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Evaluating Microplastic Pollution in Key Water Basins of Tashkent and Jizzakh, Uzbekistan: A Preliminary Study
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Researchers conducted the first polymer-specific survey of microplastic contamination across four freshwater systems in Uzbekistan, finding concentrations up to 2.4 particles per cubic meter, with PET and polypropylene as the dominant plastic types. This baseline study reveals how land use and water management shape microplastic distribution in Central Asia, a region with virtually no prior data on this growing pollution threat.
This study provides the first polymer-specific baseline assessment of microplastic (MP) contamination (0.15–5.0 mm) in four contrasting freshwater systems in Uzbekistan: the urban Karasuv Canal, glacier-fed Chirchik River, agriculturally influenced Sangzor River, and closed-basin Lake Tuzkon. Using a Microshup sampling device, stereomicroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy, we quantified MP concentrations, characterized particle morphology and color, and identified polymer types. Among the 480 confirmed MPs, microfibers (45%) and fragments (35%) predominated, with transparent (50%) and blue (30%) particles being the most common. MP concentrations ranged from 1.4 particles m⁻3 in the Chirchik River to 2.4 particles m⁻3 in Lake Tuzkon, while the highest relative load per water unit occurred in the Sangzor River, likely linked to agricultural runoff. Polymer analysis revealed polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polypropylene (PP) as the dominant polymers, with greater polymer diversity in Lake Tuzkon. The results reveal that hydrological conditions, land-use patterns, and waste management practices jointly influence the distribution of microplastics across Uzbekistan’s freshwater ecosystems. This study establishes an essential regional baseline for Central Asia and highlights the pressing need for continuous monitoring, improved waste management strategies, and expanded research that includes sediment assesment, finer plastic fractions, and ecotoxicological risk evaluation.
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