*2.1. Study Site*

Sea water and sand samples were obtained from ten beaches in four major cities in the Eastern Cape Province; Nahoon beach (32◦59 20.09 S 27◦57 1.30 E), Eastern beach (33◦0 32.00 S 27◦55 31.02 E), East beach (33◦36 6.07 S 26◦54 4.94 E), West beach (33◦36 18.80 S 26◦53 56.53 E), Kelly's beach (33◦36 37.20 S 26◦53 25.86 E), Kariega beach (33◦41 1.05 S 26◦40 59.28 E), Middle beach (33◦41 21.16 S 26◦40 36.09 E), King's beach (33◦58 16.92 S 25◦38 49.87 E), Hobie beach (33◦58 49.75 S 25◦39 35.18 E), and Pollock beach (33◦59 6.59 S 25◦40 21.92 E) (Figure 1).

**Figure 1.** Aerial view of sampling sites [32].
