Scholarly record
ASSESSING MARINE LITTER AT KAMCHIYA-SHKORPILOVTSI BEACH: A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF ABUNDANCE, DENSITY AND COMPOSITION
Abstract
Marine litter is a significant and growing environmental problem with global implications, affecting oceans and seas. This study analyzes marine litter's composition and density, specifically at Kamchiya-Shkorpilovtsi, the longest beach on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. The monitoring period from 2018 to 2022 covers an area of 7645 m2. To effectively study the area, it was divided into four monitoring transects: Kamchiya- Mouth, Kamchiya-South (Novo Oryahovo Beach), Shkorpilovtsi, and Shkorpilovtsi- South. During the study, a DJI Phantom RTK was utilized to create a high-resolution raster orthomosaic, aiding in identifying marine litter (ML). A total of 8892 items were identified and classified into eight categories: "Artificial polymer materials" (81.94% of total items), "Rubber" (0.74%), "Cloth/Textile" (0.72%), "Paper/Cardboard" (8.37%), "Processed wood" (1.79%), "Metal" (2.87%), "Glass/Ceramics" (3.19%), and "Unidentified" (0.38%). The density of litter was estimated to be 0.24 items per square meter. In terms of abundance, the highest count of ML was recorded in 2021, with 3250 items, which coincided with the pandemic situation in Bulgaria. Throughout the monitoring period, artificial polymer materials constituted the majority, accounting for 82% of the litter. The most prevalent types of marine beach litter were cigarette butts, plastic and polystyrene fragments, industrial packaging, plastic cups and rings, as well as beach-related cosmetic bottles and containers like sunblocks, nets, and net pieces. The cleanliness of Kamchiya-Shkorpilovtsi Beach was assessed using the Clean Coast Index, which classified it as "Clean" with a score of 4.77. Additionally, this study introduced the Plastic Abundance Index (PAI) as a comprehensive measure to evaluate pollution caused by marine debris. The results of the PAI analysis yielded a value of 1.49, classifying Kamchiya-Shkorpilovtsi beach as falling into the "Moderate" type in terms of the number of plastic items in sampling units. This indicates a significant presence of plastics in the beach environment.
Publication Impact Profile
Publication details
References24
BSC, State of the Environment of the Black Sea (2009-2014/5). Publications of the Commission on the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution (BSC), Istanbul, Turkey, 811 p., 2019. http://refhub.elsevier.com/S0025-326X(21)01153- X/rf202111030423290456
World Bank, Bulgaria: toward blue economy development. World Bank, Washington, DC. � World Bank. License: CC BY 3.0 IGO. 2020 https://openknowledge. worldbank.org/handle/10986/34934
Paiu A., Mirea-Candea M., Paiu R., Gheorghe A. Composition and spatial distribution of marine litter along the Romanian Black Sea Coast. Revista Cercetari Marine-Revue Recherches Marines-Marine Research Journal, 47(1), 232-239, 2017 DOI: 10.55268/CM.2017.47.232
Muresan M., Begun T., Voicaru C., Vasile D., Teaca A. Beach litter occurrence in sandy littoral: Case study�the Romanian Black Sea coast. Geo-Eco-Marina, 23, 205- 213, 2017. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.1689203
Simeonova A., Chuturkova R., Toneva D., Tsvetkov M. Plastic pollution along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast: Current status and trends. Marine Litter in Black Sea, Turkish Marine Research Foundation (TUDAV) Publication, 56, 1-22, 2020.
Simeonova A., Chuturkova R., Yaneva V. Seasonal dynamics of marine litter along the bulgarian Black Sea coast. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 119: 110-118, 2017. DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.03.035
Brouwer R., Hadzhiyska D., Ioakeimidis C., Ouderdorp H. The social costs of marine litter along European coasts. Ocean & coastal management, 138, 38-49, 2017. DOI: 10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2017.01.011
Simeonova A., Chuturkova R. Marine litter accumulation along the bulgarian Black Sea coast: categories and predominance. Waste Manag. 84, 182�193, 2019. DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2018.11.000 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2018.11.001
Panayotova M, Bekova R, Stefanova K, Todorova V, Slabakova V, Prodanov B, Mihova S. Seasonal Composition and Density of Marine Litter on Asparuhovo Beach, Varna, Bulgaria. Ecologia Balkanica, 2020(3): 85-94, 2020. http://web.uniplovdiv. bg/mollov/EB/2020_SE3/085-094_eb.20SE312.pdf
Paiu �, Mirea �, Gheorghe �, Iona?cu S, Paiu M, Timofte C, Panayotova M, Bekova R, Todorova V, Stefanova K, Gumus M, Mihova S, Ozturk A, Gulenc Z, Yuriy D, Vishnyakova K. Marine litter monitoring on the Black Sea beaches in 2019: the ANEMONE project experience. Marine Litter in the Black Sea. Turkish Marine Research Foundation (TUDAV) Publication, 56, 23-36, 2020.
