1
|
Liu P, Shao L, Guo Z, Zhang Y, Cao Y, Ma X, Morawska L. Physicochemical characteristics of airborne microplastics of a typical coastal city in the Yangtze River Delta Region, China. J Environ Sci (China) 2025; 148:602-613. [PMID: 39095193 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2023.09.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
Airborne microplastics (MPs) are important pollutants that have been present in the environment for many years and are characterized by their universality, persistence, and potential toxicity. This study investigated the effects of terrestrial and marine transport of MPs in the atmosphere of a coastal city and compared the difference between daytime and nighttime. Laser direct infrared imaging (LDIR) and polarized light microscopy were used to characterize the physical and chemical properties of MPs, including number concentration, chemical types, shape, and size. Backward trajectories were used to distinguish the air masses from marine and terrestrial transport. Twenty chemical types were detected by LDIR, with rubber (16.7%) and phenol-formaldehyde resin (PFR; 14.8%) being major components. Three main morphological types of MPs were identified, and fragments (78.1%) are the dominant type. MPs in the atmosphere were concentrated in the small particle size segment (20-50 µm). The concentration of MPs in the air mass from marine transport was 14.7 items/m3 - lower than that from terrestrial transport (32.0 items/m3). The number concentration of airborne MPs was negatively correlated with relative humidity. MPs from terrestrial transport were mainly rubber (20.2%), while those from marine transport were mainly PFR (18%). MPs in the marine transport air mass were more aged and had a lower number concentration than those in the terrestrial transport air mass. The number concentration of airborne MPs is higher during the day than at night. These findings could contribute to the development of targeted control measures and methods to reduce MP pollution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pengju Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Coal Resources and Safe Mining & College of Geoscience and Surveying Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China; International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health (ILAQH), Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
| | - Longyi Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Coal Resources and Safe Mining & College of Geoscience and Surveying Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China.
| | - Ziyu Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Coal Resources and Safe Mining & College of Geoscience and Surveying Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
| | - Yaxing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Coal Resources and Safe Mining & College of Geoscience and Surveying Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
| | - Yaxin Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Coal Resources and Safe Mining & College of Geoscience and Surveying Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
| | - Xuying Ma
- College of Geomatics, Xi'an University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, 710054, China
| | - Lidia Morawska
- International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health (ILAQH), Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Wang Z, Kang S, Zhang Y, Luo X, Kang Q, Chen P, Guo J, Hu Z, Yang Z, Zheng H, Gao T, Yang W. Microplastics in glaciers of Tibetan Plateau: Characteristics and potential sources. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 954:176370. [PMID: 39299335 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2024] [Revised: 09/06/2024] [Accepted: 09/16/2024] [Indexed: 09/22/2024]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) in glaciers of remote areas are a hot topic linking the global transport of atmospheric MPs. The Tibetan Plateau (TP) holds large volume of glaciers, providing an effective way to trace MPs transport. Moreover, MPs in glaciers may have adverse effects on the local ecosystem and human health. In this study, we investigate MPs in snowpits collected from six glaciers across the different domain of the TP. The average abundance of MPs in six snowpits is 339.22 ± 51.85 items L-1 (with size ≥10 μm) measured by Agilent 8700 Laser Direct Infrared Chemical Imaging System (LDIR), represented by relatively high MPs abundance in the southern TP and low in the northern TP. The polymers with lower density, namely polyethylene (PE), polyamide (PA), and rubber, are the main MPs types, which are predominated by fragments with sizes smaller than 100 μm in each snowpit. Sources of MPs on glaciers include local tourism and vehicle traffic emissions of MPs. Meanwhile, long-range atmospheric transport of MPs from surrounded regions cannot be ignored. Backward trajectory analysis indicates cross-boundary transport of atmospheric MPs from South Asia play an important role on MPs deposited onto TP glaciers. Analysis further reveals that MPs in glaciers are associated with atmospheric mineral dust deposition. This study provides new data for the investigation of MPs in glaciers of remote areas, and a reference for studying MPs in the ice cores of TP glaciers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoqing Wang
- College of Earth and Environment Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Shichang Kang
- Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science and Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yulan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science and Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China.
| | - Xi Luo
- Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science and Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Qiangqiang Kang
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources and Sate Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Pengfei Chen
- Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science and Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Junming Guo
- Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science and Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Zhaofu Hu
- Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science and Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Zhengzheng Yang
- College of Earth and Environment Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Huijun Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science and Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Tanguang Gao
- College of Earth and Environment Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Wei Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Environment and Resources (TPESER), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Han X, Pan B, Li D, Liu X, Liu X, Hou Y, Li G. Heterogenization of microplastic communities in lakes of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau driven by tourism and transport activities. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 477:135255. [PMID: 39042989 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.135255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2024] [Revised: 07/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024]
Abstract
The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau has a booming tourism industry and an increasingly sophisticated road system. There is a paucity of studies quantifying the contributions of anthropogenic and natural factors to microplastic pollution in remote plateau areas. In this study, water and sediment samples were collected from eight lake tourist attractions and four remote lakes in northern and southern regions of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Microplastics were detected in all samples, with a mean abundance of 0.78 items/L in water and 44.98 items/kg in sediment. The abundance of microplastics in the study area was lower than previously observed in more populated areas of China. Small-sized (<1 mm and 1-2 mm), fiber, and transparent microplastics were predominant, with polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics as the primary polymer types. The compositions of microplastic communities indicated that tourism and road networks were the major sources of microplastics in the lakes. Distance-decay models revealed greater influence of environmental distances on microplastic community similarity than geographic distance. Compared to climate factors, urban spatial impact intensity and traffic flow impact played a leading role in the structuring of microplastic communities in lake water and sediment. Our findings provide novel quantitative insights into the role of various factors in shaping the distribution patterns of microplastic communities in plateau lakes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xu Han
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710048, China
| | - Baozhu Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710048, China.
| | - Dianbao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710048, China
| | - Xing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710048, China
| | - Xinyuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710048, China
| | - Yiming Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710048, China
| | - Gang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710048, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Liang X, Ye J, Xue Y, Aili T, Han S, Zhang J, Meng S, Aimaiti R, Zhang M, Jia Z, Gomiero A, Wang W, Yang J. Microplastics and their interaction with microorganisms in Bosten Lake sediment. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 261:122060. [PMID: 39018903 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.122060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs), discovered in oceans, lakes, and rivers, can infiltrate the food chain through ingestion by organisms, potentially posing health risks. Our research is the first to study the composition and distribution of MPs in Bosten Lake's sediment. In May, the average abundance of MPs was 0.95±0.72 particles per 10 gs, and in October, it was 0.90±0.61 particles per 10 gs. Bohu Town had the highest MP abundance, with 1.75±0.35 particles per 10 gs in spring and 2 ± 0 particles per 10 gs in autumn. In May, 53 % of the MPs were transparent, while in October, black MPs constituted 58 %. The predominant morphology was fibrous, accounting for 61 % of the total. MPs in the size range of 0.2-1 mm made up 91 % and 66 % of the total in May and October, respectively. The most common types of MPs in May were polyethylene terephthalate (PET) at 40 % and polyethylene (PE) at 26 %. In October, PET was the most prevalent at 71 %, followed by poly(ether-ether-ketone)(PEEK) at 11 %. Certain microbial taxa, such as Actinobacteriota, Pseudomonas, and Vicinamibacteraceae, associated with MP degradation or complex carbon chain breakdown, were notably enriched in sediment areas with high MP concentrations. A significant positive correlation was observed between the abundance of MPs in sediments and Actinobacteriota. Additionally, the abundance of Thiobacillus, Ca.competibacter, and other bacteria involved in soil element cycling showed a significant positive correlation with the organic matter content in the sediments. Anaerobic bacteria like Thermoanaerobacterium displayed a significant positive correlation with water depth. Our study reveals the presence, composition, and distribution of MPs in Bosten Lake's sediments, shedding light on their potential ecological impact.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaorui Liang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 831500, China
| | - Jing Ye
- College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 831500, China
| | - Yu Xue
- College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 831500, China
| | - Tuerxunnayi Aili
- College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 831500, China
| | - Shibin Han
- College of Computer Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 831500, China
| | - Jianpin Zhang
- Bayingoleng Ecological Environment Monitoring Station, Bayingol League Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang 841000, China
| | - Shanshan Meng
- Bayingoleng Ecological Environment Monitoring Station, Bayingol League Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang 841000, China
| | - Reheman Aimaiti
- Bayingoleng Ecological Environment Monitoring Station, Bayingol League Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang 841000, China
| | - Minwei Zhang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 831500, China
| | - Zhenhong Jia
- College of Computer Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 831500, China
| | | | - Wei Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Centre for Pharmacy, University of Bergen, Bergen 5007, Norway.
| | - Jie Yang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 831500, China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Bastakoti S, Adhikari A, Thaiba BM, Neupane BB, Gautam BR, Dangi MB, Giri B. Characterization and removal of microplastics in the Guheshwori Wastewater Treatment Plant, Nepal. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 935:173324. [PMID: 38768733 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 04/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Contamination of river water systems by microplastic particles (MPPs) is one of the emerging global environmental concerns with potentially widespread ecological, socioeconomic, and health implications. A wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) processes and treats wastewater to remove pollutants and release safe water into the environment. There has been limited research on the characterization of microplastics and their removal in WWTP in South Asia. In this work, we report on the characterization of microplastics in wastewater and sludge samples (n = 300) from Guheshwori WWTP located on the bank of the Bagmati River in Kathmandu city, Nepal representing inlet, secondary aeration tank (SAT), outlet, and sludge from November 2021 to November 2022. On average, we detected 31.2 ± 17.3 MPPs/L, 11.2 ± 9.4 MPPs/L, 8.5 ± 5.6 MPPs/L, and 6.6 ± 4.8 MPPs/g in the samples collected from inlet, SAT, outlet, and sludge, respectively. Commonly found MPPs were in the form of fiber, fragments, foam, and pellets. Largely, MPPs were red, yellow, white, blue, and black. Among the 44 μm - 150 μm, 150 μm - 500 μm and 500 μm - 5 mm categories of size fractions, the most dominant fractions were 500 μm - 150 μm in inlet, SAT, and sludge, and 150 μm - 44 μm in the outlet sampling unit. The Guheshwori WWTP was able to remove 72.5 % of MPPs on average, that mostly occurred in the inlet. The effluent released into the river and the sludge still contained a significant number of MPPs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Smriti Bastakoti
- Center for Analytical Sciences, Kathmandu Institute of Applied Sciences, P. O. Box. 23002, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Asmita Adhikari
- Center for Analytical Sciences, Kathmandu Institute of Applied Sciences, P. O. Box. 23002, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Bishan Man Thaiba
- Central Department of Chemistry, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Nepal
| | | | - Bhoj Raj Gautam
- Department of Chemistry, Physics and Materials Science, Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville, NC 28301, USA
| | - Mohan B Dangi
- Department of Geography and City & Regional Planning, California State University, Fresno, CA, USA
| | - Basant Giri
- Center for Analytical Sciences, Kathmandu Institute of Applied Sciences, P. O. Box. 23002, Kathmandu, Nepal.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Li N, Wang X, Li X, Yi S, Guo Y, Wu N, Lin H, Zhong B, Wu WM, He Y. Anthropogenic and biological activities elevate microplastics pollution in headwater ecosystem of Yangtze tributaries in Hindu Kush-Himalayan region. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 471:134395. [PMID: 38663293 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Microplastic (MP) pollution is widely spread in oceans, freshwater, and terrestrial environments but MPs in mountainous headwater ecosystem are rarely reported. This study focuses on the headwater of Yangtze tributaries of the Hindu Kush-Himalayan (HKH) region. Five streams at elevations of 900 to 3300 m were selected to investigate the distribution of MPs in water and sediments across altitudes. MPs were found in all water and sediment samples from top stream zone nearly in absence of anthropogenic activity, low anthropogenic zone, and high anthropogenic zone, increased from 12-54, 81-185 to 334-847 items/L, and 2-35, 26-84 to 124-428 items/kg, respectively. This elevation-dependent MP distribution indicated that as elevation decreased, anthropogenic activities intensified and increased MPs input and their abundance, size, and diversity. Notably, hydraulic projects, such as damming, were identified as potential barriers to the migration of MPs downstream. Microbiome analyses revealed the presence of bacterial genes associated with plastic biodegradation in all sediment samples. The study indicates that Shangri-la mountainous streams have been polluted with MPs for years with potential risk of generation of nano-sized particles via natural fragmentation and biodegradation, and thus raises concern on MPs pollution in headwaters streams in mountainous regions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Naying Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bio-resources Utilization, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China; School of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Xiaofeng Wang
- School of Geography and Tourism, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 400047, China
| | - Xianxiang Li
- School of Geography and Tourism, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 400047, China
| | - Shaoliang Yi
- International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, GPO Box, Kathmandu 3226, Nepal
| | - Yun Guo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bio-resources Utilization, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Ning Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bio-resources Utilization, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China; International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, GPO Box, Kathmandu 3226, Nepal
| | - Honghui Lin
- School of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Bo Zhong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bio-resources Utilization, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China.
