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Xu W, Dai Z, Huang X, Jiang G, Chang M, Wang C, Lai T, Liu H, Sun R, Li C. High sensitivity in quantitative analysis of mixed-size polystyrene micro/nanoplastics in one step. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 934:173314. [PMID: 38761937 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
As emerging environmental pollutants, microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) pose a serious threat to human health. Owing to the lack of feasible and reliable analytical methods, the separation and identification of MPs and NPs of different sizes remains a challenge. In this study, a hyphenated method involving filtration and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) for the separation and identification of MPs and NPs is reported. This method not only avoids the loss of MPs and NPs during the transfer process but also provides an excellent SERS substrate. The SERS substrate was fabricated by electrochemically depositing silver particles onto the reduced graphene oxide layer coated on stainless steel mesh. Results show that polystyrene (PS) MPs and NPs are efficiently separated on the SERS substrate via vacuum filtration, resulting in high retention rates (74.26 % ± 1.58 % for 100 nm, 81.06 % ± 1.49 % for 500 nm, and 97.73 % ±0.11 % for 5 μm) and low limit of detection (LOD). The LOD values of 100 nm, 500 nm, and 5 μm PS are 8.89 × 10-5, 3.39 × 10-5, and 1.57 × 10-4 μg/mL, respectively. More importantly, a linear relationship for uniform quantification of 100 nm, 500 nm, 3 μm and 5 μm PS was established, and the relationship is Y = 225.61 lgX + 1076.36 with R2 = 0.980. The method was validated for the quantitative analysis of a mixture of 100 nm, 500 nm PS NPs, 3 μm and 5 μm PS MPs in a ratio of 1:1:1:1, which successfully approaches the evaluation of evaluated PS NPs in the range of 10-4-10 μg/mL with an LOD value of approximately 7.82 × 10-5 μg/mL. Moreover, this method successfully detected (3.87 ± 0.06) × 10-5 μg MPs and NPs per gram of oyster tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhui Xu
- College of Food Science and Technology, Guangdong Ocean University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Product Processing and Safety, Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Marine Biological Products, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Seafood, Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Zhenqing Dai
- School of Chemistry and Environment, Analyzing and Testing Center, Guangdong Ocean University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Intelligent Equipment for South China Sea Marine Ranching, Zhanjiang 524088, China; Shenzhen Institute of Guangdong Ocean University, Shenzhen 518108, China.
| | - Xiaoxin Huang
- College of Food Science and Technology, Guangdong Ocean University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Product Processing and Safety, Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Marine Biological Products, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Seafood, Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Guangzheng Jiang
- College of Food Science and Technology, Guangdong Ocean University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Product Processing and Safety, Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Marine Biological Products, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Seafood, Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Min Chang
- School of Chemistry and Environment, Analyzing and Testing Center, Guangdong Ocean University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Intelligent Equipment for South China Sea Marine Ranching, Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Chenying Wang
- School of Chemistry and Environment, Analyzing and Testing Center, Guangdong Ocean University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Intelligent Equipment for South China Sea Marine Ranching, Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Tingting Lai
- School of Chemistry and Environment, Analyzing and Testing Center, Guangdong Ocean University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Intelligent Equipment for South China Sea Marine Ranching, Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Huanming Liu
- College of Food Science and Technology, Guangdong Ocean University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Product Processing and Safety, Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Marine Biological Products, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Seafood, Zhanjiang 524088, China.
| | - Ruikun Sun
- School of Chemistry and Environment, Analyzing and Testing Center, Guangdong Ocean University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Intelligent Equipment for South China Sea Marine Ranching, Zhanjiang 524088, China; Shenzhen Institute of Guangdong Ocean University, Shenzhen 518108, China
| | - Chengyong Li
- School of Chemistry and Environment, Analyzing and Testing Center, Guangdong Ocean University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Intelligent Equipment for South China Sea Marine Ranching, Zhanjiang 524088, China; Shenzhen Institute of Guangdong Ocean University, Shenzhen 518108, China.
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Jiang M, Wang Y, Li J, Gao X. Review of carbon dot-hydrogel composite material as a future water-environmental regulator. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 269:131850. [PMID: 38670201 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.131850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 03/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
As water pollution and scarcity pose severe threats to the sustainable progress of human society, it is important to develop a method or materials that can accurately and efficiently detect pollutants and purify aquatic environments or exploit marine resources. The compositing of photoluminescent and hydrophilic carbon dots (CDs) with hydrogels bearing three-dimensional networks to form CD-hydrogel composites to protect aquatic environments is a "win-win" strategy. Herein, the feasibility of the aforementioned method has been demonstrated. This paper reviews the recent progress of CD-hydrogel materials used in aquatic environments. First, the synthesis methods for these composites are discussed, and then, the composites are categorized according to different methods of combining the raw materials. Thereafter, the progress in research on CD-hydrogel materials in the field of water quality detection and purification is reviewed in terms of the application of the mechanisms. Finally, the current challenges and prospects of CD-hydrogel materials are described. These results are expected to provide insights into the development of CD-hydrogel composites for researchers in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minghao Jiang
- School of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering, College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, PR China
| | - Yong Wang
- School of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering, College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, PR China.
| | - Jichuan Li
- School of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering, College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, PR China
| | - Xing Gao
- College of Sports and Human Sciences, Post-doctoral Mobile Research Station, Graduate School, Harbin Sport University, Harbin 150008, PR China.
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3
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Yang Z, Li Y, Zhang G. Degradation of microplastic in water by advanced oxidation processes. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 357:141939. [PMID: 38621489 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Plastic products have gained global popularity due to their lightweight, excellent ductility, high durability, and portability. However, out of the 8.3 billion tons of plastic waste generated by human activities, 80% of plastic waste is discarded due to improper disposal, and then transformed into microplastic pollution under the combined influence of environmental factors and microorganisms. In this comprehensive study, we present a thorough review of recent advancements in research on the source, distribution, and effect of microplastics. More importantly, we conducted deep research on the catalytic degradation technologies of microplastics in water, including advanced oxidation and photocatalytic technologies, and elaborated on the mechanisms of microplastics degradation in water. Besides, various strategies for mitigating microplastic pollution in aquatic ecosystems are discussed, ranging from policy interventions, the initiative for plastic recycling, the development of efficient catalytic materials, and the integration of multiple technological approaches. This review serves as a valuable resource for addressing the challenge of removing microplastic contaminants from water bodies, offering insights into effective and sustainable solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhixiong Yang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Mineral Resources Processing and Environment, Key Laboratory of Green Utilization of Critical Non-metallic Mineral Resources, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Silicate Materials for Architectures, Wuhan University of Technology, 122 Luoshi Road, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Yuan Li
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Mineral Resources Processing and Environment, Key Laboratory of Green Utilization of Critical Non-metallic Mineral Resources, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Silicate Materials for Architectures, Wuhan University of Technology, 122 Luoshi Road, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Gaoke Zhang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Mineral Resources Processing and Environment, Key Laboratory of Green Utilization of Critical Non-metallic Mineral Resources, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Silicate Materials for Architectures, Wuhan University of Technology, 122 Luoshi Road, Wuhan, 430070, China.
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4
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Chen Y, Meng Y, Liu G, Huang X, Chai G. Probabilistic Estimation of Airborne Micro- and Nanoplastic Intake in Humans. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:9071-9081. [PMID: 38748887 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c09189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Little research exists on the magnitude, variability, and uncertainty of human exposure to airborne micro- and nanoplastics (AMNPs), despite their critical role in human exposure to MNPs. We probabilistically estimate the global intake of AMNPs through three main pathways: indoor inhalation, outdoor inhalation, and ingestion during indoor meals, for both children and adults. The median inhalation of AMPs is 1,207.7 (90% CI, 42.5-8.48 × 104) and 1,354.7 (90% CI, 47.4-9.55 × 104) N/capita/day for children and adults, respectively. The annual intake of AMPs is 13.18 mg/capita/a for children and 19.10 mg/capita/a for adults, which is approximately one-fifth and one-third of the mass of a standard stamp, assuming a consistent daily intake of medians. The majority of AMP number intake occurs through inhalation, while the ingestion of deposited AMPs during meals contributes the most in terms of mass. Furthermore, the median ANP intake through outdoor inhalation is 9,638.1 N/day (8.23 × 10-6 μg/d) and 5,410.6 N/day (4.62 × 10-6 μg/d) for children and adults, respectively, compared to 5.30 × 105 N/day (5.79 × 10-4 μg/d) and 6.00 × 105 N/day (6.55 × 10-4 μg/d) via indoor inhalation. Considering the increased toxicity of smaller MNPs, the significant number of ANPs inhaled warrants great attention. Collaborative efforts are imperative to further elucidate and combat the current MPN risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
- College of Water Resources and Hydropower, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Yuchuan Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
- College of Water Resources and Hydropower, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Guodong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
- College of Water Resources and Hydropower, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Xiaohua Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
- College of Water Resources and Hydropower, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Guangming Chai
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
- College of Water Resources and Hydropower, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
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Chen Y, Meng Y, Liu G, Huang X, Chai G, Xie Y. Atmospheric deposition of microplastics at a western China metropolis: Relationship with underlying surface types and human exposure. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 355:124192. [PMID: 38776994 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2024] [Revised: 05/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
The issue of atmospheric microplastic (AMP) contamination is gaining increasing attention, yet the influencing factors and human exposure are not well-understood. In this study, atmospheric depositions were collected in the megacity of Chengdu, China, to investigate the pollution status and spatial disparities in AMP distribution. The relationship between AMP abundance and underlying surface types was then analyzed with the aid of back trajectory simulation. Additionally, a probabilistic estimation of human exposure to AMP deposition during outdoor picnics was provided, followed by the calculation of AMP loading into rivers. Results revealed that the mean deposition flux ranged within 207.1-364.0 N/m2/d (14.17-33.75 μg/m2/d), with significantly larger AMP abundance and sizes in urban compared to rural areas. Areas of compact buildings played an important role in contributing to both fibrous and non-fibrous AMP contamination from urban to rural areas, providing new insight into potential sources of pollution. This suggests that appropriate plastic waste disposal in compact building areas should be prioritized for controlling AMP pollution. Besides, the median ingestion of deposited AMPs during a single picnic was 34.9 N/capita/hour (3.03 × 10-3 μg/capita/hour) for urban areas and 17.8 N/capita/hour (7.74 × 10-4 μg/capita/hour) for suburbs. Furthermore, the worst-case scenario of AMPs loading into rivers was investigated, which could reach 170.7 kg in summertime Chengdu. This work could contribute to a better understanding of the status of AMP pollution and its sources, as well as the potential human exposure risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, China; College of Water Resources and Hydropower, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, China
| | - Yuchuan Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, China; College of Water Resources and Hydropower, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, China.
