Identification and Characterization of Microplastics in Riverine Environment, Cauvery River (Mysore), Karnataka, India

Microplastics (MPs) have received extensive attention as an emerging environmental pollutant. They are ubiquitous in the freshwater system and have triggered a global environmental concern. The MP contents in the Cauvery River sediments are inadequately understood due to a lack of quantification of sources, stores, and intermediates. In sediment samples concentration of MPs ranged from 40 ± 22 items kg”1 and 150 ± 56 items kg”1 in the upstream and downstream of KRS dam respectively, microplastics are found in various shapes, colours, and compositions, with red, dark brown, white, transparent. FTIR Spectroscopy analytical technique identified and analysed MP components (PP, PET, PE, and Nylon). The study emphasizes the importance of identifying and addressing microplastics in freshwater environments to mitigate their impact on aquatic ecosystems and inform policymakers.