| | - Wei-Min Wu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, William & Cloy Codiga Resource Recovery Research Center, Center for Sustainable Development & Global Competitiveness, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-4020, United States.
| | - Yixin He
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bio-resources Utilization, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Mishra S, Ren Y, Sun X, Lian Y, Singh AK, Sharma N. Microplastics pollution in the Asian water tower: Source, environmental distribution and proposed mitigation strategy. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 356:124247. [PMID: 38838812 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Microplastics generated from fragmentation of leftover plastics and industrial waste has reached in the remotely located Asian water tower (AWT) region, the 3rd pole of earth and origin site of several freshwater rivers. The accumulation of microplastics in AWT ecosystem has potential to alter the climatic condition contributing in global warming and disturbing the biodiversity structural dynamics. The present paper provides a comprehensive critical discussion over quantitative assessment of microplastics in different ecosystems (i.e. river, lakes, sediment and snow or glacier) of AWT. The hydrodynamic fate and transport of microplastics and their ecological impact on hydromorphology and biodiversity of AWT has been exemplified. Furthermore, key challenges, perspectives and research directions are identified to mitigate microplastics associated problems. During survey, the coloured polyethylene and polyurethane fibers are the predominant microplastics found in most areas of AWT. These bio-accumulated MPs alter the rhizospheric community structure and deteriorate nitrogen fixation process in plants. Significance in climate change, MPs pollution is enhancing the emissions of greenhouse gases (NH3 by ∼34% and CH4 by ∼9%), contributing in global warming. Considering the seriousness of MPs pollution, this review study can enlighten the pathways to investigate the effect of MPs and to develop monitoring tools and sustainable remediation technologies with feasible regulatory strategies maintaining the natural significance of AWT region.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Saurabh Mishra
- Yangtze Institute for Conservation and Development, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, Jiangsu, China; Institute of Water Science and Technology, Hohai University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210098, China; State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yuling Ren
- Yangtze Institute for Conservation and Development, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaonan Sun
- Yangtze Institute for Conservation and Development, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yanqing Lian
- Yangtze Institute for Conservation and Development, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, Jiangsu, China; Institute of Water Science and Technology, Hohai University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210098, China; State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Anurag Kumar Singh
- University School of Chemical Technology, Guru Govind Singh Indraprastha University, Sector 16c Dwarka, New Delhi, 110078, India
| | - Niraj Sharma
- Transport Planning and Environment Division, CSIR-Central Road Research Institute, New Delhi, 110025, India
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Islam ARMT, Hasan M, Sadia MR, Mubin AN, Ali MM, Senapathi V, Idris AM, Malafaia G. Unveiling microplastics pollution in a subtropical rural recreational lake: A novel insight. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 250:118543. [PMID: 38417661 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
While global attention has been primarily focused on the occurrence and persistence of microplastics (MP) in urban lakes, relatively little attention has been paid to the problem of MP pollution in rural recreational lakes. This pioneering study aims to shed light on MP size, composition, abundance, spatial distribution, and contributing factors in a rural recreational lake, 'Nikli Lake' in Kishoreganj, Bangladesh. Using density separation, MPs were extracted from 30 water and 30 sediment samples taken from ten different locations in the lake. Subsequent characterization was carried out using a combination of techniques, including a stereomicroscope, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The results showed a significant prevalence of MPs in all samples, with an average amount of 109.667 ± 10.892 pieces/kg3 (dw) in the sediment and 98.167 ± 12.849 pieces/m3 in the water. Small MPs (<0.5 mm), fragments and transparent colored particles formed the majority, accounting for 80.2%, 64.5% and 55.3% in water and 78.9%, 66.4% and 64.3% in sediment, respectively. In line with global trends, polypropylene (PP) (53%) and polyethylene (PE) (43%) emerged as the predominant polymers within the MPs. MP contents in water and sediment showed positive correlations with outflow, while they correlated negatively with inflow and lake depth (p > 0.05). Local activities such as the discharge of domestic sewage, fishing waste and agricultural runoff significantly influence the distribution of polypropylene. Assessment of pollution factor, pollution risk index and pollution load index values at the sampling sites confirmed the presence of MPs, with values above 1. This study is a baseline database that provides a comprehensive understanding of MP pollution in the freshwater ecosystem of Bangladesh, particularly in a rural recreational lake. A crucial next step is to explore ecotoxicological mechanisms, legislative measures and future research challenges triggered by MP pollution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abu Reza Md Towfiqul Islam
- Department of Disaster Management, Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur 5400, Bangladesh; Department of Development Studies, Daffodil International University, Dhaka, 1216, Bangladesh.
| | - Mehedi Hasan
- Department of Disaster Management, Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur 5400, Bangladesh.
| | - Moriom Rahman Sadia
- Department of Disaster Management, Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur 5400, Bangladesh.
| | - Al-Nure Mubin
- Department of Disaster Management, Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur 5400, Bangladesh.
| | - Mir Mohammad Ali
- Department of Aquaculture, Sher - e - Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka 1207, Bangladesh.
| | | | - Abubakr M Idris
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Khalid University, Abha 62529, Saudi Arabia; Research Center for Advanced Materials Science (RCAMS), King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Guilherme Malafaia
- Post-Graduation Program in Conservation of Cerrado Natural Resources, Goiano Federal Institute, Urutaí, GO, Brazil; Post-Graduation Program in Ecology, Conservation, and Biodiversity, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil; Post-Graduation Program in Biotechnology and Biodiversity, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Jahan I, Chowdhury G, Baquero AO, Couetard N, Hossain MA, Mian S, Iqbal MM. Microplastics pollution in the Surma River, Bangladesh: A rising hazard to upstream water quality and aquatic life. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 360:121117. [PMID: 38733848 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
The ecological health of freshwater rivers is deteriorating globally due to careless human activities, for instance, the emission of plastic garbage into the river. The current research was the first assessment of microplastics (MPs) pollution in water, sediment, and representative organisms (fish, crustacean, and bivalve) from the Surma River. Water, sediment, and organisms were sampled from six river sites (Site 1: Charkhai; Site 2: Golapganj; Site 3: Alampur; Site 4: Kazir Bazar; Site 5: Kanishail and Site 6: Lamakazi), and major water quality parameters were recorded during sampling. Thereafter, MPs in water, sediment, and organism samples were extracted, and then microscopically examined to categorize selected MPs types. The abundance of MPs, as well as size, and color distribution, were estimated. Polymer types were analyzed by ATR-FTIR, the color loss of MPs was recorded, the Pollution Load Index (PLI) was calculated, and the relationship between MPs and water quality parameters was analyzed. Sites 4 and 5 had comparatively poorer water quality than other sites. Microplastic fibers, fragments, and microbeads were consistently observed in water, sediment, and organisms. A substantial range of MPs in water, sediment, and organisms (37.33-686.67 items/L, 0.89-15.12 items/g, and 0.66-48.93 items/g, respectively) was recorded. There was a diverse color range, and MPs of <200 μm were prevalent in sampling areas. Six polymer types were identified by ATR-FTIR, namely Polyethylene (PE), Polyamide (PA), Polypropylene (PP), Cellulose acetate (CA), Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and Polystyrene (PS), where PE (41%) was recognized as highly abundant. The highest PLI was documented in Site 4 followed by Site 5 both in water and sediment. Likewise, Sites 4 and 5 were substantially different from other study areas according to PCA. Overall, the pervasiveness of MPs was evident in the Surma River, which requires further attention and prompt actions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Israt Jahan
- Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Ecophysiology, Department of Fish Biology and Genetics, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet-3100, Bangladesh
| | - Gourab Chowdhury
- Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Ecophysiology, Department of Fish Biology and Genetics, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet-3100, Bangladesh; School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, QLD 4556, Australia; Centre for Bioinnovation, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sunshine Coast, QLD 4556, Australia
| | - Andrea Osorio Baquero
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences: Biosciences, Geoffrey Pope Building, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, United Kingdom
| | - Nicolas Couetard
- Plastic@Sea, Observatoire Océanologique de Banyuls, 66650 Banyuls-sur-mer, France
| | - Mohammad Amzad Hossain
- Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Ecophysiology, Department of Fish Biology and Genetics, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet-3100, Bangladesh; Coastal Marine Ecosystems Research Centre (CMERC), Central Queensland University, QLD 4680, Australia; School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Central Queensland University, North Rockhampton QLD 4701, Australia.
