Xu Zhenyu, Earnhardt Natalie, Kotsifaki Domna G
Photonics Lab, Division of Natural and Applied Sciences, Duke Kunshan University, 8 Duke Ave, Kunshan, 215316, Jiangsu Province, China.
Heliyon. 2024 Oct 28;10(21):e39779. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e39779. eCollection 2024 Nov 15.
Microplastics up to 20 μm are recognized as having the highest potential to cause significant impacts on aquatic environments. Current methods face challenges in detecting and chemically characterizing small microplastics in freshwater systems. In this study, using an optical confocal micro-Raman tweezer technique, the composition of particles trapped in lake aggregates collected from surface water around Yangcheng Lake in Suzhou, China, has been identified. Surface freshwater samples were analyzed from 15 different sites around the lake. In total, 514 particles were analyzed of which 136 were small microplastics. Chemical characterization showed the presence of five different polymer types, with polystyrene being the most dominant, accounting for 63% of the detected particles. Small plastics in the range of 1.1 to 8.5 μm were detected around crab restaurants and residential villages. The smallest microplastics identified were 1.1 μm polystyrene. Fragment was the most common shape of microplastics, followed by fiber and quasisphere within the volume of sample analyzed. The results suggest that the primary sources of small microplastic contamination in Yangcheng Lake may include fishing activities, agriculture, and tourism. Study findings may be used as a reference to extend the understanding of the small microplastic contamination level in inland freshwater systems.
直径达20微米的微塑料被认为对水生环境造成重大影响的可能性最大。目前的方法在检测淡水系统中的小型微塑料及其化学特征表征方面面临挑战。在本研究中，利用光学共焦显微拉曼镊子技术，已确定了从中国苏州阳澄湖地表水采集的湖泊聚集体中捕获的颗粒成分。对该湖周围15个不同地点的地表水样本进行了分析。总共分析了514个颗粒，其中136个是小型微塑料。化学特征表明存在五种不同的聚合物类型，其中聚苯乙烯占主导地位，占检测到的颗粒的63%。在蟹餐馆和村庄附近检测到了1.1至8.5微米范围内的小型塑料。鉴定出的最小微塑料是1.1微米的聚苯乙烯。在分析的样本体积内，碎片是微塑料最常见的形状，其次是纤维和准球体。结果表明，阳澄湖小型微塑料污染的主要来源可能包括渔业活动、农业和旅游业。研究结果可作为参考，以加深对内陆淡水系统中小型微塑料污染水平的理解。
