Sekar Vijaykumar, Sundaram Baranidharan
Departmemt of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology Andhra Pradesh, India.
J Environ Manage. 2025 Feb;374:124098. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.124098. Epub 2025 Jan 11.
Microplastics (MPs) are a growing environmental issue because of their widespread prevalence and their long-term effects on ecosystems and human health. Global studies have identified MPs in various aquatic environments, such as lake, rivers, estuaries, wastewater, and oceans. Although most MPs originate from urban surface water sources, the specific intensity, characteristics, and associated risk assessments remain unclear. This study focuses on west Godavari region of India, specifically analyzing MPs in surface water samples Godavari River and two water treatment plants (WTPs). A total of 330 MPs found in the surface water and 121 MPs in theWTP. In surface water, MPs were predominantly blue and transparent fibers, with the majority measuring less than 500 μm in size. Conversely, at the WTP, larger MPs, primarily in blue fiber form and exceeding 3000 μm, were observed. Additionally, μ-Raman spectroscopy analysis identified the presence of various polymers, including PP, PVC, PC, Nylon, and PET, among others. The risks associated with MPs, including their concentration and chemical composition, were assessed across all sample types using various indices such as Contamination Factor (CFi), Pollution Load Index (PLI), Polymer Risk Index (H), Potential Ecological Risk Index (RI), and Estimated Intake (EI) (daily, annually, and lifetime). The risk assessment revealed that the type of polymer poses a greater risk of MP pollution than the concentrations of MPs themselves. These findings provide critical insights into MP contamination patterns and risks, emphasizing the need for targeted mitigation strategies in this region.
微塑料（MPs）因其广泛存在及其对生态系统和人类健康的长期影响，正成为一个日益严重的环境问题。全球研究已在各种水生环境中发现了微塑料，如湖泊、河流、河口、废水和海洋。尽管大多数微塑料源自城市地表水源，但其具体强度、特征及相关风险评估仍不明确。本研究聚焦于印度西戈达瓦里地区，具体分析了戈达瓦里河地表水样本以及两座水处理厂（WTPs）中的微塑料。在地表水中共发现330个微塑料，在水处理厂中发现121个微塑料。地表水中的微塑料主要是蓝色和透明纤维，大多数尺寸小于500微米。相反，在水处理厂中，观察到更大的微塑料，主要为蓝色纤维形式，尺寸超过3000微米。此外，μ-拉曼光谱分析确定了包括PP、PVC、PC、尼龙和PET等各种聚合物的存在。使用各种指数，如污染因子（CFi）、污染负荷指数（PLI）、聚合物风险指数（H）、潜在生态风险指数（RI）和估计摄入量（EI）（每日、每年和终生），对所有样本类型中微塑料的相关风险，包括其浓度和化学成分进行了评估。风险评估显示，聚合物类型比微塑料本身的浓度带来的微塑料污染风险更大。这些发现为微塑料污染模式和风险提供了关键见解，强调了该地区针对性缓解策略的必要性。