| | - Sohel Mian
- Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Ecophysiology, Department of Fish Biology and Genetics, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet-3100, Bangladesh
| | - Mohammed Mahbub Iqbal
- Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Ecophysiology, Department of Fish Biology and Genetics, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet-3100, Bangladesh
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Pavithra K, Vairaperumal T, Ks V, Mukhopadhyay M, Malar P, Chakraborty P. Microplastics in packaged water, community stored water, groundwater, and surface water in rivers of Tamil Nadu after the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 356:120361. [PMID: 38493646 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
The increased load of plastic in waste streams after the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak has increased the possibility of microplastics (MPs) contamination channelling through the rivers and infiltrating the aquatic ecosystems. MPs in packaged water, community-stored water, groundwater, and surface water of Kaveri River (KR), Thamirabarani River (TR), Adyar River (AR), and Cooum River (CR) in Tamil Nadu were therefore investigated about 2 years after the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. Using μFTIR and μRaman spectroscopy, polyamide, polypropylene, polyethylene, ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer resin, and polyvinyl chloride were identified as the primary polymer types. The average number of MPs was 2.15 ± 1.9 MP/L, 1.1 ± 0.99 MP/L, 5.25 ± 1.15 MP/L, and 4 ± 2.65 MP/L in KR, TR, AR, and CR, respectively, and 1.75 ± 1.26 MP/L in groundwater, and 2.33 ± 1.52 MP/L in community stored water. Only LDPE was detected in recycled plastic-made drinking water bottles. More than 50% of MPs were found to be of size less than 1 mm, with fibrous MPs being the prevalent type, and a notable prevalence of blue-coloured microplastics in all the sample types. The Pollution Load Index (PLI) was >1 in all the rivers. Toxicity rating based on the polymer risk index (PORI) categorized AR and TR at medium risk (category II), compared to KR and CR at considerable risk (category III). Overall pollution risk index (PRI) followed a decreasing trend with CR > AR > KR > TR of considerable to low-risk category. Ecological risk assessment indicates a negligible risk to freshwater biota, except for four sites in the middle and lower stretches of Adyar River (AR - 2, AR - 4) and upper and lower stretches of Cooum River (CR - 1, CR - 3), located adjacent to direct sewer outlets, and one location in the lower stretch of Kaveri River (KR - 9), known for fishing and tourist activities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- K Pavithra
- Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering and Technology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu, 603203, India
| | - Tharmaraj Vairaperumal
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 704, Taiwan, ROC; Environmental Science and Technology Laboratory, Centre for Research in Environment, Sustainability Advocacy and Climate Change (REACH), Directorate of Research, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu, 603203, India
| | - Vignesh Ks
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering and Technology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu, 603203, India
| | - Moitraiyee Mukhopadhyay
- Environmental Science and Technology Laboratory, Centre for Research in Environment, Sustainability Advocacy and Climate Change (REACH), Directorate of Research, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu, 603203, India
| | - P Malar
- Department of Physics and Nanotechnology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu, 603203, India
| | - Paromita Chakraborty
- Environmental Science and Technology Laboratory, Centre for Research in Environment, Sustainability Advocacy and Climate Change (REACH), Directorate of Research, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu, 603203, India; UNESCO Chair on Ecohydrology and Applied Ecology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Poland.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Jain Y, Govindasamy H, Kaur G, Ajith N, Ramasamy K, R S R, Ramachandran P. Microplastic pollution in high-altitude Nainital lake, Uttarakhand, India. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 346:123598. [PMID: 38369088 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) contamination has been reported in all environmental compartments, but very limited information is available at higher-altitude lakes. Nainital Lake, located at a high altitude in the Indian Himalayas, has various ecosystem services and is the major source of water for Nainital town, but the MP abundance is still unknown. This study presents the first evidence of the abundance and distribution of MP in Nainital Lake. Surface water and sediment samples were analysed from 16 different sites in and around the catchment area of Nainital Lake. The MP were observed in all the samples, and their abundance in surface water was 8.6-56.0 particles L-1 in the lake and 2.4-88.0 particles L-1 in hotspot sites. In the surface sediment, MP abundance ranged from 0.4-10.6 particles g-1, while in the hotspot sediment, the mean abundance was 0.6 ± 0.5 particles g-1. Fibers were the dominant MP, while 0.02-1 mm were the predominant size of MP particles. The results of chemical characterization showed the presence of six polymers, among which high-density polyethylene was the most abundant. The Polymer Hazard Index assessment classified the identified polymers as low-to high-risk categories, with a higher abundance of low- (polypropylene) and medium- (polyethylene)-risk polymers. Tourist activities and run-off catchments can be considered the major sources of MP, which can affect the ecosystem. Minimal concentrations of MP were observed in the tube well and drinking water, which depicts the direct risks to humans and, thus, the need for remedial measures to prevent MP contamination in drinking water. This study improves the knowledge of MP contamination in the higher-altitude freshwater lake, which can be the major pathway for the transport of MP to the rivers, and also emphasizes the need for waste management in Nainital town.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yashi Jain
- School of Life Sciences, Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Pondicherry University. India.
| | - Hariharan Govindasamy
- National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Chennai. India
| | - Gurjeet Kaur
- School of Life Sciences, Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Pondicherry University. India
| | - Nithin Ajith
- National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Chennai. India
| | - Karthik Ramasamy
- National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Chennai. India
| | - Robin R S
- National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Chennai. India
| | - Purvaja Ramachandran
- National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Chennai. India
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Maharjan KK. Microplastics research in Nepal: Present scenario and current gaps in knowledge. Heliyon 2024; 10:e24956. [PMID: 38318064 PMCID: PMC10838786 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 01/06/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The topic of microplastics has drawn considerable scholarly interest in recent times. The objective of this study is to provide an overview of the current state of microplastic pollution research in Nepal and to make future research recommendations. To achieve the objective, three popular databases (Web of Science, SCOPUS and Google Scholar) were used. The results showed that the current scenario for microplastic research in Nepal is in its early stage, which commenced in 2020. A total of six papers were recorded over the period from 2020 to 2023. The research conducted in the fields were rivers, lakes, snow, and sediments. Studies have provided evidence of the occurrence of microplastics in diverse aquatic ecosystems. Lakeshore sediments show concentrations of 100.5 ± 58.6 items/kg dry weight, while shoreline sediments of Phewa lake exhibit variability between 55 and 122.5 items/kg. The lake water in winter records 2.96 ± 1.83 Microplastics per Liter (MPs/L), river water indicates 202 ± 100 items/m3, and snow demonstrates 30 MP/L. In freshwater ecosystems, microplastics, specifically fibers, were found to be the prevailing type, while fragments were recorded in road dust. The study conducted in Nepal provided evidence of the presence of a wide range of polymers. The polymers encompassed polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyamide, polystyrene (PS), and polyester. Microplastic research in Nepal, initiated in 2020, covered rivers, lakes, snow, and sediments. Diverse aquatic ecosystems reveal microplastic presence, emphasizing the need for continued study and awareness. Although extensive research has been carried out on the subject of microplastic contamination and its effects on various creatures on a global scale, an examination of the implications of microplastics on animals, plants, and humans in Nepal has not been found in any scholarly publications. There exists a noticeable deficit of research investigating the consumption of microplastics by human.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kishor Kumar Maharjan
- Department of Environmental Science, Tri-Chandra Multiple Campus, Tribhuvan University, Nepal
- Faculty of Environmental Management, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Banik P, Anisuzzaman M, Bhattacharjee S, Marshall DJ, Yu J, Nur AAU, Jolly YN, Mamun MA, Paray BA, Bappy MMM, Bhuiyan T, Hossain MB. Quantification, characterization and risk assessment of microplastics from five major estuaries along the northern Bay of Bengal coast. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 342:123036. [PMID: 38030111 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.123036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) as hazardous contaminants has drawn the rapid attention of the general public due to their omnipresence and adverse impacts on ecosystems and human health. Despite this, understanding of MPs contamination levels in the estuarine ecosystems along the Bay of Bengal coast remains very limited. This research focused on the presence, spatial distribution, morpho-chemical characteristics and ecological implications of MPs in water and sediment from five key estuaries (Meghna, Karnaphuli, Matamuhuri, Bakkhali, and Naf rivers) within the Bengal delta. Out of the five estuaries, the Meghna exhibited the least amount of MPs in both surface water (150.00 ± 65.62 items/m3) and sediment (30.56 ± 9.34 items/kg). In contrast, the highest occurrence of MPs was recorded in Karnaphuli river water (350.00 ± 69.22 items/m3) and Matamuhuri river sediment (118.33 ± 26.81 items/kg). ANOVA indicated a statistically significant distinction (p < 0.01) among the examined estuaries. Most identified MPs were fibers and < 0.5 mm in size in both water and sediment samples. Transparent MPs were dominant in both water (42.28%) and sediment (45.22%). Besides violet, red, blue, pink and green colored MPs were also observed. Various polymer types, including PE, PP, PET, PS, Nylon, EVA, and ABS, were detected, with PE being the dominant one. Based on the polymer risk index (PHI), the estuaries were classified as hazard level V, signifying a severe level of MP contamination. However, the potential ecological hazardous index (PHI), potential ecological risk index (RI), and pollution load index (PLI) indicated moderate pollution levels. This study offers initial insights into the pollution caused by MPs in major estuaries of Bengal delta, which policymakers can utilize to implement suitable management strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Partho Banik
- Department of Fisheries and Marine Science, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Sonapur, 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Md Anisuzzaman
- Department of Fisheries and Marine Science, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Sonapur, 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Shovon Bhattacharjee
- Biosecurity Program, Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia; Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, 3814, Bangladesh
| | - David J Marshall
- Environmental and Life Sciences Programme, Faculty of Science, University Brunei Darussalam, Jala Tungku Link, Gadong, BE, 1410, Brunei Darussalam
| | - Jimmy Yu
- School of Engineering and Built Environment, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, 4111, Australia
| | - As-Ad Ujjaman Nur
- Department of Fisheries and Marine Science, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Sonapur, 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Yeasmin N Jolly
- Atmospheric and Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, Chemistry Division, Atomic Energy Centre, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh
| | - Md Al- Mamun
- Materials Science Division, Atomic Energy Centre Dhaka, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh
| | - Bilal Ahamad Paray
- Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Md Maheen Mahmud Bappy
- Department of Fisheries and Marine Science, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Sonapur, 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Tabarok Bhuiyan
- Department of Oceanography, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, 3814, Bangladesh
| | - M Belal Hossain
- Department of Fisheries and Marine Science, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Sonapur, 3814, Bangladesh; School of Engineering and Built Environment, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, 4111, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Ololade IA, Apata A, Oladoja NA, Alabi BA, Ololade OO. Microplastic particles in river sediments and water of southwestern Nigeria: insights on the occurrence, seasonal distribution, composition, and source apportionment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:1314-1330. [PMID: 38038917 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-31118-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are globally recognized as an emerging environmental threat, particularly in the aquatic environment. This study presents baseline data on the occurrence and distribution of MPs in sediments and surface water of major rivers in southwestern Nigeria. Microplastics were extracted by density separation and polymer identification using Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy in attenuated total reflectance mode (FTIR-ATR). The abundance of MPs in surface sediment and water samples across all locations ranged from 12.82 to 22.90 particle/kg dw and 6.71 to 17.12 particle/L during the dry season and 5.69 to 14.38 particle/kg dw and 12.41 to 22.73 particle/L during the wet season, respectively. On average, fiber constituted the highest percentage of MP in sediments (71%) and water (67%) while foam accounted for the lowest values of 0.6% and 1.7%, respectively. Polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) were the main MPs across all locations based on Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). MPs of size < 1 mm were the most abundant (≥ 55%) on average in both water and sediments. The study identified run-off from human activities and industrial wastewater as potential sources of MP exposure based on positive matrix factorization. The study suggests assessing the impact of different land-use activities on MPs occurrence and distribution in addition to quantifying MPs in seafood as a way forward in food safety management systems for further studies. This study confirmed the occurrence and widespread distribution of MPs in surface water and sediments and provides a database on MP pollution in Nigeria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Isaac Ayodele Ololade
- Environmental Monitoring Unit, Department of Chemical Sciences, Adekunle Ajasin University, PMB 001, AkungbaAkoko, Ondo State, Nigeria.
