Nguyen Thi Lan Huong, Duong Thi Lim, Nguyen Thi Huong Thuy, Dang Tran Quan, Nguyen Thi Hue, Dao Ngoc Nhiem, Nguyen Kien Trung, Duong Cong Dien, Pham Ngo Nghia, Nguyen Bac Quang
Institute of Geography, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, Cau Giay, Hanoi 100000, Viet Nam.
Graduate University of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, Cau Giay, Hanoi 100000, Viet Nam; Institute of Materials Science, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, Cau Giay, Hanoi 100000, Viet Nam.
Sci Total Environ. 2023 Oct 15;895:165145. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165145. Epub 2023 Jun 28.
Microplastics (MPs), which are ubiquitous, are no longer novel emerging pollutants, yet our knowledge of them is insufficient. This study investigates the prevalence of MPs and trace metals in sediment belonging to Ma River, Vietnam, and their interaction with various parameters, including nutrients such as total carbon (TC), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP), grain sizes, and MPs in surface water. The study revealed that the abundance of MPs in sediment (MPs/S) is relatively high (i.e., 1328.3 ± 1925.5 items.kg dry weight), while the concentration of MPs in surface water (MPs/W) was relatively low (i.e., 57.3 ± 55.8 items.m) compared to other areas. Notably, the study found that arsenic and cadmium concentrations exceeded baseline levels, indicating their anthropogenic origin. To interpret the relationship between MPs/S, metals, and the aforementioned parameters, principal component analysis and Pearson correlation analyses were employed. The results demonstrated a significant correlation between metals and nutrients, as well as small grain sizes such as clay and silt. It was observed that the majority of metals displayed co-occurrence with one another but showed weak associations with the levels of MPs present in both water and sediment. Additionally, a weak correlation was observed between MPs/W and MPs/S. In conclusion, these findings suggest that the distribution and behavior of MPs and trace metals in aquatic systems are influenced by multiple factors, including nutrient levels, grain size, and other chemical and physical characteristics of the environment. While certain metals may have natural sources, others may result from human activities such as mining, industrial discharge, and wastewater treatment plants. As a result, understanding the sources and aspects of metal contamination are critical for determining their relationship with MPs and developing effective strategies for mitigating their impact on aquatic ecosystems.
微塑料（MPs）无处不在，已不再是新型的新兴污染物，但我们对它们的了解仍然不足。本研究调查了越南马河中沉积物中微塑料和痕量金属的含量，以及它们与各种参数之间的相互作用，这些参数包括总碳（TC）、总氮（TN）和总磷（TP）等营养物质、粒径以及地表水中的微塑料。研究表明，沉积物中微塑料的丰度（MPs/S）相对较高（即1328.3±1925.5个/千克干重），而地表水中微塑料的浓度（MPs/W）与其他地区相比相对较低（即57.3±55.8个/米）。值得注意的是，研究发现砷和镉的浓度超过了基线水平，表明它们来自人为源。为了解释MPs/S、金属与上述参数之间的关系，采用了主成分分析和Pearson相关分析。结果表明，金属与营养物质以及粘土和粉砂等小粒径之间存在显著相关性。观察到大多数金属之间存在共现现象，但与水和沉积物中微塑料的含量之间的关联较弱。此外，还观察到MPs/W和MPs/S之间存在弱相关性。总之，这些发现表明，水生系统中微塑料和痕量金属的分布和行为受到多种因素的影响，包括营养水平、粒径以及环境的其他化学和物理特征。虽然某些金属可能有自然来源，但其他金属可能来自采矿、工业排放和污水处理厂等人类活动。因此，了解金属污染的来源和方面对于确定它们与微塑料的关系以及制定减轻其对水生生态系统影响的有效策略至关重要。
