Prevalence of Microplastic Pollution in Freshwater Ecosystem: A Case Study of Thal Canal
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53560/PPASB(61-1)867Keywords:
Microplastic, Sampling, Thal Canal, Assessment, CharacterizationAbstract
Microplastic pollution in the aquatic ecosystems is a hot global debate due to wide spread effects on human life and environment. This study aims to identify microplastic pollution presence in the Main Line (ML) Thal canal, its distributaries and provide an overall estimation of microplastics concentration in surface water of Thal Canal. Six major sampling points at ML canal and distributaries were assessed for microplastic prevalence out of which five locations showed microplastic contamination. Size, structure and type of microplastic were assessed using light microscopy and FTIR. The study provided baseline information about the prevalence of microplastics in Thal Canal and evaluated their categories according to their size, color and type of polymers. Microplastics concentration in the canal ranged from 6.4 ± 0.5 to 8.8 ± 0.5 particles/m³. Films, mostly transparent in coloration, were the most prominent microplastic type appeared in this study. Polyethylene with 55% presence was the most prevalent type of microplastics found in the canal and the distributaries. This study provides a better understanding of the extent of microplastic pollution assessment in Thal canal with equal emphasis on Microplastic presence in distributaries which may be beneficial in identifying the introduction of microplastics at sources.
References
F. Faure, M. Corbaz, H. Baecher, and L.F. de Alencastro. Pollution due to plastics and microplastics in Lake Geneva and in the Mediterranean Sea. Archives des Sciences 65: 157-164 (2012).
C. Arthur, J.E. Baker, and H.A. Bamford. Proceedings of the International Research Workshop on the Occurrence, Effects, and Fate of Microplastic Marine Debris, September 9-11, 2008. University of Washington Tacoma, Tacoma, WA, USA (2009).
https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/2509
A.G. Driedger, H.H. Dürr, K. Mitchell, P. Van Cappellen. Plastic debris in the Laurentian Great Lakes: a review. Journal Great Lakes Research 41(1): 9-19 (2015).
Z. Pan, Q. Liu, R. Jiang, W. Li, X. Sun, H. Lin, S. Jiang, and H. Huang. Microplastic pollution and ecological risk assessment in an estuarine environment: The Dongshan Bay of China. Chemosphere 262: 127876 (2020).
S. Klein, I.K. Dimzon, J. Eubeler, and T.P. Knepper. Analysis, occurrence, and degradation of microplastics in the aqueous environment. In: Fresh Water Microplastics, M. Wagner, and S. Lambert (Eds.). Springer Open pp. 51-67 (2018).
M. Wagner, C. Scherer, D. Alvarez-Muñoz, N. Brennholt, X. Bourrain, S. Buchinger, E. Fries, C. Grosbois, J. Klasmeier, T. Marti, S. Rodriguez-Mozaz, R. Urbatzka, A.D. Vethaak, M. Winther-Nielsen, and G. Reifferscheid. Microplastics in freshwater ecosystems: what we know and what we need to know. Environmental Sciences Europe 26(1): 12 (2014).
J.T. Carlton, J.W. Chapman, J.B. Geller, J.A. Miller, D.A. Carlton, M.I. McCuller, N.C. Treneman, B.P. Steves, and G.M. Ruiz. Tsunami-driven rafting: transoceanic species dispersal and implications for marine biogeography. Science 357: 1402-1406 (2017).
A.L. Andrady. Microplastics in the marine environment. Marine Pollution Bulletin 62(8): 1596-1605 (2011).
P.L. Corcoran, M.C. Biesinger, and M. Grifi. Plastics and beaches: a degrading relationship. Marine Pollution Bulletin 58: 80-84 (2009).
T. Jiwarungrueangkul, J. Phaksopa, P. Sompongchaiyakul, and D. Tipmanee. Seasonal microplastic variations in estuarine sediments from urban canal on the west coast of Thailand: A case study in Phuket province. Marine Pollution Bulletin 168: 112452 (2021).
