Detection of Possible Polluting Microplastics in the Paragominas Stream, Municipality of the Same Name, Pará, Brazil

Emerging pollutants such as microplastics – MPs (particles < 5mm), have currently raised the concern of water resource managers, especially in urban areas. The problem becomes more serious when there is no information and data about the possible presence or absence of them in urban waters. This gap was fundamental for the execution of this research in the Paragominas stream, in the homonymous municipality, in addition to determining the four objectives: To identify: 1) the possible origins of the MPs in the two environmental matrices; 2) the presence or absence in the two environmental matrices: water and sediments in five areas of the urban stretch; 3) the shapes and colors, and 4) the possible environmental changes that their presence can cause in surface waters. The method used was investigative with quantitative and qualitative scope and observational nature. The data obtained and analyzed in the five areas (24.255 items) of the urban section indicated that there is the presence of MPs. The greatest magnitude occurred in surface waters (23500 items/m3); the lowest, in sediments (755 items/kg); Regarding the shape, the fibers had a greater magnitude (96.60%), with a predominance of the color blue (44.13%). In the distribution by areas, A4 – Green Lake, presented, in water, the highest magnitude (8050 items/m3), and the lowest, in A2 – Avenida Selecta (2300 items/m3). As for sediments, the fibers highest magnitude occurred in A1 - Constantino Pereira do Sacramento Highway (320 items/Kg), and the lowest, in A5 – Padre Carvalho Street (25 items/Kg). This is the first study on this topic, in this stream, and can be used by municipal managers and develop actions that allow and control the abundance of MPs and avoid additional costs both in health and in the treatment of water for public supply.