OCCURRENCE AND FATE OF MICROPLASTICS IN RIVERS

Abstract

Microplastics (MPs), defined as plastic particles measuring less than 5mm, have emerged as a significant environmental issue, particularly in aquatic ecosystems due to their widespread presence. Rivers, crucial conduits of freshwater, play a pivotal role in transporting MPs to marine environments. This study undertook a comprehensive literature review to evaluate existing methodologies for quantifying and identifying MPs, subsequently refining and optimizing these approaches to enhance microplastic quantification. A comparative analysis demonstrated the improved efficacy and efficiency of the modified method, particularly in organic matter removal. Subsequently, the refined technique was applied to quantify MPs across nine diverse locations, encompassing river water, sediment, and catchment soil samples. Results revealed a pervasive presence of MPs across all sites, with average concentrations ranging from 0.85 to 9.9 MP/L in water, 2.96 to 27 MP/g in sediment, and 2.96 to 31.06 MP/g in catchment soil. Morphological categorization revealed that fragments and fibers were the predominant types of microplastics across all sampled matrices. Chemical identification further indicated that polyethene and polypropylene were the most prevalent types of microplastics in all the sampled matrices.