H.A. Leslie, S.H. Brandsma, M.J.M. Velzen, and A.D. Vethaak. Microplastics en route: Field measurements in the Dutch river delta and Amsterdam canals, wastewater treatment plants, North Sea sediments and biota. Environment International 101: 133–142 (2017).
C. Campanale, I. Savino, I. Pojar, C. Massarelli, and V.F. Uricchio. A Practical Overview of Methodologies for Sampling and Analysis of Microplastics in Riverine Environments. Sustainability 12: 6755 (2020).
G.L. Wang, J.J. Lu, Y.B. Tong, Z.L. Liu, H.J. Zhou, and N. Xiayihazi. Occurrence and pollution characteristics of microplastics in surface water of the Manas River Basin, China. Science of the Total Environment 710: 136099 (2020).
R. Bissen, and S. Chawchai. Microplastics on beaches along the eastern Gulf of Thailand – a preliminary study. Marine Pollution Bulletin 157: 111345 (2020).
J.P.G.L. Frias, J. Gago, V. Otero, and P. Sobral. Microplastics in coastal sediments from Southern Portuguese shelf waters. Marine Environmental Research 114: 24-30 (2016).
Y. Li, Z. Lu, H. Zheng, J. Wang, and C. Chen. Microplastics in surface water and sediments of Chongming Island in the Yangtze Estuary, China. Environmental Sciences Europe 32: 15 (2020).
M. Eriksen, S. Mason, S. Wilson, C. Box, A. Zellers, W. Edwards, H. Farley, and S. Amato. Microplastic pollution in the surface waters of the Laurentian Great Lakes. Marine Pollution Bulletin 77(1): 177–182 (2013)
C.M. Free, O.P. Jensen, S.A. Mason, M. Eriksen, N.J. Williamson, and B. Boldgiv. High-levels of microplastic pollution in a large, remote, mountain lake. Marine Pollution Bulletin 85(1): 156–163 (2014)
T. Irfan, S. Khalid, M. Taneez, and M.Z. Hashmi. Plastic driven pollution in Pakistan : the first evidence of environmental exposure to microplastic in sediments and water of Rawal Lake. Environmental Science and Pollution 27(13): 15083-15092 (2020).
J. Masura, J. Baker, G. Foster, and C. Arthur. Laboratory Methods for the Analysis of Microplastics in the Marine Environment: Recommendations for quantifying synthetic particles in waters and sediments. NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS-OR&R-48 (2015).
K. Zhang, W. Gong, J. Lv, X. Xiong, and C. Wu. Accumulation of floating microplastics behind the Three Gorges Dam. Environmental Pollution 204: 117-123 (2015).
I. Acosta-Coley, and J. Olivero-Verbel. Microplastic resin pellets on an urban tropical beach in Colombia. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 187(7): 435 (2015).
M. Cole, P. Lindeque, E. Fileman, C. Halsband, and T.S. Galloway. The impact of polystyrene microplastics on feeding, function and fecundity in the Marine Copepod Calanus helgolandicus. Environmental Science & Technology 49(2): 1130-1137 (2015).
S. Veerasingam, M. Saha, V. Suneel, P. Vethamony, A.C. Rodrigues, S. Bhattacharyya, and B.G. Naik. Characteristics, seasonal distribution and surface degradation features of microplastic pellets along the Goa coast, India. Chemosphere 159: 496-505 (2016).
Wang, A. Wairimu, Z. Li, and J. Wang. Microplastics pollution in inland freshwaters of China: A case study in urban surface waters of Wuhan, China Science of the Total Environment Microplastics pollution in inland freshwaters of China: A case study in urban surface waters of Wuhan, China. Science of the Total Environment 575: 1369-1374 (2017).
M. Wagner, and S. Lambert. Microplastics are contaminants of emerging concern in freshwater environments: An Overview. In: Fresh Water Microplastics, M. Wagner, and S. Lambert (Eds.). Springer Open pp. 1–24 (2018).
A. Stolte, S. Forster, G. Gerdts, and H. Schubert. Microplastic concentrations in beach sediments along the German Baltic coast. Marine Pollution Bulletin 99(1): 216-229 (2015).
