Department of Chemistry, U.P. College, Varanasi, 221002, India.
Amity Institute of Advanced Research and Studies (M&D), Amity University, Noida, U.P, India.
Environ Monit Assess. 2024 Oct 30;196(11):1134. doi: 10.1007/s10661-024-13307-5.
The current study explores the seasonal dynamics of microplastic (MP) pollution in the Ganga River of Varanasi City, Uttar Pradesh, India, focusing on water and sediment samples collected during pre-monsoon and post-monsoon periods. The analysis shows significant variations in MP occurrence, shape dynamics, color distribution, and size composition across diverse sampling sites. During the pre-monsoon season, MP concentrations ranged from 17 to 36 particles/L in water samples and 160 to 312 particles/kg in sediment, indicating a moderate to high level of contamination. Post-monsoon sampling showed higher MP concentrations at most sites, indicating the influence of seasonal hydrological changes on MP distribution. Shifts in MP shape dynamics were observed between seasons, with films, foams, fragments, and filaments showing variable distributions. Similarly, color variations in MPs exhibited site-specific patterns, with white, brown, blue, and other colors being predominant. These findings highlight the diverse sources and compositions of MPs in the river ecosystem, highlighting the complexity of MP pollution dynamics. Polymer-type distributions further elucidated the composition of MPs, with notable contributions from polyethylene terephthalate, rayon, polyester, and polyvinyl chloride. PCA analysis revealed significant shifts in particle size and shape distribution between pre-monsoon and post-monsoon periods in both water and sediment samples, with post-monsoon samples showing an increase in larger particles and filaments. These changes highlighted key factors driving the variance in microplastic contamination across different sites. The prevalence of these polymers features diverse sources of MP pollution, including textiles, packaging materials, and industrial waste. Ongoing monitoring and research are crucial to understanding its sources, distribution, and impact on river ecosystems, essential for protecting aquatic biodiversity and human health.
本研究探讨了印度北方邦瓦拉纳西市恒河的微塑料（MP）污染季节性动态，重点关注前季风期和后季风期采集的水和沉积物样本。分析表明，不同采样点的 MP 出现、形态动态、颜色分布和粒径组成存在显著差异。在前季风期，水样中的 MP 浓度范围为 17 至 36 个/升，沉积物中的浓度为 160 至 312 个/千克，表明存在中度至高度污染。后季风期的采样显示，大多数采样点的 MP 浓度较高，表明季节性水文变化对 MP 分布的影响。MP 形态动态在季节之间发生变化，薄膜、泡沫、碎片和纤维呈现出不同的分布。同样，MP 的颜色变化表现出特定的站点模式，以白色、棕色、蓝色和其他颜色为主。这些发现突出了河流生态系统中 MP 的多样来源和组成，强调了 MP 污染动态的复杂性。聚合物类型分布进一步阐明了 MPs 的组成，聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯、人造丝、聚酯和聚氯乙烯的贡献显著。主成分分析显示，水和沉积物样本中前季风期和后季风期之间的粒径和形态分布存在显著变化，后季风期样本中大颗粒和纤维的数量增加。这些变化突出了不同地点微塑料污染差异的关键驱动因素。这些聚合物的存在突显了 MP 污染的多种来源，包括纺织品、包装材料和工业废物。持续的监测和研究对于理解其来源、分布和对河流生态系统的影响至关重要，这对于保护水生生物多样性和人类健康至关重要。