| | - Guodong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, China; College of Water Resources and Hydropower, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, China
| | - Xiaohua Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, China; College of Water Resources and Hydropower, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, China
| | - Guangming Chai
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, China; College of Water Resources and Hydropower, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, China
| | - Yang Xie
- Chengdu Institute of Urban Safety and Emergency Management, Chengdu, 610065, China
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Luo Y, Su W, Rabbi MF, Wan Q, Xu D, Wang Z, Liu S, Xu X, Wu J. Quantitative analysis of microplastics in water environments based on Raman spectroscopy and convolutional neural network. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 926:171925. [PMID: 38522540 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
With the increasing interest in microplastics (MPs) pollutants, quantitative analysis of MPs in water environment is an important issue. Vibrational spectroscopy, represented by Raman spectroscopy, is widely used in MP detection because they can provide unique fingerprint characteristics of chemical components of MPs, but it is difficult to provide quantitative information. In this paper, an ingenious method for quantitative analysis of MPs in water environment by combining Raman spectroscopy and convolutional neural network (CNN) is proposed. It is innovatively proposed to collect the average mapping spectra (AMS) of the samples to improve the uniformity of Raman spectroscopy detection, and to increase the effective detection range of concentration by filtering different volumes of the same MP solutions. In order to verify the universality and effectiveness of the proposed method, 6 different sizes of Polyethylene (PE) MPs were used as detection objects and mixed into 5 different actual water environments. The R2 and RMSE of CNN for identifying the concentration of PE solutions could reach 0.9972 and 0.033, respectively. Meanwhile, by comparing machine learning models such as Random Forest (RF) and Support Vector Machine (SVM) were compared, and CNN combined with Raman spectroscopy has significant advantages in identifying the concentration of MPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinlong Luo
- College of Mechanics and Engineering Science, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Hohai University, Changzhou 213200, China
| | - Wei Su
- College of Mechanics and Engineering Science, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Hohai University, Changzhou 213200, China.
| | - Mir Fazle Rabbi
- College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Hohai University, Changzhou 213200, China
| | - Qihang Wan
- College of Mechanics and Engineering Science, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Dewen Xu
- College of Mechanics and Engineering Science, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Hohai University, Changzhou 213200, China
| | - Zhenfeng Wang
- College of Mechanics and Engineering Science, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Hohai University, Changzhou 213200, China
| | - Shusheng Liu
- College of Mechanics and Engineering Science, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Hohai University, Changzhou 213200, China
| | - Xiaobin Xu
- College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Hohai University, Changzhou 213200, China
| | - Jian Wu
- College of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410003, China
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7
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He YQ, McDonough LK, Zainab SM, Guo ZF, Chen C, Xu YY. Microplastic accumulation in groundwater: Data-scaled insights and future research. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 258:121808. [PMID: 38796912 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Given that microplastics (MPs) in groundwater have been concerned for risks to humans and ecosystems with increased publications, a Contrasting Analysis of Scales (CAS) approach is developed by this study to synthesize all existing data into a hierarchical understanding of MP accumulation in groundwater. Within the full data of 386 compiled samples, the median abundance of MPs in Open Groundwater (OG) and Closed Groundwater (CG) were 4.4 and 2.5 items/L respectively, with OG exhibiting a greater diversity of MP colors and larger particle sizes. The different pathways of MP entry (i.e., surface runoff and rock interstices) into OG and CG led to this difference. At the regional scale, median MP abundance in nature reserves and landfills were 17.5 and 13.4 items/L, respectively, all the sampling points showed high pollution load risk. MPs in agricultural areas exhibited a high coefficient of variation (716.7%), and a median abundance of 1.0 items/L. Anthropogenic activities at the regional scale are the drivers behind the differentiation in the morphological characteristics of MPs, where groundwater in residential areas with highly toxic polymers (e.g., polyvinylchloride) deserves prolonged attention. At the local scale, the transport of MPs is controlled by groundwater flow paths, with a higher abundance of MP particles downstream than upstream, and MPs with regular surfaces and lower resistance (e.g., pellets) are more likely to be transported over long distances. From the data-scaled insight this study provides on the accumulation of MPs, future research should be directed towards network-based observation for groundwater-rich regions covered with landfills, residences, and agricultural land.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Qin He
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Ningbo Observation and Research Station, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Liza K McDonough
- Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), New Illawarra Rd, Lucas Heights, NSW 2234, Australia
| | - Syeda Maria Zainab
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Ningbo Observation and Research Station, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Urban Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, CAS Haixi Industrial Technology Innovation Center in Beilun, Ningbo 315830, China
| | - Zhao-Feng Guo
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Ningbo Observation and Research Station, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Urban Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, CAS Haixi Industrial Technology Innovation Center in Beilun, Ningbo 315830, China
| | - Cai Chen
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Ningbo Observation and Research Station, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yao-Yang Xu
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Ningbo Observation and Research Station, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Urban Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, CAS Haixi Industrial Technology Innovation Center in Beilun, Ningbo 315830, China.
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8
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Boccia P, Mondellini S, Mauro S, Zanellato M, Parolini M, Sturchio E. Potential Effects of Environmental and Occupational Exposure to Microplastics: An Overview of Air Contamination. TOXICS 2024; 12:320. [PMID: 38787098 PMCID: PMC11125735 DOI: 10.3390/toxics12050320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are now ubiquitous environmental contaminants that lead to unavoidable human exposure; they have received increasing attention in recent years and have become an emerging area of research. The greatest concern is the negative impacts of MPs on marine, fresh-water, and terrestrial ecosystems, as well as human health, to the extent that the World Health Organization (WHO) calls for increased research and standardized methods to assess exposure to MPs. Many countries and international organizations are implementing or proposing legislation in this regard. This review aims to summarize the current state of legislation, indoor and outdoor contamination, and potential human health risk due to exposure to airborne MPs, considering that occupational exposure to MPs is also becoming a growing area of concern. Even though research regarding MPs has continuously increased in the last twenty years, the effects of MPs on human health have been scarcely investigated, and toxicity studies are still limited and not directly comparable, due to the lack of standardized studies in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscilla Boccia
- INAIL—Istituto Nazionale per L’Assicurazione Contro gli Infortuni sul Lavoro, Dit, 38/40 Via Roberto Ferruzzi, 00143 Rome, Italy; (M.Z.); (E.S.)
| | - Simona Mondellini
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, Via Celoria 26, 20133 Milan, Italy; (S.M.); (M.P.)
| | - Simona Mauro
- Chemistry Department, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy;
| | - Miriam Zanellato
- INAIL—Istituto Nazionale per L’Assicurazione Contro gli Infortuni sul Lavoro, Dit, 38/40 Via Roberto Ferruzzi, 00143 Rome, Italy; (M.Z.); (E.S.)
| | - Marco Parolini
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, Via Celoria 26, 20133 Milan, Italy; (S.M.); (M.P.)
| | - Elena Sturchio
- INAIL—Istituto Nazionale per L’Assicurazione Contro gli Infortuni sul Lavoro, Dit, 38/40 Via Roberto Ferruzzi, 00143 Rome, Italy; (M.Z.); (E.S.)
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Huang Y, Zhu Z, Li T, Li M, Cai Z, Wang X, Gong H, Yan M. Mangrove plants are promising bioindicator of coastal atmospheric microplastics pollution. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 465:133473. [PMID: 38219586 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/06/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
Plastics are commonly used by society and their break down into millimeter-sized bits known as microplastics (MPs). Due to the possibility of exposure, reports of them in atmospheric deposition, indoor, and outdoor air have sparked worry for public health. In tropical and subtropical regions all throughout the world, mangroves constitute a distinctive and significant type of coastal wetlands. Mangrove plants are considered to have the effect of accumulating sediment MPs, but the sedimentation of atmospheric MPs has not been reported. In this study, we illustrated the characteristics, abundance and spatial distribution of MPs in different species of mangrove leaves along the Seagull Island in Guangzhou. MPs samples from leaves in five species showed various shapes, colors, compositions, sizes and abundance. Acanthus ilicifolius had an average fallout rate of 1223 items/m2/day which has the highest abundance of MPs in all samples. Four shapes of MPs were found in all leaves surfaces including fiber, fragment, pellet, and film, with fiber is the most. The dominant types of MPs in all leaves were cellulose and rayon. Most of the total MPs size were smaller than 2 mm. Clearly, the microstructures of each species leaf surfaces had an impact on its ability to retain MPs. The plants rough blade surfaces and big folds or gullies caused more particles to accumulate and had a higher MPs retention capacity. Overall, our study contributes to a better knowledge of the condition of MPs pollution in atmosphere and the connection between leaves structure and the retention of MPs, which indicates that mangrove plants are promising bioindicator of coastal atmospheric MPs pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyin Huang
- Joint laboratory of Guangdong Province and Hong Kong Region on Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ziying Zhu
- Joint laboratory of Guangdong Province and Hong Kong Region on Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tianmu Li
- Joint laboratory of Guangdong Province and Hong Kong Region on Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Minqian Li
- Joint laboratory of Guangdong Province and Hong Kong Region on Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zeming Cai
- Joint laboratory of Guangdong Province and Hong Kong Region on Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaocui Wang
- Joint laboratory of Guangdong Province and Hong Kong Region on Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Han Gong
- Joint laboratory of Guangdong Province and Hong Kong Region on Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Muting Yan
- Joint laboratory of Guangdong Province and Hong Kong Region on Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
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Luo D, Chu X, Wu Y, Wang Z, Liao Z, Ji X, Ju J, Yang B, Chen Z, Dahlgren R, Zhang M, Shang X. Micro- and nano-plastics in the atmosphere: A review of occurrence, properties and human health risks. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 465:133412. [PMID: 38218034 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.133412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
The ubiquitous occurrence of micro/nano plastics (MNPs) poses potential threats to ecosystem and human health that have attracted broad concerns in recent decades. Detection of MNPs in several remote regions has implicated atmospheric transport as an important pathway for global dissemination of MNPs and hence as a global health risk. In this review, the latest research progress on (1) sampling and detection; (2) origin and characteristics; and (3) transport and fate of atmospheric MNPs was summarized. Further, the current status of exposure risks and toxicological effects from inhaled atmospheric MNPs on human health is examined. Due to limitations in sampling and identification methodologies, the study of atmospheric nanoplastics is very limited today. The large spatial variation of atmospheric MNP concentrations reported worldwide makes it difficult to compare the overall indoor and outdoor exposure risks. Several in vitro, in vivo, and epidemiological studies demonstrate adverse effects of immune response, apoptosis and oxidative stress caused by MNP inhalation that may induce cardiovascular diseases and reproductive and developmental abnormalities. Given the emerging importance of atmospheric MNPs, the establishment of standardized sampling-pretreatment-detection protocols and comprehensive toxicological studies are critical to advance environmental and health risk assessments of atmospheric MNPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dehua Luo
- Key Laboratory of Watershed Sciences and Health of Zhejiang Province, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Xinyun Chu
- Key Laboratory of Watershed Sciences and Health of Zhejiang Province, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Yue Wu
- Key Laboratory of Watershed Sciences and Health of Zhejiang Province, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Zhenfeng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Watershed Sciences and Health of Zhejiang Province, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Zhonglu Liao
- Key Laboratory of Watershed Sciences and Health of Zhejiang Province, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Xiaoliang Ji
- Key Laboratory of Watershed Sciences and Health of Zhejiang Province, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Jingjuan Ju
- Key Laboratory of Watershed Sciences and Health of Zhejiang Province, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Bin Yang
- Pingyang County Health Inspection Center, Wenzhou 325405, China.