D. Thetford, A. Chorlton, and J. Hardman. Synthesis and properties of some polycyclic barbiturate pigments. Dyes Pigments 59(2): 185-191 (2003).
Y. Lu, Y. Zhang, Y. Deng, W. Jiang, Y. Zhao, J. Geng, L. Ding, and H. Ren. Uptake and Accumulation of polystyrene microplastics in Zebrafish (Danio rerio) and toxic effects in Liver. Environmental Science & Technology 50(7): 4054-4060 (2016).
M.O. Rodrigues, N. Abrantes, F.J.M. Gonçalves, H. Nogueira, J.C. Marques, and A.M.M. Gonçalves. Spatial and temporal distribution of microplastics in water and sediments of a freshwater system (Antuã River, Portugal). Science of the Total Environment 633: 1549-1559 (2018).
D. Scher. How colorants affect plastic characteristics. Manufacturing Tomorrow (2018).
https://www.manufacturingtomorrow.com/article/2018/05/how-colorants-affect-plastic- characteristics/11518
N.H. Nor, and J.P. Obbard. Microplastics in Singapore’s coastal mangrove ecosystems. Marine Pollution Bulletin 79(1): 278-283 (2014).
Browne, Crump, S.J. Niven, E. Teuten, A. Tonkin, T. Galloway, and R. Thompson. Accumulation of microplastic on shorelines Woldwide: sources and sinks. Environmental Science & Technology 45(21): 9175-9179 (2011).
M. Cole, P. Lindeque, C. Halsband, and T.S. Galloway. Microplastics as contaminants in the marine environment: A review. Marine Pollution Bulletin 62(12): 2588-2597 (2011).
A. Ballent, P.L. Corcoran, O. Madden, P.A. Helm, and F.J. Longstaffe. Sources and sinks of microplastics in Canadian Lake Ontario nearshore, tributary and beach sediments. Marine Pollution Bulletin 110(1): 383-395 (2016).
A. Horton, C. Svendsen, R. Williams, D. Spurgeon, and E. Lahive. Large microplastic particles in sediments of tributaries of the River Thames, UK – Abundance, sources and methods for effective quantification. Marine Pollution Bulletin 114(1): 218-226 (2016).
V. Hidalgo-Ruz, L. Gutow, R.C. Thompson, and M. Thiel. Microplastics in the Marine Environment: A review of the methods used for identification and quantification. Environmental Science & Technology 46(6): 3060-3075 (2012).
Bordós, B. Urbányi, A. Micsinai, B. Kriszt, Z. Palotai, I. Szabó, Z. Hantosi, and S. Szoboszlay. Identification of microplastics in fish ponds and natural freshwater environments of the Carpathian basin, Europe. Chemosphere 216: 110-116 (2019).
T. Kataoka, Y. Nihei, K. Kudou, and H. Hinata. Assessment of the sources and in fl ow processes of microplastics in the river environments of Japan. Environmental Pollution 244: 958-965 (2019).
S. Sruthy, and E.V. Ramasamy. Microplastic pollution in Vembanad Lake, Kerala, India: The first report of microplastics in lake and estuarine sediments in India. Environmental Pollution 222: 315-322 (2017).
M. Zbyszewski, P.L. Corcoran, and A. Hockin. Comparison of the distribution and degradation of plastic debris along shorelines of the Great Lakes, North America. Journal of Great Lakes Research 40(2): 288-299 (2014).
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Upon acceptance of an article, its copyright will be assigned to the Pakistan Academy of Sciences.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY). Allows users to: copy the article and distribute; abstracts, create extracts, and other revised versions, adaptations or derivative works of or from an article (such as a translation); include in a collective work (such as an anthology); and text or data mine the article. These uses are permitted even for commercial purposes, provided the user: includes a link to the license; indicates if changes were made; gives appropriate credit to the author(s) (with a link to the formal publication through the relevant DOI); and does not represent the author(s) as endorsing the adaptation of the article or modify the article in such a way as to damage the authors' honor or reputation.
