Saint Martin Island (SMI), the only coral island in Bangladesh, is located in the Bay of Bengal and has been identified as a marine protected area (MPA). Littering cigarette butts (CBs) waste in an ecologically sensitive environment can have numerous adverse effects. The purpose of this research is to investigate the abundance and density of CBs in SMI and to assess the pollution status using the Cigarette Butt Pollution Index (CBPI). This study is conducted based on the visual survey method in the three types of land use zones of SMI. During the peak season, the investigation was carried out from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in December 2023. A total of 4481 CBs item were counted, and the density ranged from 0.37 to 1.76 m with an average value of 0.99 m across 12 sampling campaigns. The highest density was observed at service zones, and the fishing zones had the lowest density. The calculated CBPI values revealed that 75 % of the sampling stations were in the “ while 25 % were classified as status, underscoring the prevalence of hazardous CBs across most areas of SMI. To tackle these issues requires regulatory measures, public awareness initiatives, and community involvement. Effective waste management and eco-friendly product promotion can help reduce CBs pollution risks in marine protected islands.

中文翻译：

---

探索圣马丁岛的烟头污染：海洋保护区

圣马丁岛（SMI）是孟加拉国唯一的珊瑚岛，位于孟加拉湾，已被确定为海洋保护区（MPA）。在生态敏感的环境中乱扔烟头 (CB) 废物可能会产生许多不利影响。本研究的目的是调查 SMI 中CB 的丰度和密度，并使用烟头污染指数（CBPI）评估污染状况。本研究是基于目视调查方法对SMI的三类土地利用区进行的。旺季期间，调查时间为2023年12月上午9点至下午5点，共统计了4481个CB项目，密度范围为0.37至1.76 m，12次采样的平均值为0.99 m。服务区的密度最高，捕捞区的密度最低。计算出的 CBPI 值显示，75% 的采样站处于“状态”，而 25% 的采样站被归类为“状态”，这凸显了 SMI 大部分地区危险CB 的普遍存在。解决这些问题需要监管措施、公众意识倡议和社区参与。有效的废物管理和环保产品推广有助于降低海洋保护区的CB污染风险。