| | - Zheng Chen
- Key Laboratory of Watershed Sciences and Health of Zhejiang Province, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Randy Dahlgren
- Key Laboratory of Watershed Sciences and Health of Zhejiang Province, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China; Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, University of California Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Minghua Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Watershed Sciences and Health of Zhejiang Province, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China; Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, University of California Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Xu Shang
- Key Laboratory of Watershed Sciences and Health of Zhejiang Province, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
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11
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Chen L, Zhou S, Zhang Q, Su B, Yin Q, Zou M. Global occurrence characteristics, drivers, and environmental risk assessment of microplastics in lakes: A meta-analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 344:123321. [PMID: 38185354 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Microplastic (MP) pollution in lakes has received much attention as an increasing amount of plastic waste enters aquatic ecosystems. However, there is still a lack of comprehensive understanding of the global distribution patterns, environmental hazards, factors driving their presence, and the relationships between sources and sinks of MPs. In this study, we conducted a meta-analysis of drivers of lake MP pollution based on 42 articles on MP pollution from three different aspects: geographical distribution, driving factors and environmental risks. The results revealed differences in the MP pollution levels across the different sampling sites in the global lakes. Moreover, there is significant heterogeneity in the abundance of MPs among various lakes, whose distribution pattern is affected by geographical location, sampling method and extraction method. The size of the MPs differed significantly between water and sediment, and the proportion of small (<1 mm) MPs in sediment was significantly greater than that in water (72% > 46%). Environmental risk assessment reveals that the risk level of MP pollution in most lakes worldwide is low, and the environmental risk of pollution in lake water is higher than that in sediment. Based on the risk assessment and geographical location of the lake, the risk of MP pollution is related not only to human activities and economic development but also to local waste management practices, which directly impact the accumulation of MPs. Therefore, we suggest that the production of biodegradable low-risk polymer plastics instead of high-risk materials, and plastic solid waste recycling management should be strengthened to effectively mitigate the presence of MPs in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Chen
- School of Geography and Ocean Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China; Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Exploitation and Protection, Ministry of Natural Resources, Nanjing, 210024, China
| | - Shenglu Zhou
- School of Geography and Ocean Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China; Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Exploitation and Protection, Ministry of Natural Resources, Nanjing, 210024, China.
| | - Qi Zhang
- School of Geography and Ocean Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China; Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Exploitation and Protection, Ministry of Natural Resources, Nanjing, 210024, China
| | - Bo Su
- School of Geography and Ocean Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China; Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Exploitation and Protection, Ministry of Natural Resources, Nanjing, 210024, China
| | - Qiqi Yin
- School of Geography and Ocean Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China; Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Exploitation and Protection, Ministry of Natural Resources, Nanjing, 210024, China
| | - Mengmeng Zou
- School of Geography and Ocean Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China; Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Exploitation and Protection, Ministry of Natural Resources, Nanjing, 210024, China
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12
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Li X, Guo S, Shen D, Shentu J, Lv L, Qi S, Zhu M, Long Y. Microplastic release and sulfate reduction response in the early stage of a simulated landfill. WASTE MANAGEMENT (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2024; 175:22-29. [PMID: 38150952 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2023.12.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
Landfills are essential facilities for treating and disposing municipal solid waste. They emit sulfur-containing odors and serve as an important sink for a new type of pollutant called microplastics (MPs). This study focused on the initial stage of anaerobic degradation to establish the relationship between the release of MPs and odor generation. Our findings show the rapid release of MPs into the leachate in the early stage of landfill and their predominant accumulation in the leachate sediment. The circulating leachate contained 1.45 times higher concentrations of MPs than the noncirculating leachate, with a peak concentration of 39 items·L-1. In addition, fragmentation of MPs occurred. The percentage of MPs with particle sizes of 2.5-5 mm decreased from 66.70 % to 22.32 %, while those measuring 0.1-0.5 mm increased by 33.12 %. A positive correlation was observed between MP release and sulfate reduction. Although leachate circulation increased the release of MPs, it also reduced the overall release time and total amount of MPs exported from the landfill. Compared with the initial landfill waste, the leachate operation mode, regardless of circulation, resulted in a 6.15-8.93-fold increase in MP release. These findings provide a valuable foundation for the simultaneous regulation of traditional pollutant odor and new pollutants (MPs) in landfills.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianghang Li
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310012, China
| | - Shuli Guo
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310012, China
| | - Dongsheng Shen
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310012, China
| | - Jiali Shentu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310012, China
| | - Li Lv
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310012, China
| | - Shengqi Qi
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310012, China
| | - Min Zhu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310012, China
| | - Yuyang Long
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310012, China.
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13
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McIlwraith HK, Dias M, Orihel DM, Rennie MD, Harrison AL, Hoffman MJ, Provencher JF, Rochman CM. A Multicompartment Assessment of Microplastic Contamination in Semi-remote Boreal Lakes. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2024. [PMID: 38415806 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Microplastic contamination is ubiquitous across the globe, even in remote locations. Still, the sources and pathways of microplastics to such locations are largely unknown. To investigate microplastic contamination in a semi-remote location, we measured microplastic concentrations in nine oligotrophic lakes within and around the International Institute for Sustainable Development-Experimental Lakes Area in northwestern Ontario, Canada. Our first objective was to establish ambient concentrations of microplastics in bottom sediments, surface water, and atmospheric deposition in semi-remote boreal lakes. Across all lakes, mean shallow and deep sediment microplastic concentrations, near-surface water microplastic concentrations from in situ filtering, and dry atmospheric microplastic deposition rates were 551 ± 354 particles kg-1 , 177 ± 103 particles kg-1 , 0.2 ± 0.3 particles L-1 , and 0.4 ± 0.2 particles m-2 day-1 , respectively. Our second objective was to investigate whether microplastic contamination of these lakes is driven by point sources including local runoff and direct anthropogenic inputs or nonpoint sources such as atmospheric deposition. Lakes were selected based on three levels of anthropogenic activity-low, medium, and high-though activity levels were minimal across all study lakes compared with highly populated areas. Whereas a positive correlation would indicate that point sources were a likely pathway, we observed no relationship between the level of anthropogenic activity and microplastic contamination of surface water. Moreover, the composition of microplastics in surface water and atmospheric deposition were similar, comprising mostly polyester and acrylic fibers. Together, these results suggest that atmospheric deposition may be the main pathway of microplastics to these remote boreal lakes. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;00:1-13. © 2024 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayley K McIlwraith
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, St. George Campus, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, Plymouth, United Kingdom
| | - Minoli Dias
- School of Environmental Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Diane M Orihel
- School of Environmental Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michael D Rennie
- Department of Biology, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
- International Institute for Sustainable Development-Experimental Lakes Area, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Anna L Harrison
- School of Environmental Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Geological Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Matthew J Hoffman
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Jennifer F Provencher
- Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Chelsea M Rochman
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, St. George Campus, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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14
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Xu L, Bai X, Li K, Zhang G, Zhang M, Hu M, Huang Y. Human Exposure to Ambient Atmospheric Microplastics in a Megacity: Spatiotemporal Variation and Associated Microorganism-Related Health Risk. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:3702-3713. [PMID: 38356452 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c09271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Microplastics are found in various human tissues and are considered harmful, raising concerns about human exposure to microplastics in the environment. Existing research has analyzed indoor and occupational scenarios, but long-term monitoring of ambient atmospheric microplastics (AMPs), especially in highly polluted urban regions, needs to be further investigated. This study estimated human environmental exposure to AMPs by considering inhalation, dust ingestion, and dermal exposure in three urban functional zones within a megacity. The annual exposure quantity was 7.37 × 104 items for children and 1.06 × 105 items for adults, comparable with the human microplastic consumption from food and water. Significant spatiotemporal differences were observed in the characteristics of AMPs that humans were exposed to, with wind speed and rainfall frequency mainly driving these changes. The annual human AMP exposure quantity in urban green land spaces, which were recognized as relatively low polluted zones, was comparable with that in public service zones and residential zones. Notably, significant positive correlations between the AMP characteristics and the pathogenicity of the airborne bacterial community were discovered. AMP size and immune-mediated disease risks brought by atmospheric microbes showed the most significant relationship, where Sphingomonas might act as the potential key mediator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Libo Xu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Xinyi Bai
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Kang Li
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Guangbao Zhang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Mengjun Zhang
- Peking University Shenzhen Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518057, China
- PKU-HKUST Shenzhen-Hongkong Institution, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518057, China
| | - Min Hu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yi Huang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Peking University Shenzhen Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518057, China
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15
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Lu L, Zhang R, Wang K, Tian J, Wu Q, Xu L. Occurrence, influencing factors and sources of atmospheric microplastics in peri-urban farmland ecosystems of Beijing, China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:168834. [PMID: 38036125 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Atmosphere is an important component of the microplastics (MPs) cycle. However, studies on atmospheric MPs in peri-urban farmland ecosystems are limited. Herein, the occurrence, influencing factors and geographic sources of atmospheric MPs in peri-urban farmland ecosystems have been analyzed. The average deposition flux of atmospheric MPs was found to be 167.09 ± 92.03 item·m-2·d-1. Around 68 % MPs had particle size <1000 μm, while the main colors of MPs were black (40.71 %) and blue (20.64 %). Approximately 91 % MPs were fibers, while polyethylene terephthalate (49 %) and rayon (36.93 %) were observed as the major microplastic types. The main factors influencing the atmospheric deposition of MPs were gross domestic product (GDP), population density, air pressure, and wind direction. Deposition fluxes exhibited positive correlations with GDP, population density and air pressure, and negative correlations with wind direction. Combined with the backward trajectory model, MPs were mainly found to be originated from the southeast in September and from the northwest in October-February. The study of atmospheric MPs in farmland ecosystems in peri-urban areas is important for the protection of ecological environment, prevention of human diseases and control of MPs pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luli Lu
- College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Key Laboratory of Karst Georesources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang 500025, China; Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China
| | - Ruixuan Zhang
- Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China
| | - Kang Wang
- Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China
| | - Jiayu Tian
- Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China
| | - Qixin Wu
- College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Key Laboratory of Karst Georesources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang 500025, China.
| | - Li Xu
- Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China; Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Agriculture Environment Monitoring, Beijing 100097, China.
