Invisible plastic dust threatens Sundarbans mangroves, reveals study

Even the most pristine corners of the Sundarbans are no longer untouched by plastic pollution.

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A recent study conducted by the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata discovered airborne microplastics drifting above the protected mangrove forests-the first such evidence recorded in any of India's natural ecosystems.

The findings, reveal that the air above a completely uninhabited island in the heart of the Sundarbans contains tiny plastic particles known as microplastics - invisible to the naked eye yet potentially harmful to plants, animals, and humans alike.

The study was led by Dr Gopala Krishna Darbha and his team, which conducted an intensive eight day winter campaign earlier in January 2025 - using high-volume air samplers to detect PM-bound microplastics. From their study, they found an average of ten microplastic particles per 100 cubicmetres of air, an alarmingly high concentration for such a remote and protected region.

"What we are seeing is that the air over the Sundarbans is no longer pure," said Dr Abhinandan Ghosh, the study's lead author. "Plastic particles are travelling through the atmosphere and reaching even the most isolated mangrove forests. The air itself has now become a carrier of pollution."