Hassan Irfan, Sethupathi Sumathi, Bashir Mohammad J K, Ahmad Abdul Latif, Parthasarathy Purushothaman
Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, 31900, Kampar, Perak, Malaysia.
School of Engineering and Technology, Central Queensland University, 120 Spencer St, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia.
Environ Monit Assess. 2025 May 30;197(6):702. doi: 10.1007/s10661-025-14127-x.
Asian rivers are significant carriers of microplastics, posing major environmental and health risks. It is critical to understand the quantity and characteristics of MPs in freshwater, particularly river water used as a source of drinking water. Microplastic pollution in freshwater is a serious issue, but there is surprisingly little data on it, especially in Malaysia. This study aims to investigate the presence and characteristics of microplastics in Perak River water, specifically at a water treatment plant point of abstraction, to understand the quantity and features of MPs in river water used as a source of drinking water, and to inform mitigation measures to reduce riverine MP contamination. Water samples were collected in February and July 2023 from the point of abstraction near the Perak River in Malaysia. We analyzed microplastics based on size, shape, and polymer type using fluorescence and FTIR microscopy. Fluorescence microscopy detected more particles on average, while FTIR microscopy identified 12 distinct polymer and semi-synthetic polymers, with Rayon and PE dominating. Most MPs' particle sizes ranged from 1 to 10 µm. MPs in the shape of granules and irregulars were often discovered. Study finds FTIR microscopy a more suitable and accurate method for identifying MPs compared to fluorescence microscopy. Numerous unidentified particles were also detected using FTIR and fluorescence microscopy. This research helps authorities to develop mitigation measures to reduce riverine MP contamination in drinking water.
亚洲河流是微塑料的重要载体，带来重大的环境和健康风险。了解淡水中微塑料的数量和特征至关重要，尤其是用作饮用水源的河水。淡水微塑料污染是一个严重问题，但令人惊讶的是，相关数据很少，特别是在马来西亚。本研究旨在调查霹雳河水体中微塑料的存在情况和特征，特别是在一个水处理厂取水点，以了解用作饮用水源的河水中微塑料的数量和特征，并为减少河流微塑料污染的缓解措施提供依据。2023年2月和7月，从马来西亚霹雳河附近的取水点采集了水样。我们使用荧光和傅里叶变换红外光谱（FTIR）显微镜，根据尺寸、形状和聚合物类型对微塑料进行了分析。荧光显微镜平均检测到更多颗粒，而FTIR显微镜识别出12种不同的聚合物和半合成聚合物，其中人造丝和聚乙烯占主导。大多数微塑料颗粒大小在1至10微米之间。经常发现颗粒状和不规则形状的微塑料。研究发现，与荧光显微镜相比，FTIR显微镜是一种更合适、更准确的微塑料识别方法。使用FTIR和荧光显微镜还检测到许多无法识别的颗粒。这项研究有助于当局制定缓解措施，以减少饮用水中河流微塑料污染。