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16
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Ding S, Gu X, Sun S, He S. Optimization of microplastic removal based on the complementarity of constructed wetland and microalgal-based system. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:169081. [PMID: 38104829 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
As one of the emblematic emerging contaminants, microplastics (MPs) have aroused great public concern. Nevertheless, the global community still insufficiently acknowledges the ecological health risks and resolution strategies of MP pollution. As the nature-based biotechnologies, the constructed wetland (CW) and microalgal-based system (MBS) have been applied in exploring the removal of MPs recently. This review separately presents the removal research (mechanism, interactions, implications, and technical defects) of MPs by a single method of CWs or MBS. But one thing with certitude is that the exclusive usage of these techniques to combat MPs has non-negligible and formidable challenges. The negative impacts of MP accumulation on CWs involve toxicity to macrophytes, substrates blocking, and nitrogen-removing performance inhibition. While MPs restrict MBS practical application by making troubles for separation difficulties of microalgal-based aggregations from effluent. Hence the combined strategy of microalgal-assisted CWs is proposed based on the complementarity of biotechnologies, in an attempt to expand the removing size range of MPs, create more biodegradable conditions and improve the effluent quality. Our work evaluates and forecasts the potential of integrating combination for strengthening micro-polluted wastewater treatment, completing the synergistic removal of MP-based co-pollutants and achieving long-term stability and sustainability, which is expected to provide new insights into MP pollution regulation and control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaoxuan Ding
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, PR China
| | - Xushun Gu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, PR China
| | - Shanshan Sun
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, PR China
| | - Shengbing He
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, PR China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Landscape Water Environment, Shanghai 200031, PR China.
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17
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Chenappan NK, Ibrahim YS, Anuar ST, Yusof KMKK, Jaafar M, Ahamad F, Sulaiman WZW, Mohamad N. Quantification and characterization of airborne microplastics in the coastal area of Terengganu, Malaysia. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2024; 196:242. [PMID: 38324118 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-024-12381-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) pose a threat to ecosystems due to their capacity to bind with toxic chemicals. While the occurrence of MPs in aquatic environmental matrices like water, sediments, and biota is well studied, their presence in the atmosphere remains less understood. This study aimed to determine the presence of airborne MPs and their characteristics through ground-based sampling in the coastal city of Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia. Airborne MP samples were collected using passive sampling technique in December 2019. MPs were manually counted and identified using a stereomicroscope based on their colour and shape. The average deposition rate of airborne MPs during the sampling period was 5476 ± 3796 particles/m2/day, ranging from 576 to 15,562 particles/m2/day. Various colours such as transparent (38%), blue (25%), black (20%), red (13%), and others (4%) were observed. The predominant shape of airborne MPs was fibres (> 99%). The morphology structure of MPs observed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) showed a cracked surface on MPs, suggesting weathering and irregular fragmentation. Further elemental analysis using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) showed the presence of heavy metals such as aluminium (Al) and cadmium (Cd) on the surface of MPs, attributed to the adsorption capacities of MPs. Polymer types of airborne MPs were analysed using attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), which revealed particles composed of polyester (PES), polyethylene (PE), and polypropylene (PP). The preliminary findings could provide additional information for further investigations of MPs, especially in the atmosphere, to better understand their sources and potential human exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naresh Kumar Chenappan
- Microplastic Research Interest Group (MRIG), Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim
- Microplastic Research Interest Group (MRIG), Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Sabiqah Tuan Anuar
- Microplastic Research Interest Group (MRIG), Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Ku Mohd Kalkausar Ku Yusof
- Microplastic Research Interest Group (MRIG), Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Maisarah Jaafar
- Microplastic Research Interest Group (MRIG), Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Fatimah Ahamad
- Sunway Centre for Planetary Health, Sunway University, 47500, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
| | | | - Noorlin Mohamad
- Microplastic Research Interest Group (MRIG), Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia.
- Atmospheric, Air Quality and Climate Change Research Interest Group, Faculty of Ocean Engineering Technology and Informatics, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia.
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18
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Xu L, Li K, Bai X, Zhang G, Tian X, Tang Q, Zhang M, Hu M, Huang Y. Microplastics in the atmosphere: Adsorb on leaves and their effects on the phyllosphere bacterial community. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 462:132789. [PMID: 37862903 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
Phyllosphere is the largest interface between the atmosphere and terrestrial ecosystems and serves as a major sink for atmospheric microplastics (MPs). It is also a unique habitat for microbiota with diverse ecological functions. This field study investigated the characteristics of atmospheric MPs adsorbed on leaves with automatic technology, and found their abundance was 3.62 ± 1.29 items cm-2. MPs on leaves were mainly below 80 µm, and dominated by polyamide, polyethene, and rubber. MPs on leaves correlated significantly with the structure and functions of the phyllosphere bacterial community (PBC). Both the MPs abundance and size distribution (MSD) were positively correlated with the α diversity and negatively correlated with the β diversity and network complexity of PBC. PBC functions of environmental and genetic information process were negatively correlated with MPs abundance, and functions related to human diseases and cellular process were positively correlated with MSD significantly. The relative abundance of Sphingomonas was significantly correlated with the MSD, suggesting that Sphingomonas might emerge as the key genus involved in the pathogenicity of PBC mediated by MPs. These results highlighted the ecological health risks of atmospheric MPs as they can be transferred anywhere and potentially increase the pathogenicity of local phyllosphere microflora.
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Affiliation(s)
- Libo Xu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Kang Li
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Xinyi Bai
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Guangbao Zhang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Xudong Tian
- Key Laboratory of Ecological and Environmental Monitoring, Forewarning and Quality Control of Zhejiang, Zhejiang Ecological and Environmental Monitoring Center, Hangzhou 310012, China
| | - Qian Tang
- Key Laboratory of Ecological and Environmental Monitoring, Forewarning and Quality Control of Zhejiang, Zhejiang Ecological and Environmental Monitoring Center, Hangzhou 310012, China
| | - Mengjun Zhang
- Peking University Shenzhen Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518057, China; PKU-HKUST Shenzhen-Hongkong Institution, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518057, China.
| | - Min Hu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yi Huang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Peking University Shenzhen Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518057, China.
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19
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Zhu J, Xu A, Shi M, Su Y, Liu W, Zhang Y, She Z, Xing X, Qi S. Atmospheric deposition is an important pathway for inputting microplastics: Insight into the spatiotemporal distribution and deposition flux in a mega city. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 341:123012. [PMID: 38008254 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.123012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/28/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) refer to plastic particles with a size less than 5 mm, which attracted widespread attention as an emerging pollutant. The monitoring of atmospheric microplastics (AMPs) in a megacity was carried out to study the characteristics and spatiotemporal distribution of AMPs, explore the sources and estimate the deposition flux. The results showed that the annual average abundance of AMPs in Wuhan was 82.85 ± 57.66 n·m-2·day-1. The spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of AMPs show that spring was the highest season, followed by autumn, winter, and summer; the city center was higher than the suburbs. Fiber was the main type of AMPs in Wuhan, followed by fragment, film and pellet. The proportion of AMPs were mainly small (<0.5 mm) and medium (0.5-1.0 mm). Transparent and white were the main colors of AMPs, followed by red, brown. A total of 10 types polymers were detected, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) was dominant. There are positive correlations between AMPs and SO2, NO2 in the atmosphere, indicating that they might be influenced by intense human activity. The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and AMPs in spring showed an extremely significant positive correlation (p < 0.05). AMPs might mainly originate from the wear and tear shedding of textiles, the aging of agricultural films and plastic waste based on their polymer types and main uses. The potential geographical sources of AMPs were mainly the surrounding cities. The annual deposition flux of AMPs was about 308 tons if there were no remove processes, which highlighted the importance of atmospheric transport and deposition of MPs. The analysis of the abundance, morphological characteristics and sources of AMPs can provide data support and reference for mega-cities with high global population activities, or cities in global mid-latitude regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxin Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430078, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430078, China
| | - An Xu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430078, China
| | - Mingming Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430078, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430078, China
| | - Yewang Su
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430078, China
| | - Weijiu Liu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430078, China
| | - Yuan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430078, China
| | - Zhenbing She
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430078, China
| | - Xinli Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430078, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430078, China.
| | - Shihua Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430078, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430078, China
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Kannankai MP, Devipriya SP. Atmospheric microplastic deposition in a coastal city of India: The influence of a landfill source on monsoon winds. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 908:168235. [PMID: 37923255 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Coastal zones experience various wind events that may influence the characteristics, distribution, and dynamics of atmospheric microplastic pollutants. In the present study, we investigated the characteristics of the bulk atmospheric microplastic deposition in Kochi, Kerala, India, during three distinct seasons: Northeast Monsoon (NEM), Summer (SMR), and Southwest monsoon (SWM). Seasonally, the highest microplastic fallout rate was recorded for the NEM (37.29 particles m-2d-1), followed by SMR (15.17 particles m-2 d-1) and the SWM (11.57 particles m-2d-1). The microplastic abundance was not correlated to the amount of rainfall. Further, the wind rose and HYSPLIT trajectory analysis illustrated the arrival of northeast monsoon winds to the city via the region in and around the municipal landfill, which could be a major source of airborne microplastic to the sampling stations, and the forward trajectories from the landfill site extended into the Arabia Sea, providing evidence on the potential atmospheric transport and subsequent deposition of microplastics into the ocean. With respect to the qualitative characteristics, blue-coloured and fibrous microplastics dominated the samples with a considerable number of particles belonging to the size range of 200-500 μm. The practice of drying synthetic clothes under natural sunlight may have substantially contributed to the increased prevalence of airborne microfibers. The higher numbers of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) in the bulk microplastic deposition reinforce the concept of low-density polymers being more susceptible to deflation by the wind. Overall, the work signifies the role of monsoon winds in transporting microplastics from an unscientifically managed municipal landfill site and also highlights the importance of reducing the quantity of plastic waste ending up at the landfill to reduce the emission of microplastics proportionately.
