We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Assessment of microplastics and associated ecological risk in the longest river (Godavari) of peninsular India: A comprehensive source-to-sink analysis in water, sediment and fish
Summary
Researchers conducted a comprehensive survey of microplastic pollution throughout India's longest river, the Godavari, testing water, sediment, and fish from source to sea. They found microplastics throughout the entire river system and in the fish living there, highlighting that river pollution can transfer microplastics into organisms that people may eventually eat.
Persistent microplastics (MPs) accumulation in the aqueous environments is considered a threat to the ecosystem, potentially harming aquatic species and human health. In view of the escalating problem of MPs pollution in India, a comprehensive investigation of MPs accumulation in major riverine systems is necessary. The current study aims to estimate MPs abundance in surface water, sediment, and fish samples along the entire stretch of Godavari, the largest river in peninsular India. Average MPs concentrations in water lie in the range of 311-939 MPs/m and 2-144 MPs/kg d.w. for sediment. Urban regions and dam reservoirs showed elevated MPs abundance, emphasizing the impact of anthropogenic activities. The μ-Raman analysis revealed PE and PP were the abundantly occurring polymers in all matrices. Polymer and ecological risk index identify most sampling sites as extremely high-risk zones, posing a potential threat to aquatic ecosystems and human health. Plotted t-SNE (t-distributed Stochastic Neighbour Embedding) revealed similarities in MPs morphology and compositions among water, sediment and fish samples. Examined MPs in edible (flesh+skin) and inedible parts (GIT and gills) of seven different fish species showed a higher average MPs abundance in edible parts (10.7 ± 14.9 MPs/fish) than gills (7 ± 8.1 MPs/fish) and GIT (6.6 ± 5.5 MPs/fish). This suggests that removing gills and GIT from fish doesn't eliminate the consumer's risk of MPs intake. Overall, our work highlights the significant MPs pollution in the Godavari River, further providing essential data on the ecological risk of MPs to guide municipal action plans, improve waste management, target high-risk areas, and raise awareness to mitigate impacts.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Occurrence, quantification and characterisation of microplastics in Godavari River, India
Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in the Godavari River in India, finding an average of 3.9 particles per liter across six sites, with fibers making up over 80% of particles and polypropylene and polyethylene being the most common polymer types. Urban areas had higher concentrations, and the presence of these plastics in a major river system poses risks to agriculture and human health through contaminated water and food sources.
Assessment and accumulation of microplastics in the Indian riverine systems: Risk assessment and implications of translocation across the water-to-fish continuum
This review assessed microplastic pollution across Indian rivers and the fish that live in them, finding widespread contamination in both water and fish tissues. Microplastics were found to transfer from river water into fish organs including gills, gut, liver, and muscle tissue that people eat. Since Indian rivers support the livelihoods and food supply of hundreds of millions of people, this contamination pathway is a significant concern for human dietary exposure to microplastics.
Characterization of microplastics in commercially valued Gangetic fishes and its exposure assessment on humans
Researchers characterized microplastics in commercially sold fish from the Ganges River in India, finding plastic contamination across multiple species and providing an initial exposure assessment for human consumers who rely on freshwater fish as a primary protein source.
The first report on the source-to-sink characterization of microplastic pollution from a riverine environment in tropical India
This first source-to-sink study of microplastic pollution in a tropical Indian river system tracked microplastics from urban sources through the river to estuarine and coastal deposition zones, characterizing polymer types and morphologies at each stage.
Characterization, distribution, and risk assessment of microplastic in fish and sediment from the longest river of Bangladesh
Researchers characterized microplastic contamination in fish and sediment from the Brahmaputra River in Bangladesh, the country's longest river. They found microplastics in all fish and sediment samples, with fibers being the most common type, and bottom-dwelling fish species containing more particles than those living near the surface. The study provides important baseline data on freshwater microplastic pollution in a major South Asian river system.