Microplastic Contamination in Urban Environments: Insights from Street Dust Analysis in Jaipur

Microplastics (MPs) are increasingly acknowledged as a serious environmental threat, particularly to vulnerable animal and human populations. In urban settings, MP pollution is a growing issue, especially in commercial areas characterized by high human activity and intensive plastic usage. The current study examines the abundance, distribution, and characteristics of MPs in street dust from five commercial sites in Jaipur City. The result revealed a mean MP concentration of 366.26 ± 168.12 particles/100 g of street dust, with the maximum levels observed at locations S5, S2, and S4 likely associated with extensive tourism and commercial activity. The majority of MPs were found to be smaller in size, <500 μm, and primarily consisted of fibers, followed by fragments and granules, linking their probable source to synthetic textiles and breakdown of plastic materials. RAMAN spectroscopy identified polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride as the most prevalent types of MPs polymer, indicating contributions from packaging materials and construction-related waste. The MPcontamination factor revealed moderate to considerable contamination across the sampling locations. The detection of MPs in street dust highlights potential risks of human exposure through inhalation and ingestion, emphasizing the urgent need for improved waste management and targeted mitigation strategies in areas with high levels of contamination.. KEYWORDS :Microplastic abundance, Pollution load index, Polymers, Street dust