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21
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Mubin AN, Islam ARMT, Hasan M, Islam MS, Ali MM, Siddique MAB, Alam MS, Rakib MRJ, Islam MS, Momtaz N, Senapathi V, Idris AM, Malafaia G. The path of microplastics through the rare biodiversity estuary region of the northern Bay of Bengal. JOURNAL OF CONTAMINANT HYDROLOGY 2024; 260:104271. [PMID: 38056088 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2023.104271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Due to its harmful effects on ecosystems and human health, microplastic (MP) pollution has become a significant environmental problem on a global scale. Although MPs' pollution path and toxic effects on marine habitats have been examined worldwide, the studies are limited to the rare biodiversity estuary region of Hatiya Island from the northern Bay of Bengal. This study aimed to investigate the MP pollution path and its influencing factors in estuarine sediments and water in rare biodiversity Hatiya Island in the northern Bay of Bengal. Sixty water and sediment samples were collected from 10 sampling sites on the Island and analyzed for MPs. The abundance of MPs in sediment ranged from 67 to 143 pieces/kg, while the abundance in water ranged from 24.34 to 59 pieces/m3. The average concentrations of MPs in sediment and water were 110.90 ± 20.62 pieces/kg and 38.77 ± 10.09 pieces/m3, respectively. Most identified MPs from sediment samples were transparent (51%), while about 54.1% of the identified MPs from water samples were colored. The fragment was the most common form of MP in both compartments, with a value of 64.6% in sediment samples and 60.6% in water samples. In sediment and water samples, almost 74% and 80% of MP were <0.5 mm, respectively. Polypropylene (PP) was the most abundant polymer type, accounting for 51% of all identified polymers. The contamination factor, pollution load index, polymer risk score, and pollution risk score values indicated that the study area was moderately polluted with MPs. The spatial distribution patterns and hotspots of MPs echoed profound human pathways. Based on the results, sustainable management strategies and intervention measures were proposed to reduce the pollution level in the ecologically diverse area. This study provides important insights into evaluating estuary ecosystem susceptibility and mitigation policies against persistent MP issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Al-Nure Mubin
- Department of Disaster Management, Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur 5400, Bangladesh
| | - Abu Reza Md Towfiqul Islam
- Department of Disaster Management, Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur 5400, Bangladesh; Department of Development Studies, Daffodil International University, Dhaka 1216, Bangladesh.
| | - Mehedi Hasan
- Department of Disaster Management, Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur 5400, Bangladesh
| | - Md Saiful Islam
- Department of Soil Science, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Dumki, Patuakhali 8602, Bangladesh
| | - Mir Mohammad Ali
- Department of Aquaculture, Sher - e - Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka 1207, Bangladesh
| | - Md Abu Bakar Siddique
- Institute of National Analytical Research and Service (INARS), Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1205, Bangladesh
| | - Md Sha Alam
- Institute of Mining, Mineralogy & Metallurgy (IMMM), Bangladesh Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (BCSIR), Joypurhat 5900, Bangladesh
| | - Md Refat Jahan Rakib
- Department of Fisheries and Marine Science, Faculty of Science, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, Bangladesh
| | - Muhammad Saiful Islam
- Fiber and Polymer Research Division, BCSIR Laboratories Dhaka, Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1205, Bangladesh
| | - Nasima Momtaz
- Biological Research Division, BCSIR Laboratories Dhaka, Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1205, Bangladesh
| | | | - Abubakr M Idris
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Khalid University, Abha 62529, Saudi Arabia; Research Center for Advanced Materials Science (RCAMS), King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
| | - Guilherme Malafaia
- Post-Graduation Program in Conservation of Cerrado Natural Resources, Goiano Federal Institute, Goiânia, GO, Brazil; Post-Graduation Program in Ecology, Conservation, and Biodiversity, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil; Post-Graduation Program in Biotechnology and Biodiversity, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
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22
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Sun J, Sui M, Wang T, Teng X, Sun J, Chen M. Detection and quantification of various microplastics in human endometrium based on laser direct infrared spectroscopy. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 906:167760. [PMID: 37832687 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
The pollution of microplastics (MPs) has received widespread attention with the increasing usage of plastics in recent years. MPs could enter the human body and exist in the circulatory system. Endometrium, with rich blood vessels, acts as an essential role in human health and female fertility. However, there is no study reporting the MPs exposure in human endometrium. We collected the endometrium samples to detect the presence of MPs qualitatively and quantitatively via laser direct infrared. We found that there was a total of 13 types of MPs existing in the collected samples, among which 6 special types of MPs were with both high abundance and high detection rate. The abundance of these MPs ranged from 0 to 117 particles/100 mg, with a median abundance of 21 particles/100 mg. Most detected MPs, accounting for 88.35 %, were in small size (20-100 μm). Among small-size MPs, ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer ranked first while polyethylene accounted for the largest proportion among large-size MPs (100-500 μm). Correlation analysis indicated there was no significant relationship between age and MP abundance or BMI and MP abundance. We also designed a questionnaire to investigate lifestyle and daily habits, aiming at revealing the potential relationship between MP exposure and living habits. We discovered that some drinking habits and chewing gum were significantly correlated with a higher level of MP exposure. For the first time, we identified the presence of MPs in human endometrium and clarified the potential connections between MP exposure and lifestyle. Further studies are still necessary to explore more underlying information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiani Sun
- Centre for Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecologic Oncology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Mengsong Sui
- Department of Gynecology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecologic Oncology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Tao Wang
- Department of Gynecology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecologic Oncology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Xiaoming Teng
- Centre for Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecologic Oncology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Jing Sun
- Department of Gynecology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecologic Oncology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
| | - Miaoxin Chen
- Centre for Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecologic Oncology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
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23
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Edo C, Fernández-Piñas F, Leganes F, Gómez M, Martínez I, Herrera A, Hernández-Sánchez C, González-Sálamo J, Borges JH, López-Castellanos J, Bayo J, Romera-Castillo C, Elustondo D, Santamaría C, Alonso R, García-Gómez H, Gonzalez-Cascon R, Martínez-Hernández V, Landaburu-Aguirre J, Incera M, Gago J, Noya B, Beiras R, Muniategui-Lorenzo S, Rosal R, González-Pleiter M. A nationwide monitoring of atmospheric microplastic deposition. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 905:166923. [PMID: 37704133 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
Plastic production continues to increase every year, yet it is widely acknowledged that a significant portion of this material ends up in ecosystems as microplastics (MPs). Among all the environmental compartments affected by MPs, the atmosphere remains the least well-known. Here, we conducted a one-year simultaneous monitoring of atmospheric MPs deposition in ten urban areas, each with different population sizes, economic activities, and climates. The objective was to assess the role of the atmosphere in the fate of MPs by conducting a nationwide quantification of atmospheric MP deposition. To achieve this, we deployed collectors in ten different urban areas across continental Spain and the Canary Islands. We implemented a systematic sampling methodology with rigorous quality control/quality assurance, along with particle-oriented identification and quantification of anthropogenic particle deposition, which included MPs and industrially processed natural fibres. Among the sampled MPs, polyester fibres were the most abundant, followed by acrylic polymers, polypropylene, and alkyd resins. Their equivalent sizes ranged from 22 μm to 398 μm, with a median value of 71 μm. The particle size distribution of MPs showed fewer large particles than expected from a three-dimensional fractal fragmentation pattern, which was attributed to the higher mobility of small particles, especially fibres. The atmospheric deposition rate of MPs ranged from 5.6 to 78.6 MPs m-2 day-1, with the higher values observed in densely populated areas such as Barcelona and Madrid. Additionally, we detected natural polymers, mostly cellulosic fibres with evidence of industrial processing, with a deposition rate ranging from 6.4 to 58.6 particles m-2 day-1. There was a positive correlation was found between the population of the study area and the median of atmospheric MP deposition, supporting the hypothesis that urban areas act as sources of atmospheric MPs. Our study presents a systematic methodology for monitoring atmospheric MP deposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Edo
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Universidad de Alcalá, E-28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisca Fernández-Piñas
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, E-28049 Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Global (CIBC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. C Darwin 2, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco Leganes
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, E-28049 Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Global (CIBC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. C Darwin 2, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - May Gómez
- Ecophysiology of Marine Organisms (EOMAR), IU-ECOAQUA, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35017 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Ico Martínez
- Ecophysiology of Marine Organisms (EOMAR), IU-ECOAQUA, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35017 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Alicia Herrera
- Ecophysiology of Marine Organisms (EOMAR), IU-ECOAQUA, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35017 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Cintia Hernández-Sánchez
- Applied Analytical Chemistry Research Group (AChem), Universidad de La Laguna. Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, s/n, 38206 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - Javier González-Sálamo
- Applied Analytical Chemistry Research Group (AChem), Universidad de La Laguna. Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, s/n, 38206 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - Javier Hernández Borges
- Applied Analytical Chemistry Research Group (AChem), Universidad de La Laguna. Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, s/n, 38206 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - Joaquín López-Castellanos
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Cartagena, Paseo Alfonso XIII 44, E-30203, Cartagena, Spain
| | - Javier Bayo
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Cartagena, Paseo Alfonso XIII 44, E-30203, Cartagena, Spain
| | - Cristina Romera-Castillo
- Instituto de Ciencias del Mar-CSIC, Paseo Marítimo de la Barceloneta, 37, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - David Elustondo
- Instituto de Biodiversidad y Medioambiente (BIOMA), Universidad de Navarra, Campues Universitario, 31080 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Carolina Santamaría
- Instituto de Biodiversidad y Medioambiente (BIOMA), Universidad de Navarra, Campues Universitario, 31080 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Rocío Alonso
- Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (CIEMAT), Avda. Complutense, 40, Madrid, Spain
| | - Héctor García-Gómez
- Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (CIEMAT), Avda. Complutense, 40, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rosario Gonzalez-Cascon
- Department of Environment, National Institute for Agriculture and Food Research and Technology (INIA), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Mónica Incera
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO-CSIC), Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo, Subida a Radio Faro 50, 36390 Vigo, Spain
| | - Jesús Gago
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO-CSIC), Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo, Subida a Radio Faro 50, 36390 Vigo, Spain
| | - Beatriz Noya
- Centro de Investigación Mariña da Universidade de Vigo (CIM-UVigo), Vigo, Galicia, Spain
| | - Ricardo Beiras
- Centro de Investigación Mariña da Universidade de Vigo (CIM-UVigo), Vigo, Galicia, Spain
| | - Soledad Muniategui-Lorenzo
- University of A Coruña. Grupo Química Analítica Aplicada (QANAP), Instituto Universitario de Medio Ambiente (IUMA), Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, A Coruña 15071, Spain
| | - Roberto Rosal
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Universidad de Alcalá, E-28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Miguel González-Pleiter
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, E-28049 Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Global (CIBC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. C Darwin 2, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
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24
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Xu Z, Zhai X, Bai X. Amplifiers of environmental risk of microplastics in sewage sludge: Thermal drying treatment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 905:167029. [PMID: 37704158 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
Sewage sludge was already identified as an important source of microplastics (MPs) in the environment. Therefore, investigating the effects of sludge treatment processes on sludge-based MPs is essential for understanding the environmental risks and controlling their release. This study investigated the occurrence characteristics and elucidated the fragmentation mechanism of sludge-based MPs before and after the thermal drying treatment of sludge. The results showed that this treatment increased the abundance of sludge-based MPs by about 10-fold, with enhanced fragmentation and fracture parameters, and increased the abundance of <100 μm MPs to >60 %. Remarkably, both polypropylene-microplastics (PP-MPs) and polyethylene terephthalate-microplastics (PET-MPs) did not show significant chemical aging. The structural analysis showed that the molecular chain disorientation and secondary crystallization of PP-MPs and PET-MPs occurred. These transformations caused the contraction of the polymer molecular chains and the generation of micro-mechanical stresses, leading to the formation of warpage structures and stress cracking on the MPs' surface. These phenomena also contributed to the further fragmentation of the MPs and the development of finer MPs particles. The findings of the present investigations emphasize that the thermal drying of sewage sludge amplifies the environmental risk of sludge-based MPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenjia Xu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lake of Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, PR China
| | - Xue Zhai
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lake of Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, PR China
| | - Xue Bai
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lake of Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, PR China; Yangtze Institute for Conservation and Development, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, PR China.