| | - Abiodun Apata
- Environmental Monitoring Unit, Department of Chemical Sciences, Adekunle Ajasin University, PMB 001, AkungbaAkoko, Ondo State, Nigeria
- Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, 1400 Farragut Street, Bremerton, Washington, 98314, USA
| | - Nurudeen Abiola Oladoja
- Hydrochemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemical Sciences, Adekunle Ajasin University, AkungbaAkoko, Nigeria
| | - Bosede Adenike Alabi
- Environmental Monitoring Unit, Department of Chemical Sciences, Adekunle Ajasin University, PMB 001, AkungbaAkoko, Ondo State, Nigeria
| | - Oluwaranti Olubunmi Ololade
- Environmental Monitoring Unit, Department of Chemical Sciences, Adekunle Ajasin University, PMB 001, AkungbaAkoko, Ondo State, Nigeria
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Chai L, Zhou Y, Dong H, Gong P, Wang X. Soil contamination and carrying capacity across the Tibetan plateau using structural equation models. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 337:122640. [PMID: 37769704 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Soil contamination is a major environmental issue worldwide. Compared with Arctic, European Alps and Rocky Mountains, the soil contamination and soil environment carrying capacity (SECC) of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) is not systematic and multidimensional. In this study, the levels, influencing factors including climate factors [(i.e., mean annual precipitation (MAP) and mean annual temperature (MAT)], socio-economic factors [(i.e., population, population density and gross domestic product (GDP)], vegetation coverage factor, soil factors [(i.e., pH, soil organic carbon (SOC), total phosphorus and total nitrogen] and topographic factors [(i.e., longitude, latitude and digital elevation model (DEM)] and carrying capacity of multiple soil contaminants [persistent organic pollutants (POPs), heavy metals (HMs) and microplastics (MPs)] was systematically studied. Results show that the spatial distribution of POPs in the eastern was higher than that in the western region, and the structural equation model (SEM) demonstrate that SOC and MAT were the key factors influencing distribution. Regarding HMs, except As, moderate and heavy pollution of the remaining elements were found in the northern and eastern TP regions, and pH and MAP were the main influencing factors. The MPs showed that the distribution of the patches was influenced by GDP and MAP. Furthermore, a higher SECC in the eastern region that gradually decreased from east to west. pH is the primary factors affecting SECC, followed by normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). An increase of pH and NDVI by one unit is likely to make SECC scores decrease by 0.8 and increase by 0.32, respectively. Taken together, these studies provide a system, cost-effective, and quantitative framework for soil contamination and carrying capacity in the TP.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lei Chai
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Yunqiao Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Huike Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Ping Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xiaoping Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Bertoldi C, Lara LZ, Fernandes AN. Revealing microplastic dynamics: the impact of precipitation and depth in urban river ecosystems. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:111231-111243. [PMID: 37807031 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-30241-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Research on microplastics in Latin America is limited compared to a global perspective. Brazil plays a significant role in this context, as it possesses 12% of the world's freshwater reserves, constituting 53% of South America's water resources. There has been growing concern regarding the plastic pollution of the country's freshwater systems in recent years. Therefore, this study investigated the impact of plastic pollution on the Guaíba River, a significant watercourse in the southern region of Brazil that is subjected to high anthropogenic pressure. Additionally, we examined correlations between the presence of microplastics and key factors influencing their distribution in the river. Thus, freshwater was collected in seven sampling campaigns from 2019 to 2020, totaling 66 samples. The microplastics were quantified and characterized according to their color, shape, and polymeric composition. The concentration of microplastics varied between 2.9 and 53.8 items m-3, and the distribution and transport were positively influenced by the population density, precipitations, and depth of each sampling point. White-transparent color category (51%) and fragment shape (89%) were predominant among the found particles. Polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) represented 37% and 57% of the analyzed particles. The non-metric multidimensional scaling (nMDS) analysis indicated that similar contamination sources, such as domestic sewage, could influence three out of ten sampled points. Several microplastics presented the formation of cracks, with sizes smaller than 10 μm on their surface, which might indicate an erosion process, resulting in the formation of nanoplastics. The color fading observed in microplastics suggests that the particles were subjected to environmental stressors, leading to the leaching or degradation of the dye on the plastic. The results confirmed the ubiquity of microplastics in Guaíba River, highlighting the importance of improving the regulations on plastic waste disposal in the country to prevent the contamination of freshwater bodies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Crislaine Bertoldi
- Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Bento Gonçalves, Porto Alegre, RS, 950091501-970, Brazil.
| | - Larissa Z Lara
- Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Bento Gonçalves, Porto Alegre, RS, 950091501-970, Brazil
| | - Andreia N Fernandes
- Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Bento Gonçalves, Porto Alegre, RS, 950091501-970, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Quiambao J, Hess KZ, Johnston S, El Hayek E, Noureddine A, Ali AMS, Spilde M, Brearley A, Lichtner P, Cerrato JM, Howe KJ, Gonzalez-Estrella J. Interfacial Interactions of Uranium and Arsenic with Microplastics: From Field Detection to Controlled Laboratory Tests. ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING SCIENCE 2023; 40:562-573. [PMID: 37981952 PMCID: PMC10654655 DOI: 10.1089/ees.2023.0054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
We studied the co-occurrence of microplastics (MPs) and metals in field sites and further investigated their interfacial interaction in controlled laboratory conditions. First, we detected MPs in freshwater co-occurring with metals in rural and urban areas in New Mexico. Automated particle counting and fluorescence microscopy indicated that particles in field samples ranged from 7 to 149 particles/L. The urban location contained the highest count of confirmed MPs, including polyester, cellophane, and rayon, as indicated by Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy analyses. Metal analyses using inductively coupled plasma (ICP) revealed that bodies of water in a rural site affected by mining legacy contained up to 332.8 μg/L of U, while all bodies of water contained As concentrations below 11.4 μg/L. These field findings motivated experiments in laboratory conditions, reacting MPs with 0.02-0.2 mM of As or U solutions at acidic and neutral pH with poly(methyl-methacrylate), polyethylene, and polystyrene MPs. In these experiments, As did not interact with any of the MPs tested at pH 3 and pH 7, nor U with any MPs at pH 3. Experiments supplied with U and MPs at pH 7 indicated that MPs served as substrate surface for the adsorption and nucleation of U precipitates. Chemical speciation modeling and microscopy analyses (i.e., Transmission Electron Microscopy [TEM]) suggest that U precipitates resemble sodium-compreignacite and schoepite. These findings have relevant implications to further understanding the occurrence and interfacial interaction of MPs and metals in freshwater.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine Quiambao
- Department of Civil, Construction & Environmental Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Kendra Z. Hess
- School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Sloane Johnston
- School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Eliane El Hayek
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico, College of Pharmacy, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Achraf Noureddine
- Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Abdul-Mehdi S. Ali
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Michael Spilde
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Adrian Brearley
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Peter Lichtner
- Center for the Water and the Environment, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - José M. Cerrato
- Department of Civil, Construction & Environmental Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
- Center for the Water and the Environment, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Kerry J. Howe
- Department of Civil, Construction & Environmental Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
- Center for the Water and the Environment, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Jorge Gonzalez-Estrella
- School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Hossain MB, Yu J, Nur AAU, Banik P, Jolly YN, Mamun MA, Paray BA, Arai T. Distribution, characterization and contamination risk assessment of microplastics in the sediment from the world's top sediment-laden estuary. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 344:118472. [PMID: 37384995 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2023] [Revised: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) have gained a serious attention as an emerging contaminant throughout the world because of their persistence and possible risks to aquatic ecosystems and human well-being. However, knowledge on MPs contamination from sub-tropical coastal systems is limited, and no study has been conducted on the MPs contamination in sediment from one of the highest sediment-laden estuaries, Meghna River, in the world. This is the first study to examine the quantity, morpho-chemical characteristics and contamination risk level of MPs from this large scale river. MPs were extracted from the sediment samples of 10 stations along the banks of the estuary by density separation, and then characterized using a stereomicroscope and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The incidence of MPs varied from 12.5 to 55 item/kg dry sediment with an average of 28.67 ± 10.80 item/kg. The majority (78.5%) of the MPs were under 0.5 mm in size, with fibers being the most (74.1%) prevalent MPs type. Polypropylene (PP) was found to be the predominant polymer (53.4%), followed by polyethylene (PE, 20%), polystyrene (PS, 13.3%), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC, 13.3%). The highest occurrence of PP indicted the MPs in the estuary might be originated from clothing and dying industries, fishing nets, food packages, and pulp industries. The sampling stations were contaminated with MPs as shown by the contamination factor (CF) values and pollutant load index (PLI), both of which were >1. This study exposed new insights on the status of MPs in the sediments of the Meghna River, laying the groundwork for future research. The findings will contribute to estimate the global share of MPs to the marine environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M Belal Hossain
- School of Engineering and Built Environment, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia; Department of Fisheries and Marine Science, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali-3814, Bangladesh.
