Plymouth, England – A recent study conducted along the Ganges River in South Asia has revealed that a significant number of microplastic particles are being trapped in riverbed sediments or dispersed through the air along major river systems. The study represents the first combined analysis of microplastics in water, sediment, and air around a major river system.
The research, carried out by an international team of scientists as part of the National Geographic Society’s Sea to Source: Ganges expedition, found an average of 41 microplastic particles per square meter settling from the atmosphere each day. Additionally, the analysis discovered an average of 57 particles per kilogram in sediment from the riverbed and one particle in every 20 liters of water.
Fibers were identified as the most common type of microplastic, constituting up to 99 percent of the microplastics found in some samples. Rayon, a synthetically altered cellulose, was the dominant polymer among these fibers.
The study suggests that clothing is likely the prominent source of microplastics in this river system, influenced by factors such as atmospheric deposition, wastewater, and direct inputs like handwashing of clothes in the Ganges.
Dr. Imogen Napper, the lead author of the study and a Research Fellow at the University of Plymouth, commented, “This study goes some way to unraveling that mystery, and revealing the true scale of microplastic contamination that our river systems can represent.”
This research contributes to a better understanding of the environmental impact of microplastics and their presence in river ecosystems.
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