes of the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna Delta, Bangladesh: a review

This paper presents the results of the first assessment of marine litter pollution in Bangladesh. A total of 9471 litter items were collected from the 5 surveyed beaches in the Bay of Bengal, corresponding to an average density of 0.1 items/m2. The density of marine litter varied substantially among the five beaches, from 0.114 items/m2 in Cox's Bazar to 0.035 item/m2 in Kotka. The results revealed that the plastic, paper and cardboard litter items occurred in the greatest number followed by cloth, rubber and other materials. Overall, sixty-six percent of litter items was plastic. The majority of the litter items recorded in this study was derived from domestic and recreational activities suggests that the land-based sources provide major inputs to litter pollution. Existing litter management practices are incapable of controlling the litter pollution; therefore, it is highly recommended to develop a national marine litter policy in Bangladesh.