A comprehensive assessment of macro and microplastics from Rivers Ganga and Yamuna: Unveiling the seasonal, spatial and risk factors
Abstract
There have been growing apprehensions and concerns regarding the increasing presence of plastic pollutants in the holiest river of India, the Ganga, and its major tributary, Yamuna. In response to this issue, the current study aimed to conduct a comprehensive investigation of the seasonal and spatial distribution of macro to microplastics (MPs) in the surface water, water column, and sediments from the River Ganga and Yamuna. MP samples were collected from various points of these Rivers, including upstream, downstream, and drainage points around the vicinity of Haridwar, Agra, Prayagraj, and Patna cities. With a significant seasonal variation, the estimated MPs and plastic flux were higher during the wet season than during the dry season. MPs sized 300 µm-1 mm and fibre-shaped blue and black colored MPs were pre-dominant in both rivers. Polyacrylamide, polyamide, and polyvinyl chloride were the most ascertained polymers. MPs including hazardous polymers (hazard score >1000) may pose a risk to the population of Indo-Gangetic Plain via direct and indirect exposure to MPs. The information provided in this study could serve as a starting point for the action plan required by municipal corporations to mitigate plastic pollution and target the possible sources at each location.
- Publication:
-
Journal of Hazardous Materials
- Pub Date:
- May 2024
- DOI:
- 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133926
- Bibcode:
- 2024JHzM..46933926G
- Keywords:
-
- AIM;
- Advanced Imaging & Microscopic;
- ANOVA;
- Analysis of variance;
- ATR;
- Attenuated total reflectance;
- CFP;
- Commonly found plastics;
- CPCB;
- Central Pollution Control Board;
- d.w.;
- Dry weight;
- GBM;
- Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna;
- EPR;
- Extended producer responsibility;
- EVA;
- Ethyl vinyl acetate;
- EVOH;
- Ethylene vinylalcohol;
- FTIR;
- Micro-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy;
- HDPE;
- High density polyethylene;
- IGP;
- Indo-Gangetic Plain;
- LDPE;
- Low-density polyethylene;
- MPs;
- Microplastics;
- MOFA;
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
- OECD;
- Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development;
- PA;
- Polyamide;
- PAM;
- Polyacrylamide;
- PCA;
- Principal component analysis;
- PE;
- polyethylene;
- PES;
- polysulfone;
- PET;
- polyethene terephthalate;
- PHI;
- Polymer hazard index;
- PIP;
- Polyisoprene;
- PLI;
- Pollution load index;
- POPs;
- Persistent organic pollutants;
- PP;
- Polypropylene;
- PS;
- polystyrene;
- PTFE;
- Polytetrafluoroethylene;
- PU;
- polyurethanes;
- PVA;
- polyvinyl acetate;
- PVAL;
- Polyvinyl alcohol;
- PVC;
- Polyvinyl chloride;
- PVP;
- Polyvinyl pyrrolidone;
- QA/QC;
- Quality assurance and Quality control;
- SDG;
- Sustainable Development Goal;
- TPD;
- Tonnes per day;
- UNEP;
- United Nations Environment Programme;
- IUCN;
- International Union for Conservation of Nature;
- Plastic flux;
- Ganga and Yamuna River;
- Surface-water and water-column;
- Sediment;
- Risk assessment