Chuturkova R, Simeonova A. Sources of marine litter along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast: identification, scoring and contribution. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 173, 113- 119, 2021. DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.113119
UIAMES Updated Initial Assessment of the Marine Environmental Status acc. to Art. 8, Art. 9 and Art.10 of MSFD 2008/56/EC, 2021 (https://www.bsbd.org/Marine_env/Second%20assessment_Report_IO-BAS_v1.pdf)
Machitadze N, Bilashvili K, Gvakharia V, Gelashvili N, Kuzanova I, Trapaidze V. Analysis of the Monitoring of the Beach Litter in Georgia. Marine Litter in the Black Sea (Eds U. Aytan, M. Pogojeva, A. Simeonova). Istanbul, Turkey, Publication, 56:37- 48, 2020. ISBN:978-975-8825-48-6
Terzi Y, Eruz C, Ozseker K. Marine litter composition and sources on coasts of south-eastern Black Sea: A long-term case study. Waste Management, 105, 139-147, 2020. DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2020.01.032
Gulenc Z, Konakl?, D., Ozturk, I. Raising awareness about marine litter through beach cleanup activities along the Turkish coasts of the Black Sea. Marine litter monitoring on the Black Sea beaches in 2019: the ANEMONE project experience. Marine Litter in the Black Sea. Turkish Marine Research Foundation (TUDAV) Publication, 56, 74-81, 2020. ISBN:978-975-8825-48-6
Bat, L, Oztekin, A., Ozturk, D., Gurbuzer, P., Ozsand?kc?, U., Eyuboglu, B., Oztekin, H. Beach litter contamination of the Turkish middle Black Sea coasts: Spatial and temporal variation, composition, and possible sources. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 185, 114248, 2022, DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114248
Raykov, V., Zlateva, I., Ivanova, P., Dimitrov, D., Golumbeanu, M. Stratified seafloor marine litter assessment. Bulgarian Black Sea waters case. J Environ Prot Ecol, 21, 463. 2020.
Mihova, S., Doncheva, V., Stefanova, K., Stefanova, E., Popov, D., Panayotova, M. Plastic Ingestion by Phocoena phocoena and Tursiops truncatus from the Black Sea. In: Dobrinkova, N., Nikolov, O. (eds) Environmental Protection and Disaster Risks. EnviroRISKs 2022. Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, Springer, 638: 295�307, 2023. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-26754-3_26
Prahov, N., Prodanov, B., Dimitrov, K., Velkovsky, K. The negative impact of human activities on underwater cultural heritage: Case studies from the Bulgarian Black Sea Littoral. Proc. of 21st International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference SGEM 2021, 21, 2.1, 743-751, 2021 DOI: 10.5593/sgem2021/2.1/s11.89
Georgieva, S., Peteva, Z., Stancheva, M. Evaluation of abundance of microplastics in the Bulgarian coastal waters. In: Chankova S, Danova K, Beltcheva M, Radeva G, Petrova V, Vassilev K (Eds) Actual problems of Ecology. BioRisk 20, 59-9, 2023. DOI: 10.3897/biorisk.20.97555
Galgani, F., Hanke, G., Werner, S., Oosterbaan, L., Nilsson, P., Fleet, D., Kinsey, S., Thompson, R.C., Palatinus, A., Van Franeker, J.A., Vlachogianni, T., Scoullos, M., Veiga, J.M., Matiddi, M., Alcaro, L., Maes, T., Korpinen, S., Budziak, A., Leslie, H.A., Gago, J. & Liebezeit, G. Guidance on Monitoring of Marine Litter in European Seas. MSFD GES Technical Subgroup on Marine Litter (TSG-ML). In: European Commission, J.R.C., Institute for Environment and Sustainability (Ed.), Luxembourg, 124 p., 2013
Prodanov, B., Dimitrov, L., Lambev, T. Mapping of coastal and submarine morphological landforms using Unmanned Aerial Systems and Echo-sounding data, Case study: Bulgarian Black Sea coastal sector between cape Sivriburun and cape Kaliakra, 21st International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference SGEM 2021, Vol. 21, Book 2.1, pp. 717-725, 2021. DOI: 10.5593/sgem2021/2.1/s11.86
Alkalay, R., Pasternak, G., Zask, A.. 2007. Clean-Coast Index: a new approach for 428 beach cleanliness assessment. Ocean&Coastal Management, 50, 352�362, 2007, DOI: 10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2006.10.002.
Rangel-Buitrago N, Mendoza AV, Mantilla-Barbosa E, Arroyo-Olarte H, Arana VA, Trilleras J, Gracia C A, Neal WJ, Williams AT. Plastic pollution on the Colombian central Caribbean beaches. Mar Pollut Bull. 2021 Jan;162:111837. DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111837. Epub 2020 Nov 14. PMID: 33203601.
View or Download full articleAccess options
SWS access login
Login as SWS Scientific CommitteeLogin as SWS Scientific PartnerLogin as SWS AuthorAuthors and approved SWS contributors will read and export their own linked papers after identity matching by SWS profile, email and SGEM GlobalID.
For librarian assistance: [email protected]
Purchase Instant Access
- Article can be downloaded after successful payment.
- Article may be used according to SWS library access terms.
- Article cannot be redistributed.