| | - Jimmy Yu
- School of Engineering and Built Environment, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - As-Ad Ujjaman Nur
- Department of Fisheries and Marine Science, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali-3814, Bangladesh
| | - Partho Banik
- Department of Fisheries and Marine Science, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali-3814, Bangladesh
| | - Yeasmin N Jolly
- Atmospheric and Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, Chemistry Division, Atomic Energy Centre Dhaka, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Md Al- Mamun
- Materials Science Division, Atomic Energy Centre Dhaka, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh
| | - Bilal Ahamad Paray
- Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, PO Box 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Takaomi Arai
- Environmental and Life Sciences Programme, Faculty of Science, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Jalan Tungku Link, Gadong BE1410, Brunei Darussalam
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Neelavannan K, Sen IS. Microplastics in Freshwater Ecosystems of India: Current Trends and Future Perspectives. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:34235-34248. [PMID: 37780028 PMCID: PMC10536847 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c01214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs)-i.e., plastic particles less than 5 mm in length-are becoming a growing environmental concern due to their potential ecotoxicological impacts on aquatic ecosystems. In India, MPs contamination is a significantly growing problem due to increased plastic production as well as its low rate of recycling. As a result, MPs research work in India has gained considerable attention in the last two decades. The objective of this study is to conduct a comprehensive review of the existing scientific literature on MPs in freshwater ecosystems (e.g., lakes and rivers) of India. A bibliographical search was used to conduct the literature review across a number of databases including ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and ResearchGate. We found that in comparison to the marine ecosystem the source, transport, and fate of MPs in freshwater ecosystems of India are still underexplored, and we found only 18 relevant papers. This review work reveals that there is no standard procedure for separating MPs from water and sediment samples, and as a result, comparing the results was a challenging task. The larger MPs (>500 μm) in water and sediments were identified most commonly using the attenuated total reflection (ATR) Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy technique (ATR-FTIR), whereas smaller-sized MPs (<500 μm) were identified using FTIR fitted with a confocal microscope, also known as μ-FTIR imaging or chemical imaging. We found that white-colored fibers and fragments of polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polyethylene (PE) were the most common polymer types in the freshwater ecosystems of India. Although research on MPs in freshwater ecosystems of India has gained momentum over the past decade, the literature review reveals a limited understanding of the impact of MPs' weathering patterns, the role of biofouling, and the role of water hyacinths on freshwater ecosystem services in India. Furthermore, the fluxes of MPs to the Indian oceans are not constrained, and atmospheric transport in high-altitude mountains, which have already been made fragile by climate change, has not been fully investigated. This study, therefore, calls for additional assessments of MPs in freshwater ecosystems-particularly in the central parts of India.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Indra Sekhar Sen
- Department of Earth Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, UP 208016, India
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Abstract
Plastic pollution and climate change are two major environmental focuses. Having the forming potential due to ambient plastic pollution, the environmental fate of microplastics shall be inevitably impacted by global warming. This manuscript discusses the destiny of environmental microplastics and characterizes their fate considering the framework of the planetary boundary. The major routes for microplastic discharge include the release of microplastic stored in the ice into the sea when the ice melts as a result of global temperature increase, flushing of the plastic/microplastic debris from the shorelines into the adjacent water bodies as a result of increased rainfall, redistribution of the microplastics away from the source of plastic debris as a result of increased wind, and accumulation of microplastics in the soil as a result of drought. A perspective on the impact of climate change and microplastic pollution on aquatic and soil organisms was discussed as well.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fatima Haque
- Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chihhao Fan
- Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Liu Q, Xiong X, Wang K, Wang H, Ling Y, Li Q, Xu F, Wu C. Homogenization of microplastics in alpine rivers: Analysis of microplastic abundance and characteristics in rivers of Qilian Mountain, China. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 340:118011. [PMID: 37116418 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 04/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics in remote areas has received increasing concern in recent years. However, studies on microplastics in alpine rivers and their affecting factors are still limited. In this study, we investigate the abundance and characteristics of microplastic in the surface water of five alpine rivers in Qilian Mountain, China. Utilizing sieve collection, digestion and density separation, along with microscopy and Raman spectroscopy analyses, microplastics were observed in all the water samples and the average abundance of microplastics was 0.48 ± 0.28 items/L, which was lower than in other freshwaters. Transparent (37.3%) and fibrous (72.1%) microplastics were predominant. Polypropylene (53.8%) was the most frequently identified polymer type. Analysis of similarities (ANOSIM) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) based on microplastic shape, color, and polymer type showed that there was no significant difference in the microplastic characteristics among rivers of Qilian Mountain. The distance decay models revealed that the similarity in microplastics characteristics was not affected by changes in watershed characteristics, such as geographical distance, elevation, water quality, and land use. This finding suggests that the primary source of microplastics in Qilian Mountain rivers could be from dispersed origins. The results of this study indicated that despite remote alpine rivers suffering limited anthropogenic impacts, they were not immune to microplastics. However, in watersheds with lower intensity of human activity, the abundance and characteristics of microplastics in water bodies may be more uniformly distributed and controlled by diffusion conditions such as atmospheric transport or riverine transport. Our investigation unveils novel understanding of microplastic dispersion in secluded alpine territories, emphasizing the crucial need for managing atmospheric transport of microplastics within conservation areas.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qian Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xiong Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China.
| | - Kehuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Hui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yiqin Ling
- China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430078, China
| | - Quanliang Li
- Qinghai Service Guarantee Center of Qilian Mountain National Park, Xining, 810000, China
| | - Fengyi Xu
- Qinghai Service Guarantee Center of Qilian Mountain National Park, Xining, 810000, China
| | - Chenxi Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Farooq M, Nisa FU, Manzoor Z, Tripathi S, Thulasiraman AV, Khan MI, Khan MYA, Gani KM. Abundance and characteristics of microplastics in a freshwater river in northwestern Himalayas, India - Scenario of riverbank solid waste disposal sites. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 886:164027. [PMID: 37169190 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2023] [Revised: 04/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are one of the challenging and established contaminants that have adverse implications on human health. The focus of this study was to quantify and analyze the contribution of unscientific municipal solid waste (MSW) disposal sites to the MPs in the Jhelum River and the risk associated with it. Quantitative analysis of our study showed a mean MP concentration of 1474 ± 1026 particles/m3 for the entire stretch of the river. All the sites confirmed the presence of MPs with the concentration ranging from 600 particles/m3 to 2500 particles/m3. The size distribution of MPs suggested that 34 % of the microplastics ranged between 300 μm to 75 μm while 66 % of the particles varied between 300 μm to 5 mm. The concentrations of MPs downstream of unscientific disposal sites were found to increase threefold to that of upstream. The Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) confirmed the presence of polyethylene (PE) in the majority followed by polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polypropylene (PP). The flakes were dominant throughout the river followed by filaments, fragments, and spherules. Count based Pollution level indexing (PLI) estimated 3-14 times MP contamination in the river with respect to contamination in glacial runoffs. The risk assessment study of the MPs indicated an increase of around 10.2 % in ingestion rates of MPs due to the unscientific disposal of MSW on the banks of the freshwater body. The values of polymer hazard index (PHI) and potential ecological risk index (PERI) were in the extreme case of pollution (PHI>1000 and PERI>1200). This study manifests the adversities of unscientific municipal solid waste disposal for timely waste management.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Muneeb Farooq
- Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India
| | - Farhat Un Nisa
- Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India
| | - Zahoor Manzoor
- Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India
| | - Sachin Tripathi
- Sustainability Cluster, Department of HSE and Civil Engineering, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun, India
| | | | - Mohammad Imran Khan
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohd Yawar Ali Khan
- Department of Hydrogeology, Faculty of Earth Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Khalid Muzamil Gani
- Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Nantege D, Odong R, Auta HS, Keke UN, Ndatimana G, Assie AF, Arimoro FO. Microplastic pollution in riverine ecosystems: threats posed on macroinvertebrates. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023:10.1007/s11356-023-27839-9. [PMID: 37248351 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-27839-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are pollutants of emerging concern that have been reported in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems as well as in food items. The increasing production and use of plastic materials have led to a rise in MP pollution in aquatic ecosystems. This review aimed at providing an overview of the abundance and distribution of MPs in riverine ecosystems and the potential effects posed on macroinvertebrates. Microplastics in riverine ecosystems are reported in all regions, with less research in Africa, South America, and Oceania. The abundance and distribution of MPs in riverine ecosystems are mainly affected by population density, economic activities, seasons, and hydraulic regimes. Ingestion of MPs has also been reported in riverine macroinvertebrates and has been incorporated in caddisflies cases. Further, bivalves and chironomids have been reported as potential indicators of MPs in aquatic ecosystems due to their ability to ingest MPs relative to environmental concentration. Fiber and fragments are the most common types reported. Meanwhile, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate (polyester), polyamide, and polyvinyl chloride are the most common polymers. These MPs are from materials/polymers commonly used for packaging, shopping/carrier bags, fabrics/textiles, and construction. Ingestion of MPs by macroinvertebrates can physically harm and inhibit growth, reproduction, feeding, and moulting, thus threatening their survival. In addition, MP ingestion can trigger enzymatic changes and cause oxidative stress in the organisms. There is a need to regulate the production and use of plastic materials, as well as disposal of the wastes to reduce MP pollution in riverine ecosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Diana Nantege
- Applied Hydrobiology Unit, Department of Animal Biology, Federal University of Technology, PMB 65, Minna, Nigeria.
- Department of Zoology, Entomology and Fisheries Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda.
| | - Robinson Odong
- Department of Zoology, Entomology and Fisheries Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Helen Shnada Auta
- Applied Hydrobiology Unit, Department of Animal Biology, Federal University of Technology, PMB 65, Minna, Nigeria
| | - Unique Ndubuisi Keke
- Applied Hydrobiology Unit, Department of Animal Biology, Federal University of Technology, PMB 65, Minna, Nigeria
| | - Gilbert Ndatimana
- Applied Hydrobiology Unit, Department of Animal Biology, Federal University of Technology, PMB 65, Minna, Nigeria
| | - Attobla Fulbert Assie
- Applied Hydrobiology Unit, Department of Animal Biology, Federal University of Technology, PMB 65, Minna, Nigeria
| | - Francis Ofurum Arimoro
- Applied Hydrobiology Unit, Department of Animal Biology, Federal University of Technology, PMB 65, Minna, Nigeria
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Wang T, Qu L, Luo D, Ji X, Ma Z, Wang Z, Dahlgren RA, Zhang M, Shang X. Microplastic pollution characteristics and its future perspectives in the Tibetan Plateau. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 457:131711. [PMID: 37257387 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics are an emerging and persistent pollutant due to their threat to global ecological systems and human health. Recent studies showed that microplastics have infiltrated the remote Third Pole - the Tibetan Plateau. Here, we summarize the current evidence for microplastic pollution in the different environments (rivers/lakes, sediment, soil, ice/snow and atmosphere) of the Tibetan Plateau. We assess the spatial distribution, source, fate, and potential ecological effects of microplastics in this broad plateau. The integrated results show that microplastics were pervasive in biotic and abiotic components of the Tibetan Plateau, even at the global highest-altitude, Mt. Everest. Although the concentration of microplastics in the Tibetan Plateau was far below that found in the densely populated lowlands, it showed a higher concentration than that in the ocean system. Tourist populations are identified as a substantial source of anthropogenic plastic input rather than local residents due to the rapid development of the tourism industry. In the sparsely inhabited remote area of the Tibetan Plateau, long-range atmospheric transport facilitates allochthonous microplastic diffusion. Robust solar radiation in the Tibetan Plateau might enhanced production of secondary microplastics by weathering (UV-photooxidation) of abandoned plastic waste. A rough estimation showed that the microplastic export flux from melting glaciers was higher than that measured in most of the world's largest rivers, which affects local and downstream areas. Since the Tibetan Plateau is vital for Asian water supply and numerous endangered wildlife, the potential human and ecological risk of microplastics to these fragile ecosystems needs to be fully evaluated within the context of climate-change impacts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ting Wang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Watershed Sciences and Health, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China; Institute of Eco-Environmental Sciences, Wenzhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wenzhou 325006, Zhejiang, China
| | - Liyin Qu
- National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Ecological Treatment Technology for Urban Water Pollution, Zhejiang Provincial Key Lab for Subtropical Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
| | - Dehua Luo
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Watershed Sciences and Health, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Xiaoliang Ji
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Watershed Sciences and Health, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Zengling Ma
- National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Ecological Treatment Technology for Urban Water Pollution, Zhejiang Provincial Key Lab for Subtropical Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Zhonggen Wang
- Key Laboratory of Water Cycle and Related Land Surface Processes, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Randy A Dahlgren
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Watershed Sciences and Health, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China; Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Minghua Zhang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Watershed Sciences and Health, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China; Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Xu Shang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Watershed Sciences and Health, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Talukdar A, Bhattacharya S, Bandyopadhyay A, Dey A. Microplastic pollution in the Himalayas: Occurrence, distribution, accumulation and environmental impacts. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 874:162495. [PMID: 36868287 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics have been reported from various ecosystems including lakes, ponds, wetlands, mountains, and forests globally. Recent research works showed microplastic deposition and accumulation in the Himalayan mountains and adjoining ecosystems, rivers and streams. Fine particles of microplastic originating from different anthropogenic sources can travel long distances, even upwards (altitudinally) through atmospheric transport and can pollute remote and pristine locations situated in the Himalayas. Precipitation also plays a vital role in influencing deposition and fallout of microplastics in the Himalayas. Microplastics can be trapped in the snow in glaciers for a long time and can be released into freshwater rivers by snow melting. Microplastic pollution in Himalayan rivers such as the Ganga, Indus, Brahmaputra, Alaknanda, and Kosi has been researched on both the upper and lower catchments. Additionally, Himalayan region draws many domestic and international tourists throughout the year, resulting in generation of massive and unmanageable volume of plastics wastes and finally ending up in the open landscapes covering forests, river streams and valley. Fragmentation of these plastic wastes can lead to microplastic formation and accumulation in the Himalayas. This paper discusses and explains occurrence and distribution of microplastics in the Himalayan landscapes, possible adverse effects of microplastic on local ecosystems and human population and policy intervention needed to mitigate microplastic pollution in the Himalayas. A knowledge gap was noticed regarding the fate of microplastics in the freshwater ecosystems and their control mechanisms in the Indian Himalayas. Regulatory approaches for microplastics management in the Himalayas sit within the broader plastics/solid waste management and can be implemented effectively by following integrated approaches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Sayan Bhattacharya
- School of Ecology and Environment Studies, Nalanda University, Rajgir, Nalanda, Bihar 803116, India.