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25
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Zhao X, Gao S, Ouyang D, Chen S, Qiu C, Qiu H, Chen Z. Advances on micro/nanoplastics and their effects on the living organisms: A review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 904:166722. [PMID: 37678525 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
Micro/nanoplastics (MPs) are attracting increasing attention owing to the potential threats they pose to the sustainability of the environment and the health of living organisms. Thus, a comprehensive understanding of the influence of MPs on living organisms is vital for developing countermeasures. We conducted an extensive literature search to retrieve the articles related to MPs via the Web of Science. Accordingly, 152 articles published in the last decade and in influential journals were selected to analyze the effects of MPs on plants, animals, microorganisms, and humans as well as the current status, hotspots, and trends of studies on MPs. The results showed that owing to the special characteristics of MPs and anthropogenic activities, MPs have become ubiquitous worldwide. MPs are ingested by plants and animals and enter the human body through various pathways, resulting in numerous adverse effects, such as growth inhibition, oxidative stress, inflammation, organ damage, and germ cell lesions. Moreover, they affect microorganisms by reshaping the structure and function of microbial communities and changing the spread pathway. However, microorganisms can also contribute to the degradation of MPs. With increasing evidence of the adverse effects of MPs on biota, coping with MP pollution and mitigating harmful outcomes have emerged as major challenges. This review focuses on (1) the main effects of MPs on living organisms, ranging from microorganisms to humans, (2) the current status and hotspots of studies related to MPs, and (3) the challenges and prospects of further studies on MPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinlin Zhao
- Institute of Bast Fiber Crops, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha 410205, Hunan Province, China
| | - Shuaishuai Gao
- Hunan Institute of Microbiology, Changsha 410009, Hunan Province, China
| | - Da Ouyang
- Key Laboratory of Soil Contamination Bioremediation of Zhejiang Province, School of Environmental & Resource Sciences, Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University, Hangzhou 311300, China
| | - Su Chen
- Institute of Bast Fiber Crops, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha 410205, Hunan Province, China
| | - Caisheng Qiu
- Institute of Bast Fiber Crops, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha 410205, Hunan Province, China
| | - Huajiao Qiu
- Institute of Bast Fiber Crops, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha 410205, Hunan Province, China.
| | - Zhaoming Chen
- Institute of Environment, Resources, Soil and Fertilizer, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, Zhejiang Province, China.
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26
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Mohan K, Lakshmanan VR. A critical review of the recent trends in source tracing of microplastics in the environment. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 239:117394. [PMID: 37838194 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics are found across the globe because of their size and ability to transport across environments. The effects of microplastics on the micro- and macro-organisms have brought out concern over the potential risk to human health and the need to regulate their distribution at the source. Control of microplastic pollution requires region-specific management and mitigation strategies which can be developed with the information on sources and their contributions. This review provides an overview of the sources, fate, and distribution of microplastics along with techniques to source-trace microplastics. Source-tracing approaches provide both qualitative and quantitive information. Since better outcomes have been produced by the integration of techniques like backward trajectory analysis with cluster analysis, the significance of integrated and multi-dimensional approaches has been emphasized. The scope of the plastisphere, heavy metal, and biofilm microbial community in tracing the sources of microplastics are also highlighted. The present review allows the researchers and policymakers to understand the recent trends in the source-tracing of microplastics which will help them to develop techniques and comprehensive action plans to limit the microplastic discharge at sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiruthika Mohan
- Department of Environmental and Water Resources Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, 632014, India.
| | - Vignesh Rajkumar Lakshmanan
- Department of Environmental and Water Resources Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, 632014, India.
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27
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Xiao Y, Wu K. Co-based metal-organic frameworks synthesized from poly(ethylene terephthalate) waste plastics for rapid detection of p-phenylenediamine. Analyst 2023; 148:6248-6252. [PMID: 37929790 DOI: 10.1039/d3an01652h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
The environmental issues and health problems of waste plastics have attracted remarkable attention. It is quite important to convert waste plastics into high value-added electrochemical materials. Herein, four kinds of Co-based metal-organic frameworks (CoMOFs) were synthesized from poly(ethylene terephthalate) plastic, and their electrochemical applications were examined. A mixture of N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and H2O was used as the solvent, and hydrothermal reaction was employed. It is found that the surface area and porous structure of CoMOFs are closely related to the volume ratio of DMF/H2O. As a result, the prepared CoMOFs exhibit different catalytic enhancement activities toward the oxidation of p-phenylenediamine (PPD). Based on the solvent-controlled sensing performance of CoMOFs, a highly sensitive and rapid detection method has been developed for PPD, with a linear range from 0.05 to 8.0 μM. The detection limit was 45 nM, and the practical application in hair dye samples was successfully demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanteng Xiao
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China.
| | - Kangbing Wu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China.
- College of Health Science and Engineering, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
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28
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Napper IE, Baroth A, Barrett AC, Bhola S, Chowdhury GW, Davies BFR, Duncan EM, Kumar S, Nelms SE, Niloy MNH, Nishat B, Maddalene T, Smith N, Thompson RC, Koldewey H. The distribution and characterisation of microplastics in air, surface water and sediment within a major river system. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 901:166640. [PMID: 37647965 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Rivers are key pathways for the transfer of microplastics (MP) to marine environments. However, there are considerable uncertainties about the amount of microplastics transported by rivers to the ocean; this results in inaccuracies in our understanding of microplastic quantity and transport by freshwater systems. Additionally, it has been suggested that rivers may represent long-term sinks, with microplastics accumulating in sediment due to their high density or other biological, chemical, and physical factors. The atmosphere is also an important pathway by which airborne microplastics may enter aquatic habitats. Here, we compare for first time microplastics type and concentration in these key environmental mediums (air, water and sediment) along a major river (Ganges), from sea to source to understand 1) the abundance, 2) the spatial distribution, and 3) characteristics. Mean microplastic abundance settling from the atmosphere was 41.12 MP m2 day-1; while concentrations in sediment were 57.00 MP kg-1 and in water were 0.05 MP L-1. Across all sites and environmental mediums, rayon (synthetically altered cellulose) was the dominant polymer (54-82 %), followed by acrylic (6-23 %) and polyester (9-17 %). Fibres were the dominant shape (95-99 %) and blue was the most common colour (48-79 %). Across water and sediment environmental mediums, the number of microplastics per sample increased from the source of the Ganges to the sea. Additionally, higher population densities correlated with increased microplastic abundance for air and water samples. We suggest that clothing is likely to be the prominent source of microplastics to the river system, influenced by atmospheric deposition, wastewater and direct input (e.g. handwashing of clothes in the Ganges), especially in high density population areas. However, we suggest that subsequent microplastic release to the marine environment is strongly influenced by polymer type and shape, with a large proportion of denser microplastics settling in sediment prior to the river discharging to the ocean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imogen E Napper
- International Marine Litter Research Unit, University of Plymouth, UK; School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, UK.
| | - Anju Baroth
- Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Aaron C Barrett
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, UK
| | - Sunanda Bhola
- Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Gawsia W Chowdhury
- Department of Zoology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh; WildTeam, 69/1 New Circular Road, Malibagh, Dhaka 1217, Bangladesh
| | - Bede F R Davies
- Nantes Université, Institut des Substances et Organismes de la Mer, ISOMer, UR2160, Nantes, F-44000, France
| | - Emily M Duncan
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, UK
| | - Sumit Kumar
- Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Sarah E Nelms
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, UK
| | - Md Nazmul Hasan Niloy
- Department of Zoology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh; WildTeam, 69/1 New Circular Road, Malibagh, Dhaka 1217, Bangladesh
| | | | - Taylor Maddalene
- National Geographic Society, Washington, DC, USA; University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Natalie Smith
- International Marine Litter Research Unit, University of Plymouth, UK; Plymouth Marine Laboratory, UK
| | - Richard C Thompson
- International Marine Litter Research Unit, University of Plymouth, UK; School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, UK
| | - Heather Koldewey
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, UK; Zoological Society of London, London, UK
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Liu S, Bai F, Men Z, Gu X, Wang F, Li Y, Liu Q. Spatial distribution, source apportionment and potential ecological risk assessment of suspended atmosphere microplastics in different underlying surfaces in Harbin. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 901:166040. [PMID: 37543333 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2023]
Abstract
Although suspended atmospheric microplastics (SAMPs) have been found to be ubiquitous and have potential impacts on human health, whereas studies related to source apportionment and potential ecological risk assessment in the atmospheric environment are still limited. This study investigated spatial distribution, source apportionment and potential ecological risk of SAMPs in six underlying surfaces of Harbin, China. The results show that all six underlying surfaces existed SAMPs, including polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), with approximate 26.13 %, 24.10 %, 23.87 %, 13.51 %, and 12.39 %, respectively. SAMPs abundances from filtered air were relatively high and averaged 1.76 n/m3. The SAMPs mainly contained fibrous (59.01 %), fragmented (30.18 %), and granular (10.81 %) with transparent (62.39 %), black 13.74 %), red (7.43 %), white (6.53 %), blue, and yellow (3.60 %), and particle size ranged from 1.3 to 518 μm. In addition, source apportionment of SAMPs shows that SAMPs were originated from five emission sources including living source (19.53 %), construction source (12.08 %), transportation source (47.25 %), industrial source (5.11 %), and agricultural source (16.13 %) in Harbin. A significant correction was observed between SAMPs abundances and human activity (R = 0.68, P = 0.66), atmospheric humidity (R = -0.40, P = 0.02), and wind direction (R = 0.22, P = 0.04) in different underlying surface. Furthermore, potential ecological hazardous single index (EI) of PVC and PS were higher than PP, PET, and PS in the construction land, cultivated land, forest land, grassland, water area, and unused land. An estimation of the potential ecological risk index (RI) from SAMPs using Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) model indicated that Harbin presented a minor ecological risk with average 16.59 of RI index of microplastics in environments. In conclusion, data in this study indicate that SAMPs are existed in atmospheric environments, which have possible risks for human health via inhalation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Liu
- School of Geographical Science, Harbin Normal University, Harbin 150025, China
| | - Fuliang Bai
- School of Geographical Science, Harbin Normal University, Harbin 150025, China.
