- Dona Paula, Goa, India.
- +91-0832- 2450327
- iiosc2020[at]nio[dot]org
Abstract Submission No. | ABS-2022-09-0463 |
Title of Abstract | Microplastics in the surface waters along the River Ganga, India: A major conduiting route to the oceans |
Authors | Akshat Naik*, Mahua Saha, Priyansha Gupta, Chayanika Rathore, Priti, Shrish Vashishth |
Organisation | CSIR-NationalInstituteofOceanography, DonaPaula,Goa |
Address | CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography Dona Paula, Goa, India Pincode: 403 004 Mobile: 0 E-mail: akkunaik678@gmail.com |
Country | India |
Presentation | Oral |
Abstract | Microplastics (MPs) accumulation in the fresh water system has been widely detected in the aquatic environments and poses a serious threat to human health. Rivers are considered as a major transporting route and carrier of land-based MPs to reach the sea. However, knowledge on MPs in Riverine system is still scattered. In this study we focused on the occurrence, abundance, distribution and composition of MPs in the Ganga River system of Varanasi, Kanpur and Haridwar cities which is used to determine the amount of microplastic pollution in River/m3 . At each site i.e. Varanasi (V1, V2, V3, V4 and V5), Kanpur (K1, K2, K3, K4 and K5) and Haridwar (H1, H2, H3, H4 and H5) 5 set of surface waters were collected in the month of February 2020. Water samples were taken at multiple points along the River Ganga which were heavily polluted with plastic waste. The Ganga waters estimated higher number of MPs in Varanasi (2.42±0.405 MPs/m3 ) followed by Kanpur (2.16±0.500MPs/m3 ) and Haridwar (1.30±0.518MPs/m3 ). MPs in form of fragments were the most abundant compared to films, fibres and beads. Lower-sized MPs (<300µm) were predominantly found in all the locations. Black, brown, red, blue, green, grey, orange, yellow and transparent were most common colors of MPs, were found in different sampling locations. Among them, black (27.34-31.29%) and brown (24.37-26.99%) were predominantly found compare to other colored particles in all three locations (Varanasi, Kanpur and Haridwar). The micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (µ-FTIR) based analysis identified approximately 40 different polymer compositions in all Rive rwater samples. Polymeric compositions with high densities such as ethyelene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), poly vinyl chloride (PVC), polyisoperene (PIP), polyvinyl alcohol (PVAL) and polyacetylene, were relatively high in abundance having commercial applications. This study will be v e r y useful in understanding the characteristics and distribution of MPs in Rivers which ultimately sinks into the oceans and can thereby inform well-directed strategies to reduce microplastic load. Also the data generated from the present study can be beneficial for the comprehensive evaluation of the original sources of the microplastics and its potential risk. |