| | | | - Abhijit Dey
- Department of Life Sciences, Presidency University, Kolkata 700073, West Bengal, India
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Huang CW, Li YL, Lin C, Bui XT, Vo TDH, Ngo HH. Seasonal influence on pollution index and risk of multiple compositions of microplastics in an urban river. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 859:160021. [PMID: 36356754 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Emerging contaminant microplastics (MPs) are getting worldwide attention for their ubiquitous occurrence and potential risk to the environment. However, the seasonal influence on freshwater MP pollution remains poorly understood. To better understand and evaluate the riverine MPs in different seasons, this study conducted the risk assessment of MPs in an urban river, Houjin River, during the different seasons. The present study found that the MPs (0.1-5 mm, mostly 0.1-2 mm) were more abundant in the dry season (183.33 ± 128.95 items/m3) compared with the wet season (102.08 ± 45.80 items/m3). Similarly, the mixture of different MPs polymers was more diverse in the dry season. The related pollution indices such as the contamination factor (CF) and pollution load index (PLI) showed that average CF and PLI were 5.15 and 2.10 in the dry season, which significantly decreased to 1.58 and 1.25, respectively, in the wet season (p < 0.05). Additionally, significant difference of the average risk quotient (RQ) was observed, which was 0.037 in the dry season and 0.021 in the wet season (p < 0.05). To sum up, the results of this study indicate the seasonal effects on the pollution and risk of multiple compositions of MPs in the urban river, suggesting higher impacts of riverine MPs pollution in the dry season, as well as the potential increase of MPs, may lead to environmental risk in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chi-Wei Huang
- Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung 81157, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Lin Li
- Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung 81157, Taiwan
| | - Chitsan Lin
- Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung 81157, Taiwan; Ph.D. Program in Maritime Science and Technology, College of Maritime, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung 81157, Taiwan.
| | - Xuan-Thanh Bui
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Waste Treatment Technology & Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), 268 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam; Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM), Linh Trung ward, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Viet Nam
| | - Thi-Dieu-Hien Vo
- Faculty of Environmental and Food Engineering, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
| | - Huu Hao Ngo
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NWS 2007, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Jessieleena AA, Nambi IM. Distribution of microplastics in the catchment region of Pallikaranai marshland, a Ramsar site in Chennai, India. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 318:120890. [PMID: 36529343 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics are persistent toxic pollutants, detected in different environmental compartments. Numerous studies on the characteristics and distribution of microplastics present in different environmental matrices are being carried out. However, limited studies have been performed in environmental systems like eco-sensitive freshwater marshlands. Therefore, to enrich the existing knowledge and understanding, this current study has analysed the distribution and characteristics of microplastics present in the catchment region of Pallikaranai marshland, Chennai, India. Both surface water and sediment samples were contaminated with microplastics in the range of 740-2826 items/m3and 700 to 5833 items/kg of dry sediment, respectively. Compared to other shapes, fibrous microplastics were predominant in most of the surface water (n = 11) and sediment (n = 8) samples. The abundant presence of smaller microplastics (<1 mm) in the surface water suggests elevated impacts on the aquatic species owing to their higher bioavailability. Elevated anthropogenic activities and frequent movement of people in urban and residential areas were noted to possibly influence the spatial distribution of microplastics. Furthermore, heavy metals' occurrence on microplastics was investigated using X-Ray Fluorescence Analyser (XRF) and Zn, Fe, Ti, and Ni are the commonly detected (>50% of the samples) elements. The estimated average pollution load index of 2.5 indicates the polluted state of Pallikaranai catchment region.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A Angel Jessieleena
- Environmental and Water Resources Engineering Division, Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600 036, India.
| | - Indumathi M Nambi
- Environmental and Water Resources Engineering Division, Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600 036, India.
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Kallenbach EMF, Eriksen TE, Hurley RR, Jacobsen D, Singdahl-Larsen C, Friberg N. Plastic recycling plant as a point source of microplastics to sediment and macroinvertebrates in a remote stream. MICROPLASTICS AND NANOPLASTICS 2022; 2:26. [PMID: 36532855 PMCID: PMC9734615 DOI: 10.1186/s43591-022-00045-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Microplastic is now ubiquitous in freshwater, sediment and biota, globally. This is as a consequence of inputs from, for example, waste mismanagement, effluents from wastewater treatment plants and surface runoff from agricultural areas. In this study, we investigated point source pollution of plastic to an upland stream, originating from a recycling plant that recycles polyethylene film in a remote area of Norway. Sediment (~2 kg) and macroinvertebrates (549 individuals in total) were sampled at one site upstream and two sites downstream of the recycling plant to study microplastic deposition and food web uptake. In total, 340 microplastic films were identified through a combination of visual and µFTIR analysis in the sediment samples. This corresponded to a concentration of 0.23 (± 0.057) items per g sediment upstream of the plastic recycling plant and 0.45 (± 0.017) and 0.58 (± 0.34) items per g downstream. The dominant plastic polymer was polyethylene, which increased significantly downstream of the plastic recycling plant. This indicates the role of the plastic recycling plant as a point source for microplastic in this catchment. Among the three sites investigated, a fairly constant concentration of polypropylene was found, indicating a diffuse source of polypropylene films across the catchment possibly relating to low-intensity agricultural land-use. Low levels of polyethylene were also observed upstream, which may be linked to either local or longer-distance atmospheric transport. Despite the considerable presence of microplastic in sediments, concentrations in macroinvertebrates were extremely low with only a single microplastic particle identified in the total of 549 macroinvertebrates-belonging to three different feeding groups-investigated. Our study suggests that: 1) microplastic pollution can be transferred to remote areas as unintended losses from recycling facilities, 2) remote areas with limited land-use pressure still have detectable levels of microplastic and 3) microplastic is only taken up by stream macroinvertebrates to a limited degree despite relatively high sediment concentrations, and thus there are no strong indications for ecological risks posed by microplastic to this ecological group at this location. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s43591-022-00045-z.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emilie M. F. Kallenbach
- NIVA Denmark Water Research, Njalsgade 76, 2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark
- University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 4, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
| | | | | | - Dean Jacobsen
- University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 4, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
| | | | - Nikolai Friberg
- NIVA Denmark Water Research, Njalsgade 76, 2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark
- University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 4, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
- NIVA, Økernveien 94, 0579 Oslo, Norway
- Water@Leeds, School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT UK
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Islam MS, Islam Z, Hasan MR. Pervasiveness and characteristics of microplastics in surface water and sediment of the Buriganga River, Bangladesh. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 307:135945. [PMID: 35944680 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.135945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are an emerging environmental problem due to their all-around existence and extraordinary stability. A significant number of studies are found in recent literature on the occurrence, distribution, transport, and fate of the MPs in several environmental compartments. In this study, we have investigated the occurrence and characteristics of MPs in the surface water and sediment of the Buriganga river, located beside the mega-city of Dhaka in Bangladesh. In the Buriganga river, the concentration of MPs in the surface water was found from 4.33 ± 0.58 to 43.67 ± 0.58 items L-1, and in the sediment, MPs varied from 17.33 ± 1.53 to 133.67 ± 5.51 items kg-1 of dry sediment. Fragment-type MPs were predominant in the surface water and sediment, which was 72.7% and 85.5% respectively. The most abundant polymer type polypropylene (PP) was found -to be 46% in the surface water and 61% in the sediment sample. The next major category, polyethylene (PE) was found to be 26% and 21%, respectively. Polystyrene (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polyamide (PA) were other commonly detected polymer types. The MPs were found to be contaminated by Pb, Cd, Cr, Zn, Cu, and Sn from Energy dispersive-X-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF) analysis. Tannery-induced Cr was detected in the highest concentrations in the MPs, which were 20.67 ± 1.66 mg kg-1 (in surface water) and 14.2 ± 1.25 mg kg-1 (in sediment). The pollution load index (PLI) of the MPs contamination in different sampling sites along the Buriganga river was found in the risk level category of I and II. The anthropogenic influence of the city area was reflected in the PLI values, which had an increasing trend from the upstream sampling points (1.00 ± 1.00, 1.00 ± 1.00) to the downstream sites (10.09 ± 1.00, 7.71 ± 3.60).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Saiful Islam
- Fiber and Polymer Research Division, BCSIR Laboratories Dhaka, Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Dhaka, 1205, Bangladesh.
| | - Zahidul Islam
- Fiber and Polymer Research Division, BCSIR Laboratories Dhaka, Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Dhaka, 1205, Bangladesh
| | - Md Rashed Hasan
- Fiber and Polymer Research Division, BCSIR Laboratories Dhaka, Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Dhaka, 1205, Bangladesh
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Wang L, Xu M, Chen J, Zhang X, Wang Q, Wang Y, Cui J, Zhang S. Distinct adverse outcomes and lipid profiles of erythrocytes upon single and combined exposure to cadmium and microplastics. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 307:135942. [PMID: 35961459 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.135942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The growing accumulation of environmental microplastics (MPs) has become a global concern. MPs are capable to interact with other environmental contaminants leading to altered toxicity. Red blood cells (RBCs), are the target with highest priority for most of toxic xenobiotics after entering blood stream. Whether co-existence of MPs changes the toxicity of cadmium, a typical hemolysis inducer, in RBCs is unknown. We investigated the adverse effects of CdCl2 and Polystyrene-MPs (PS-MPs) on RBCs in mice. We found that CdCl2 induced mild microcytic hypochromic anemia while PS-MPs induced polycythemia vera, indicating distinct outcomes between them. Moreover, co-treatment of PS-MPs with CdCl2 did not change the phenotype of microcytic hypochromic anemia, indicating an antagonistic relationship between CdCl2 and PS-MPs. However, the lipid profiles were also distinct between single exposure and combined exposure to CdCl2 and PS-MPs. The significant changed lipids were mainly involved in altering the physiochemical or biological properties of RBCs, including decreased membrane components, disrupted bilayer thickness and intrinsic lipid curvature. These results indicated impaired membrane functions of RBCs. The altered lipid profiles observed in the current study may represent new and previously unrecognized harmful characteristics of cadmium and MPs on erythrocytes at low dose without apparent induction of anemia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lixin Wang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hebei University of Science and Technology, Pollution Prevention Biotechnology Laboratory of Hebei Province, Shijiazhuang, 050018, China; Hebei Key Laboratory of Molecular Chemistry for Drug, Shijiazhuang, 050018, China.