| | - Zhiyuan Men
- School of Geographical Science, Harbin Normal University, Harbin 150025, China
| | - Xueqian Gu
- School of Geographical Science, Harbin Normal University, Harbin 150025, China
| | - Feiyu Wang
- School of Geographical Science, Harbin Normal University, Harbin 150025, China
| | - Yuxiang Li
- School of Geographical Science, Harbin Normal University, Harbin 150025, China
| | - Qi Liu
- School of Geographical Science, Harbin Normal University, Harbin 150025, China
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30
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Xu L, Li K, Zhang M, Guo J, Jia W, Bai X, Tian X, Huang Y. Plastic substrate and residual time of microplastics in the urban river shape the composition and structure of bacterial communities in plastisphere. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 345:118710. [PMID: 37536136 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
The widespread secondary microplastics (MPs) in urban freshwater, originating from plastic wastes, have created a new habitat called plastisphere for microorganisms. The factors influencing the structure and ecological risks of the microbial community within the plastisphere are not yet fully understood. We conducted an in-site incubation experiment in an urban river, using MPs from garbage bags (GB), shopping bags (SB), and plastic bottles (PB). Bacterial communities in water and plastisphere incubated for 2 and 4 weeks were analyzed by 16S high-throughput sequencing. The results showed the bacterial composition of the plastisphere, especially the PB, exhibited enrichment of plastic-degrading and photoautotrophic taxa. Diversity declined in GB and PB but increased in SB plastisphere. Abundance analysis revealed distinct bacterial species that were enriched or depleted in each type of plastisphere. As the succession progressed, the differences in community structure was more pronounced, and the decline in the complexity of bacterial community within each plastisphere suggested increasing specialization. All the plastisphere exhibited elevated pathogenicity at the second or forth week, compared to bacterial communities related to natural particles. These findings highlighted the continually evolving plastisphere in urban rivers was influenced by the plastic substrates, and attention should be paid to fragile plastic wastes due to the rapidly increasing pathogenicity of the bacterial community attached to them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Libo Xu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Kang Li
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Mengjun Zhang
- Peking University Shenzhen Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518057, China; PKU-HKUST Shenzhen-Hongkong Institution, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518057, China
| | - Jiabao Guo
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Weiqian Jia
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Xinyi Bai
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Xudong Tian
- Key Laboratory of Ecological and Environmental Monitoring, Forewarning and Quality Control of Zhejiang, Zhejiang Ecological and Environmental Monitoring Center, Hangzhou, 310012, China.
| | - Yi Huang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
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Zhou G, Wu Q, Wei XF, Chen C, Ma J, Crittenden JC, Liu B. Tracing microplastics in rural drinking water in Chongqing, China: Their presence and pathways from source to tap. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 459:132206. [PMID: 37543018 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2023]
Abstract
Despite the significant attention given to microplastics in urban areas, our understanding of microplastics in rural drinking water systems is still limited. To address this knowledge gap, we investigated the presence and pathways of microplastics in rural drinking water system, including reservoir, water treatment plant (WTP), and tap water of end-users. The results showed that the treatment processes in the WTP, including coagulation-sedimentation, sand-granular active carbon filtration, and ultrafiltration, completely removed microplastics from the influent. However, the microplastic abundance increased during pipe transport from WTP to residents' homes, resulting in the presence of 1.4 particles/L of microplastics in tap water. This microplastic increase was also observed during the transportation from the reservoir to the WTP, suggesting that the plastic pipe network is a key source of microplastics in the drinking water system. The main types of polymers were PET, PP, and PE, and plastic breakdown, atmospheric deposition, and surface runoff were considered as their potential sources. Furthermore, this study estimated that rural residents could ingest up to 1034 microplastics annually by drinking 2 L of tap water every day. Overall, these findings provide essential data and preliminary insights into the fate of microplastics in rural drinking water systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanyu Zhou
- College of Architecture and Environment, State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610065, PR China; Yibin Institute of Industrial Technology, Sichuan University Yibin Park, Yibin, Sichuan 644000, PR China
| | - Qidong Wu
- College of Architecture and Environment, State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610065, PR China; Yibin Institute of Industrial Technology, Sichuan University Yibin Park, Yibin, Sichuan 644000, PR China
| | - Xin-Feng Wei
- Fibre and Polymer Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Chen Chen
- Litree Purifying Technology Co., Ltd, Haikou, Hainan 571126, PR China
| | - Jun Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, PR China
| | - John C Crittenden
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 332, USA
| | - Baicang Liu
- College of Architecture and Environment, State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610065, PR China; Yibin Institute of Industrial Technology, Sichuan University Yibin Park, Yibin, Sichuan 644000, PR China.
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32
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Wang J, Zhang X, Li X, Wang Z. Exposure pathways, environmental processes and risks of micro (nano) plastics to crops and feasible control strategies in agricultural regions. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 459:132269. [PMID: 37607458 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Micro/nanoplastics (MPs/NPs) pollution may adversely impact agricultural ecosystems, threatening the sustainability and security of agricultural production. This drives an urgent need to comprehensively understand the environmental behavior and effects of MPs/NPs in soil and atmosphere in agricultural regions, and to seek relevant pollution prevention strategies. The rhizosphere and phyllosphere are the interfaces where crops are exposed to MPs/NPs. The environmental behavior of MPs/NPs in soil and atmosphere, especially in the rhizosphere and phyllosphere, determines their plant accessibility, bioavailability and ecotoxicity. This article comprehensively reviews the transformation and migration of MPs/NPs in soil, transportation and deposition in the atmosphere, environmental behavior and effects in the rhizosphere and phyllosphere, and plant uptake and transportation pathways. The article also summarizes the key factors controlling MPs/NPs environmental processes, including their properties, biotic and abiotic factors. Based on the sources, environmental processes and intake risks of MPs/NPs in agroecosystems, the article offers several feasible pollution prevention and risk management options. Finally, the review highlights the need for further research on MPs/NPs in agro-systems, including developing quantitative detection methods, exploring transformation and migration patterns in-situ soil, monitoring long-term field experiments, and establishing pollution prevention and control systems. This review can assist in improving our understanding of the biogeochemistry behavior of MPs/NPs in the soil-plant-atmosphere system and provide a roadmap for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Wang
- Institute of Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, School of Environmental and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Xiaokai Zhang
- Institute of Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, School of Environmental and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Xiaona Li
- Institute of Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, School of Environmental and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Zhenyu Wang
- Institute of Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, School of Environmental and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China; Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Technology and Material of Water Treatment, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China.
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33
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Gan M, Zhang Y, Shi P, Cui L, Sun H. Microplastic pollution in typical seasonal rivers in northern China: temporal variation and risk assessment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2023; 25:1479-1490. [PMID: 37581367 DOI: 10.1039/d3em00281k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
Rivers are important channels for the transport of microplastics (MPs) from land to sea. In this work, the temporal variation and risk assessment of MP pollution in the surface water of the Wei River, a typical seasonal river in northern China, were quantified. The number abundance of MPs in the dry season was significantly higher than that in the wet season (p < 0.05). Fiber was the most abundant type of MP in both dry and wet seasons. Infrared spectrometer and Raman spectroscopy identification showed that polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) were the major polymers found in both dry and wet seasons, and the mixture of different MP polymers was more diverse in the dry season. The risk assessment showed that the average pollution load index (PLI) and risk quotient (RQ) were 2.10 and 1.19 in the dry season, which significantly decreased to 1.25 and 0.74, respectively, in the wet season (p < 0.05). In total, the results from this study highlight the characteristics of seasonal rivers that influence the temporal distribution and risk assessment of microplastics, providing scientific reference for policymakers and river managers to effectively deal with MP pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mufan Gan
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Earth Surface System and Environmental Carrying Capacity, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an 710127, China.
| | - Yan Zhang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Earth Surface System and Environmental Carrying Capacity, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an 710127, China.
| | - Peng Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an 710048, China
| | - Lingzhou Cui
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Haotian Sun
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Earth Surface System and Environmental Carrying Capacity, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an 710127, China.
