Monitoring Microplastics in Corals and Surface Waters of the Andaman Sea
Early mornings, calm seas, and coral reefs beneath the surface set the scene for our latest field campaign in Phuket, Thailand, where our team spent several days sampling the waters of the Andaman Sea in search of something invisible to the naked eye: microplastics.
Our journey began each day before heading offshore, carefully preparing sampling equipment and reviewing the plan for the sites ahead. Weather and sea conditions guided our itinerary, shaping a route that allowed us to work across different coastal and reef environments around Phuket, from nearshore waters to coral reef areas influenced by both natural processes and human activity.
Once at sea, the work quickly settled into a familiar rhythm. The Neuston net was deployed at the surface (Special thanks to Dr. Khun !), skimming the upper layer of the ocean where floating microplastics tend to accumulate. As the net was retrieved, we were reminded how much information can be carried by a thin layer of water—particles that tell a story about sources, transport, and persistence of plastic pollution in the marine environment.
Below the surface, coral reefs formed the second focus of our study. Coral samples were collected by Dr. Jandang (May sensei) following careful and standardized procedures, with the aim of understanding whether microplastics are present in reef-building organisms and how they may interact with these fragile ecosystems. Working among corals is always a powerful reminder of what is at stake: complex, living structures that support marine biodiversity and coastal communities alike.
By combining surface water sampling and coral analysis, this study seeks to build a more complete picture of microplastic exposure pathways in tropical reef systems. While floating plastics are often the most visible, their potential transfer to benthic organisms remains far less understood.
At the end of each day, samples were safely stored and labeled, ready for laboratory analysis. The fieldwork may be over, but the next chapter has just begun. In the coming months, these samples will be analyzed by me (Belen sensei) to determine microplastic abundance, size, shape, and polymer composition.
This campaign in Phuket represents another step toward understanding how plastic pollution reaches and interacts with coral reef ecosystems in the Andaman Sea. We look forward to sharing the results—and the story they tell—in future updates.
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