| | - Man Xu
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hebei University of Science and Technology, Pollution Prevention Biotechnology Laboratory of Hebei Province, Shijiazhuang, 050018, China; Hebei Key Laboratory of Molecular Chemistry for Drug, Shijiazhuang, 050018, China
| | - Jiamin Chen
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hebei University of Science and Technology, Pollution Prevention Biotechnology Laboratory of Hebei Province, Shijiazhuang, 050018, China; Hebei Key Laboratory of Molecular Chemistry for Drug, Shijiazhuang, 050018, China
| | - Xuan Zhang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hebei University of Science and Technology, Pollution Prevention Biotechnology Laboratory of Hebei Province, Shijiazhuang, 050018, China; Medical Science and Technology Innovation Center, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250062, China
| | - Quanshu Wang
- Medical Science and Technology Innovation Center, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250062, China
| | - Yingxue Wang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hebei University of Science and Technology, Pollution Prevention Biotechnology Laboratory of Hebei Province, Shijiazhuang, 050018, China; Hebei Key Laboratory of Molecular Chemistry for Drug, Shijiazhuang, 050018, China
| | - Jiansheng Cui
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hebei University of Science and Technology, Pollution Prevention Biotechnology Laboratory of Hebei Province, Shijiazhuang, 050018, China; Hebei Key Laboratory of Molecular Chemistry for Drug, Shijiazhuang, 050018, China
| | - Shuping Zhang
- Medical Science and Technology Innovation Center, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250062, China.
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Liu P, Shao L, Li Y, Jones T, Cao Y, Yang CX, Zhang M, Santosh M, Feng X, BéruBé K. Microplastic atmospheric dustfall pollution in urban environment: Evidence from the types, distribution, and probable sources in Beijing, China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 838:155989. [PMID: 35580670 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Airborne microplastics (MPs) pollution is an environmental problem of increasing concern, due to the ubiquity, persistence and potential toxicity of plastics in the atmosphere. In recent years, most studies on MPs have focused on aquatic and sedimentary environments, but little research has been done on MPs in the urban atmosphere. In this study, a total of ten dustfall samples were collected in a transect from north to south across urban Beijing. The compositions, morphologies, and sizes of the MPs in these dustfall samples were determined by means of Laser Direct Infrared (LDIR) imaging and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM). The number concentrations of MPs in the Beijing dustfall samples show an average of 123.6 items/g. The MPs concentrations show different patterns in the central, southern, and northern zones of Beijing. The number concentration of MPs was the highest in the central zone (224.76 items/g), as compared with the southern zone (170.55 items/g), and the northern zone (24.42 items/g). The LDIR analysis revealed nine compositional types of MPs, including Polypropylene (PP), Polyamide (PA), Polystyrene (PS), Polyethylene (PE), Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), Silicone, Polycarbonate (PC), Polyurethane (PU) and Polyvinylchloride (PVC), among which PP was overall dominant. The PP dominates the MPs in the central zone (76.3%), and the PA dominates the MPs in the southern zone (55.86%), while the northern zone had a diverse combination of MPs types. The morphological types of the individual MPs particle include fragments, pellets, and fibers, among which fragments are dominant (70.9%). FESEM images show the presence of aged MPs in the Beijing atmosphere, which could pose a yet unquantified health risk to Beijing's residents. The average size of the MPs in the Beijing samples is 66.62 μm. Our study revealed that the numbers of fibrous MPs increase with the decrease in size. This pollution therefore needs to be carefully monitored, and methods of decreasing the sources and mitigations developed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pengju Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Coal Resources and Safe Mining & College of Geoscience and Surveying Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
| | - Longyi Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Coal Resources and Safe Mining & College of Geoscience and Surveying Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China.
| | - Yaowei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Coal Resources and Safe Mining & College of Geoscience and Surveying Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China; Hebei Center for Ecological and Environmental Geology Research, Hebei GEO University, Shijiazhuang 050031, China
| | - Tim Jones
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10, 3YE, Wales, UK
| | - Yaxin Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Coal Resources and Safe Mining & College of Geoscience and Surveying Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
| | - Cheng-Xue Yang
- Institute of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
| | - Mengyuan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Coal Resources and Safe Mining & College of Geoscience and Surveying Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
| | - M Santosh
- School of Earth Sciences and Resources, China University of Geoscience Beijing, Beijing 100083, China; Department of Earth Science, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - Xiaolei Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Coal Resources and Safe Mining & College of Geoscience and Surveying Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
| | - Kelly BéruBé
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AX, Wales, UK
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Jiang N, Luo W, Zhao P, Ga B, Jia J, Giesy JP. Distribution of microplastics in benthic sediments of Qinghai Lake on the Tibetan Plateau, China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 835:155434. [PMID: 35461939 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Revised: 04/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Although several studies of microplastics (MPs) with size <5 mm in lake sediments focused on lakeshore areas, there have been no studies of distributions of MPs from lakeshores to the center of a lake. To test our hypothesis that MPs decrease from lakeshore to the center, a study was conducted on the largest brackish lake on the remote and high-altitude Tibetan Plateau, China. Abundances and characteristics of MPs in 14 samples of surface sediment collected from a river bay, a lake bay, and a lake central area were investigated. Distributions were influenced by river inflow, tourism, and minimal activity of humans, respectively around Qinghai Lake. The mean abundance of MPs in sediments of Qinghai Lake was 393 ± 457 items/kg, dry mass (dm). Based on the range of MP abundances in surface sediments of lakes worldwide, Qinghai Lake was classified as being moderately polluted with MPs. The dominant color, shape, size, and polymer type of MPs in sediments were transparent, fiber, 0.05-1 mm, and polypropylene, respectively. The river bay had a mean abundance of MPs two-fold greater than either the bay or central area of the lake. This indicates that the river catchment caused more pollution with MPs, while the central area of the lake was not a sink for MPs. Spatial trends of MPs in sediments from the shore to the center of the lake differed among areas, and were significantly related to wind, lake current, sedimentation rate, water- and sediment-properties, water depth, and proximity to land sources of MPs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ning Jiang
- Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Wei Luo
- Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology Research, Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
| | - Pin Zhao
- Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Bila Ga
- Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Junmei Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China
| | - John P Giesy
- Toxicology Program Faculty, Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B3, Canada; Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada; Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA; Department of Environmental Science, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Wang Z, Zhang Y, Kang S, Yang L, Luo X, Chen P, Guo J, Hu Z, Yang C, Yang Z, Gao T. Long-range transport of atmospheric microplastics deposited onto glacier in southeast Tibetan Plateau. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 306:119415. [PMID: 35526641 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Micoroplastics (MPs) can be transported through atmospheric circulations, and have caused global attentions due to their potential risk to the environment. In this study, MPs in snowpit samples collected from Demula (DML) glacier in southeast Tibetan Plateau were investigated. The results showed that the average abundance of MPs in snow was 9.55 ± 0.9 items L-1, with dominant shapes of plastic fibers and films. MPs size was dominated by MPs <200 μm, with detected minimum size of 48 μm from the DML glacier. MPs in snowpit indicated seasonal variations, showing relatively higher abundance during the monsoon season than that during the non-monsoon season. The chemical composition of MPs and backward air mass trajectory modeling revealed that MPs in DML snowpit mostly originated from the atmospheric long-range transport, suggesting the glacier in southeast Tibetan Plateau can be a temporal sink of atmospheric MPs. The surface structure of the MPs was rough and adhered to a large amount of mineral dust and metallic particles, revealed that these MPs have undergone severe weathering during transportation and after deposition. Based on the MPs data, multi-year average precipitation, and glacier mass balance of DML glacier, the deposition flux of MPs on DML glacier was estimated to be about 7640 ± 720 to 9550 ± 900 items m-2 yr-1 and the export from melting water was about 5.9 ± 1.3 × 109 to 6.6 ± 1.4 × 109 items yr-1, indicating the glacier may be also an important source of MPs to the downstream ecosystems. These results provided the current status of MPs pollution on the Tibetan Plateau glaciers and new data to the study of MPs in typical cryospheric regions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoqing Wang
- College of Earth and Environment Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Yulan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
| | - Shichang Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ling Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xi Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Pengfei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Junming Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Zhaofu Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Chengde Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Zhengzheng Yang
- College of Earth and Environment Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Tanguang Gao
- College of Earth and Environment Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Hossain MJ, AftabUddin S, Akhter F, Nusrat N, Rahaman A, Sikder MNA, Monwar MM, Chowdhury MSN, Jiang S, Shi H, Zhang J. Surface water, sediment, and biota: The first multi-compartment analysis of microplastics in the Karnafully river, Bangladesh. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 180:113820. [PMID: 35689937 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The Karnafullly River, which flows through Chattogram and falls into the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh, is vulnerable to microplastic contamination. In this study, we looked at microplastics in the Karnafully River's surface water (5 sites), sediment (9 sites), and biota (4 species). Microplastic concentrations ranged from 0.57 ± 0.07 to 6.63 ± 0.52 items/L in surface water, 143.33 ± 3.33 to 1240 ± 5.77 items/kg dry weight in sediment, and 5.93 ± 0.62 to 13.17 ± 0.76 items/species in biota. A significant difference (P < 0.05) was found in the concentration of MPs in the Karnafully River's sediment, biota, and surface water. High percentage of fiber-shaped and small-sized MPs (<1 mm) were detected throughout the samples. Water and sediment MPs were often transparent/white and blue, whereas biota MPs were mostly black and red, indicating a color preference during biological uptake. The Bay of Bengal received 61.3 × 109 microplastic items per day. The feeding zone of biota influenced the level of microplastics, with a trend of pelagic > demersal > benthic > benthopelagic. Polyethylene and polyethylene terephthalate were the most abundant polymer. Using the average fish intake rate in Bangladesh, we computed a possible consumption of 4015-7665 items of MPs/person/year.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Md Jaker Hossain
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Sheikh AftabUddin
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Chittagong, Chittagong 4331, Bangladesh.
| | - Farjana Akhter
- Department of Oceanography, University of Chittagong, Chittagong 4331, Bangladesh
| | - Nabila Nusrat
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Chittagong, Chittagong 4331, Bangladesh
| | - Atikur Rahaman
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Chittagong, Chittagong 4331, Bangladesh
| | | | - Md Mostafa Monwar
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Chittagong, Chittagong 4331, Bangladesh
| | | | - Shan Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Huahong Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Yang L, Kang S, Wang Z, Luo X, Guo J, Gao T, Chen P, Yang C, Zhang Y. Microplastic characteristic in the soil across the Tibetan Plateau. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 828:154518. [PMID: 35283129 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics are widely detected in terrestrial environments. However, microplastic features in the soil of remote areas are still sparse. In this study, microplastic pollution in soil across the Tibetan Plateau was systematically investigated. The results revealed that microplastic was ubiquitous in the soil of the Tibetan Plateau with an average abundance of 47.12 items/kg-dry weight (range: 5-340 items/kg). Compared with the published data of soil microplastic pollution in other regions, the microplastic pollution in the Tibetan Plateau was relatively low. Fibers represented 43.54% of microplastic particles detected, followed by fragments (32.20%) and films (23.78%). They mainly consisted of polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene. Transparent and white microplastics were prevalent, and small microplastics (50-500 μm) occupied approximately 66% of all microplastics. High values of microplastics were found near Lhasa, Naqu, and Linzhi. Furthermore, microplastic pollution was found to be negatively related to the distance to the nearest city (p < 0.01), wind velocity (p = 0.014), altitude (p = 0.181), yet positively related to precipitation (p = 0.024). This work presents new insights into the magnitude of microplastics contamination in the soil across the Tibetan Plateau and supplies valuable data for future research on ecotoxicology, ecosystem impacts, and earth system feedback of microplastics on terrestrial ecosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ling Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shichang Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhaoqing Wang
- College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xi Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Junming Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Tanguang Gao
- College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Pengfei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Chengde Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yulan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China.