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Huang X, Chen Y, Meng Y, Liu G. Mitigating airborne microplastics pollution from perspectives of precipitation and underlying surface types. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 243:120385. [PMID: 37499539 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
The issue of airborne microplastics (AMPs) pollution is receiving increasing attention, but effective solutions are still limited. In this study, AMPs were collected in pairs from an open space and under a tree (Ficus virens) in the suburb of Chengdu, southwest China, to investigate the current pollution status. The meteorological factors and underlying surface types were analyzed to investigate whether these factors could influence and mitigate the pollution of AMPs. The results showed that the fibrous AMPs accounted for the vast majority and the dominant polymers were polypropylene-polyethylene (PP-PE) and polypropylene (PP), with an average deposition flux of AMPs of 192 n/m2/d (22.41 µg/m2/d). Rainfall was found to have the prolonged scavenging efficiency for AMPs, which could extend to 8 to 48 hours after the end of rainfall, and this is a new insight into the relationship with meteorological factors. Interactions between the key underlying surface types and AMPs were also studied. The representative tree species (Ficus virens) had a low interception rate of 6.25% for AMPs and retained mainly small-sized AMPs and more fibers. The masses of AMPs loaded into Chengdu rivers could reach 1149 kg annually, with the unit mass load of 13.6 kg/km2 in urban rivers and 8.2 kg/km2 in suburban rivers. The masses intercepted by trees and bushes throughout the city only offset the masses loading in rivers, and open or sparse buildings were found to be sensitive areas for AMPs, which indicated the urgent need to control and mitigate the pollution of AMPs, especially in these sensitive areas. This work comprehensively analyzed the AMPs pollution from various perspectives and attempted to find ways to mitigate this pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohua Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China; College of Water Resources and Hydropower, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Yu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China; College of Water Resources and Hydropower, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Yuchuan Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China; College of Water Resources and Hydropower, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China.
| | - Guodong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China; College of Water Resources and Hydropower, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
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Chen Y, Niu J, Xu D, Zhang M, Sun K, Gao B. Wet Deposition of Globally Transportable Microplastics (<25 μm) Hovering over the Megacity of Beijing. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:11152-11162. [PMID: 37459058 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c03474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics of size <25 μm possess globally transportable features, but the impact of precipitation on their transport remains unclear. Here, microplastics were detected in all 10 studied rainfalls in Beijing, with <25 μm microplastics present in 8 rainfalls. Interestingly, microplastic abundance (7590-136,778 items·m-3) was tentatively linked to maximum rainfall intensity, with <25 μm microplastics making up 39.6 (±27.5)% of the total count. The composition of <25 μm microplastics differed from that of larger microplastics, although both mainly comprised polystyrene, polyethylene, and polypropylene. The microplastic communities differed among rainfalls, suggesting that atmospheric transport is a highly dynamic process. The first rainfall exhibited the highest microplastic abundance and community diversity after long-term exposure to dry atmospheric environment. The deposited microplastics were unstable and highly fragmented according to the conditional fragmentation model. The wet deposition rate of the microplastics was calculated as 2-463 μg·m-2 (146-8629 items·m-2) per rain, amounting to 25.44 tons per annum in Beijing. Although <25 μm microplastics represented a negligible proportion (0.00-1.24%) of the overall mass load of microplastics, their numerical abundance was high. Our results demonstrate that precipitation is an effective mechanism for removing airborne microplastics, which may enter urban soils and waters, exacerbate microplastic burdens in the environment, and cause potential risk for human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yalan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100038, China
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Jinqiong Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100038, China
| | - Dongyu Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100038, China
| | - Mengyu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100038, China
| | - Ke Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Bo Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100038, China
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Wang W, Yang M, Ma H, Liu Z, Gai L, Zheng Z, Ma H. Removal behaviors and mechanism of polystyrene microplastics by coagulation/ultrafiltration process: Co-effects of humic acid. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 881:163408. [PMID: 37061054 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) have been detected in drinking water, which could absorb or accumulate humic acid (HA) and threaten the water quality. Coagulation-ultrafiltration (CUF) is a common drinking water treatment technology, but its behavior and mechanism of removing MPs and MPs-HA remain unclear. In this study, the removal mechanism of polystyrene (PS)-MPs coagulated by Al- and Fe-based salts with or without HA was investigated to optimize the CUF process. The results showed that Al-based salt (92.7 %) was better than Fe-based salt (91.2 %) in the removal efficiency of PS or HA, and the optimal coagulants dosage of PS-HA composite system (12 mg·L-1) was higher than that of the individual PS system (9 mg·L-1). Moreover, the coagulation mechanism was studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscope (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The oxygen group in PS and PS-HA was the main binding site of Al and Fe hydrolysate, and the effects of charge neutralization, adsorption bridging, and sweep flocculation became weaker in turn at the optimal dosage. In addition, the cake layer formed by coagulation and the presence of HA alleviated the irreversible membrane fouling by intercepting flow and re-adsorption. This study guides the improvement of the traditional drinking water treatment process to remove MPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenyu Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250353, China
| | - Min Yang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250353, China
| | - Huifang Ma
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250353, China
| | - Zhibao Liu
- Engineering & Technology Center of Electrochemistry, School of Chemistry and Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250353, China
| | - Ligang Gai
- Engineering & Technology Center of Electrochemistry, School of Chemistry and Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250353, China
| | - Zhishuo Zheng
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250353, China
| | - Hongfang Ma
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250353, China.
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Parashar N, Hait S. Plastic rain-Atmospheric microplastics deposition in urban and peri-urban areas of Patna City, Bihar, India: Distribution, characteristics, transport, and source analysis. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 458:131883. [PMID: 37348371 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
Evidence of atmospheric microplastics (MPs) deposition in India is scarce though reports of MPs pollution in other environmental media exist. Henceforth, this study for the first time examines and compares the abundance, characteristics, transport, and source analysis of atmospheric MPs in the urban and peri-urban areas of Patna city, Bihar, India. Wet atmospheric fallout samples were collected and analyzed for MPs deposition rate. The results showed that the mean MPs concentrations at each site were 1959.6 ± 205 (urban) and 1320.4 ± 126 (peri-urban) MPs/m2/day. The deposited MPs were mainly transparent fibers and fragments with a mean size of 347.9 ± 189.2 µm. Polyethylene terephthalate and polypropylene were the most abundant polymer found at both sites. Morphological characteristics revealed surface degradation and deposition of metal contaminants on the identified MPs. Meteorological parameters (wind direction and rainfall intensity) were significantly associated with the distribution of atmospheric MPs in the study area. The cluster mean backward trajectory suggested vehicular emissions, construction activities, and waste mismanagement as the potential sources of MPs. Findings of the present work necessitates future studies in gaining a deeper understanding of the fate, movement, and potential health hazards associated with atmospheric MPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neha Parashar
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Patna, Bihar 801 106, India
| | - Subrata Hait
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Patna, Bihar 801 106, India.
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Kukkola A, Runkel RL, Schneidewind U, Murphy SF, Kelleher L, Sambrook Smith GH, Nel HA, Lynch I, Krause S. Prevailing impacts of river management on microplastic transport in contrasting US streams: Rethinking global microplastic flux estimations. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 240:120112. [PMID: 37257293 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
While microplastic inputs into rivers are assumed to be correlated with anthropogenic activities and to accumulate towards the sea, the impacts of water management on downstream microplastic transport are largely unexplored. A comparative study of microplastic abundance in Boulder Creek (BC), and its less urbanized tributary South Boulder Creek (SBC), (Colorado USA), characterized the downstream evolution of microplastics in surface water and sediments, evaluating the effects of urbanization and flow diversions on the up-to-downstream profiles of microplastic concentrations and loads. Water and sediment samples were collected from 21 locations along both rivers and microplastic properties determined by fluorescence microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The degree of catchment urbanization affected microplastic patterns, as evidenced by greater water and sediment concentrations and loads in BC than the less densely populated SBC, which is consistent with the differences in the degree of urbanization between both catchments. Microplastic removal through flow diversions was quantified, showing that water diversions removed over 500 microplastic particles per second from the river, and caused stepwise reductions of downstream loads at diversion points. This redistribution of microplastics back into the catchment should be considered in large scale models quantifying plastic fate and transport to the oceans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Kukkola
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom.
| | - Robert L Runkel
- U.S. Geological Survey, Colorado Water Science Center, 3215 Marine St, Boulder, Colorado 80303, United States
| | - Uwe Schneidewind
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Sheila F Murphy
- U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Mission Area, 3215 Marine St., Boulder, Colorado 80303, United States
| | - Liam Kelleher
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Gregory H Sambrook Smith
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Holly Astrid Nel
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Pakefield Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR33 0HT, United Kingdom
| | - Iseult Lynch
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom; Institute of Global Innovation, University of Birmingham B15 2SA, Birmingham. United Kingdom
| | - Stefan Krause
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom; Institute of Global Innovation, University of Birmingham B15 2SA, Birmingham. United Kingdom; LEHNA- Laboratoire d'ecologie des hydrosystemes naturels et anthropises, University of Lyon, Darwin C & Forel, 3-6 Rue Raphaël Dubois, Villeurbanne 69622, France
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Zhang R, Jia X, Wang K, Lu L, Li F, Li J, Xu L. Characteristics, sources and influencing factors of atmospheric deposition of microplastics in three different ecosystems of Beijing, China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 883:163567. [PMID: 37094671 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
As the research on microplastics (MPs) has intensified, more attention has been paid to MPs deposition in the atmosphere. This study further explores and compares the characteristics, the possible sources and influencing factors of deposition of MPs in three different ecosystems: forest, agricultural and residential area in Beijing. It was found that the deposited plastics were mostly white or black fibres, with PET and RY as the main MPs types. The range of deposition fluxes was 67.06-461.02 item·m-2·d-1, with highest deposition in residential area and lowest in forest, significant differences in MPs characteristics between environments. Based on MPs composition and shape, combined with backward trajectory analysis, the main sources of MPs were found to be textiles. Deposition of MPs was found to be influenced by environmental and meteorological factors. Factors such as gross domestic product and population density had a significant impact on the deposition flux, while wind played a diluting role for atmospheric MPs. The study investigated the characteristics of MPs in different ecosystems which may help to understand the transport patterns of MPs and is of great importance for the management of MPs pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruixuan Zhang
- Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China
| | - Xiaoxu Jia
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and `, Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Kang Wang
- Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China
| | - Luli Lu
- Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China
| | - Fang Li
- Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China
| | - Jing Li
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and `, Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Li Xu
- Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China; Risk Assessment Lab for Agro-products (Beijing), Ministry of Agriculture, China.
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Zhu L, Xie C, Chen L, Dai X, Zhou Y, Pan H, Tian K. Transport of microplastics in the body and interaction with biological barriers, and controlling of microplastics pollution. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2023; 255:114818. [PMID: 36958263 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.114818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2022] [Revised: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are one novel environmental pollutant sized < 5 mm that is ubiquitously present in numerous environmental media and particularly susceptible to interact with various toxic chemicals. Importantly, MPs can enter the food chain, and are bio-enriched and bio-accumulated with trophic levels, eventually endangering ecosystems and human health. However, there need to be more understanding regarding the bio-interaction of MPs with the host, particularly for biological barriers. This review aimed to summarize the latest findings regarding the main exposure routes of MPs that generated health burdens on humans. Furthermore, their interactions with biological barriers that generate adverse health effects and the underlying mechanisms were also reviewed. Additionally, we provided a comprehensive overview of recent advances regarding the removing and controlling of MPs. Finally, we discussed the future directions for MPs hazard prevention to provide helpful information for regulating decision-making and guiding safer plastics applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Zhu
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi 563000, China
| | - Caiyan Xie
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi 563000, China
| | - Liangkai Chen
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Hubei Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Xingyu Dai
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi 563000, China
| | - Yuanzhong Zhou
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi 563000, China
| | - Hong Pan
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi 563000, China.
| | - Kunming Tian
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi 563000, China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing-Jie Ni
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia.
| | - Kevin V Thomas
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Eun-Ju Kim
- Water Cycle Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, South Korea
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