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Malla-Pradhan R, Suwunwong T, Phoungthong K, Joshi TP, Pradhan BL. Microplastic pollution in urban Lake Phewa, Nepal: the first report on abundance and composition in surface water of lake in different seasons. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:39928-39936. [PMID: 35112255 PMCID: PMC8810211 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-18301-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics are man-made pollutants which have been detected in surface water and groundwater. Research on microplastic concentration in aquatic environment is attracting scientists from developing countries, but in Nepal no information regarding microplastic in freshwater system is available. Therefore, this study investigates the presence and abundance of microplastic in lake surface water of Phewa Lake, the second largest lake in Nepal. The average concentration of microplastic for surface water was 2.96 ± 1.83 particles/L in winter (dry) season and 1.51 ± 0.62 particles/L in rainy (wet) season. Significant difference with t = 4.687 (p < 0.01) in microplastic concentration was observed in two different seasons. Fibers (93.04% for winter and 96.69% for rainy season) were the commonly found microplastic type in lake water and transparent as the dominant color for the two seasons. Almost all the detected microplastic were found to be < 1 mm in size. Due to the small size of microplastic and unavailability of micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (μ-FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy in Nepal, polymer identification was not done. The findings from this study can provide a valuable baseline data on microplastics for the first time in Nepal's freshwater lake environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rajeshwori Malla-Pradhan
- Environmental Assessment and Technology for Hazardous Waste Management Research Center, Faculty of Environmental Management, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, 90112, Thailand
- Environment and Climate Study Laboratory, Faculty of Science, Nepal Academy of Science and Technology, Lalitpur, Nepal
- Department of Environmental Science, Tri-Chandra Multiple Campus, Tribhuvan University, Ghantaghar, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Thitipone Suwunwong
- Center of Chemical Innovation for Sustainability, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, 57100, Thailand
| | - Khamphe Phoungthong
- Environmental Assessment and Technology for Hazardous Waste Management Research Center, Faculty of Environmental Management, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, 90112, Thailand.
| | - Tista Prasai Joshi
- Environment and Climate Study Laboratory, Faculty of Science, Nepal Academy of Science and Technology, Lalitpur, Nepal
| | | |
Collapse
|
37
|
Microplastics in Freshwater Environment in Asia: A Systematic Scientific Review. WATER 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/w14111737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are an emerging pollutant in the aquatic environment, and this has gradually been recognized in the Asian region. This systematic review study, using the Scopus database, provides an insightful understanding of the spatial distribution of scientific studies on MPs in freshwater conducted across the Asian region, utilized sampling methods, and a detailed assessment of the effects of MPs on different biotic components in freshwater ecosystems, with special focus on its potential risks on human health. The results of this review indicate that research on microplastics in Asia has gained attention since 2014, with a significant increase in the number of studies in 2018, and the number of scientific studies quadrupled in 2021 compared to 2018. Results indicated that despite a significant amount of research has been conducted in many Asian countries, they were not distributed evenly, as multiple studies selected specific rivers and lakes. Additionally, around two-thirds of all the papers focused their studies in China, followed by India and South Korea. It was also found that most of the studies focused primarily on reporting the occurrence levels of MPs in freshwater systems, such as water and sediments, and aquatic organisms, with a lack of studies investigating the human intake of MPs and their potential risks to human health. Notably, comparing the results is a challenge because diverse sampling, separation, and identification methods were applied to estimate MPs. This review study suggests that further research on the dynamics and transport of microplastics in biota and humans is needed, as Asia is a major consumer of seafood products and contributes significantly to the generation of plastic litter in the marine environment. Moreover, this review study revealed that only a few studies extended their discussions to policies and governance aspects of MPs. This implies the need for further research on policy and governance frameworks to address this emerging water pollutant more holistically.
Collapse
|
38
|
Abadia LEM, Gomes AR, Freitas ÍN, Guimarães ATB, Vaz BG, Ahmed MAI, Luz TMD, Rodrigues ASDL, Malafaia G. Hazardous effects of road-side soils on the redox and cholinesterasic homeostasis of mound-building termite (Cornitermes cumulans). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 815:152841. [PMID: 34995615 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 12/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
For our knowledge, the roadside soils end up being the deposit of various residues discarded by drivers or passengers, plus, that coming from the runoff of rainwater. Basically, we do not know the impacts that this pollution causes on animals which inhabit these environments. Thus, in this study, our objective was to evaluate how the presence of plastic microfibers (MPFs), organic compounds and heavy metals affect the redox and cholinesterase homeostasis of mound-building termite [Cornitermes cumulans (workers) adults]. As a result, we noticed that MPFs were present in all sampled areas, being higher in road area (RA). Regardless of the presence of these pollutants, animals sampled in the RA were those in which we observed greater production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and nitric oxide (NO) (via nitrite), whose higher activities of antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), was not able to counterbalance the oxidative stress suggested by the evaluated biomarkers. Moreover, we observed increase in acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in these same animals, which suggests a cholinesterasic effect. Such alterations were positively correlated with the contamination of soil samples by Cd, Pb, Zn, Fe and Cu, as well as with the presence of the 11,10-guaiane-type sesquiterpenoid compound, identified only in the RA. Thus, our unique study reveals that the contamination of roadside soils constitutes an additional environmental stressor to populations of C. cumulans, which reinforces the need for greater attention and further investigation to be given to the pollution of these environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Eduardo Moreira Abadia
- Biological Research Laboratory, Post-graduation Program in Conservation of Cerrado Natural Resources, Goiano Federal Institute, Urataí Campus, GO, Brazil
| | - Alex Rodrigues Gomes
- Post-graduation Program in Agrarian Science, Goiano Federal Institute, Rio Verde Campus, GO, Brazil
| | - Ítalo Nascimento Freitas
- Biological Research Laboratory, Post-graduation Program in Conservation of Cerrado Natural Resources, Goiano Federal Institute, Urataí Campus, GO, Brazil
| | - Abraão Tiago Batista Guimarães
- Post-graduation Program in Biotechnology and Biodiversity, Goiano Federal Institution, Federal University of Goiás, GO, Brazil
| | | | | | - Thiarlen Marinho da Luz
- Biological Research Laboratory, Post-graduation Program in Conservation of Cerrado Natural Resources, Goiano Federal Institute, Urataí Campus, GO, Brazil
| | - Aline Sueli de Lima Rodrigues
- Biological Research Laboratory, Post-graduation Program in Conservation of Cerrado Natural Resources, Goiano Federal Institute, Urataí Campus, GO, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Malafaia
- Biological Research Laboratory, Post-graduation Program in Conservation of Cerrado Natural Resources, Goiano Federal Institute, Urataí Campus, GO, Brazil; Post-graduation Program in Biotechnology and Biodiversity, Goiano Federal Institution, Federal University of Goiás, GO, Brazil; Post-graduation Program in Ecology and Conservation of Natural Resources, Federal University of Uberlândia, MG, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Liu S, Chen H, Wang J, Su L, Wang X, Zhu J, Lan W. The distribution of microplastics in water, sediment, and fish of the Dafeng River, a remote river in China. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2021; 228:113009. [PMID: 34808510 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2021.113009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Although rivers are one of the dominant pathways by which microplastics reach the oceans, reports on remote rivers are rare. Dafeng River is located in Guangxi Province, China, is an important water source and a habitat of a coastal dolphin, Sousa chinensis, which is a first-class national protected animal in China. In this study, we determined the distribution and characteristics of microplastics in the surface water, sediment, and fish of the river. During the dry and rainy seasons, the microplastics content of the surface water ranged from 3 × 10-4-2.5 × 10-3 items/L (7 × 10-4-0.12 items/m2) and 4 × 10-5-9 × 10-4 items/L (2 × 10-3-2.8 × 10-2 items/m2), while those in the sediment samples ranged from 9.4 to 50.3 items/kg (dry weight) and 0.0-21.3 items/kg, respectively. The pollution level during the dry season was approximately two to three times higher than that during the rainy season (P < 0.05). The estimated annual load of microplastics carried by the Dafeng River flow was 8.3 × 108 particles. The microplastics pollution in the Dafeng River was closely related with residential activities. The contents of microplastics in the digestive tracts and gills of fish ranged from 8 × 102 to 5.7 × 103 items/kg (0.3-6.7 items/individual) and 2 × 102 to 1.7 × 103 items/kg (0.1-3.0 items/individual), respectively. The proportion of blue particles in fish was significantly higher than that in the water and sediment, which may indicate that they prefer blue-colored items. The microplastics pollution levels in the water, sediment, and fish of the Dafeng River decreased in the following order: fish > sediment > surface water in terms of items/kg. The level of microplastics pollution in the Dafeng River was relatively low; however, that in aquatic organisms was more severe. Our work highlights the requirement for concern towards microplastics pollution in the organisms of remote rivers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Liu
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Marine Disaster in the Beibu Gulf, College of Marine Sciences, Beibu Gulf University, Qinzhou 535011, China
| | - Huan Chen
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Marine Disaster in the Beibu Gulf, College of Marine Sciences, Beibu Gulf University, Qinzhou 535011, China
| | - Jingzhen Wang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Marine Disaster in the Beibu Gulf, College of Marine Sciences, Beibu Gulf University, Qinzhou 535011, China
| | - Lei Su
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Xilong Wang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Marine Disaster in the Beibu Gulf, College of Marine Sciences, Beibu Gulf University, Qinzhou 535011, China
| | - Jingmin Zhu
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Marine Disaster in the Beibu Gulf, College of Marine Sciences, Beibu Gulf University, Qinzhou 535011, China.
| | - Wenlu Lan
- Marine Environmental Monitoring Center of Guangxi, Beihai 536000, China.
| |
Collapse
|