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Microplastic Pollution in Riparian Soils of the Rapidly Growing City of Thimphu, Bhutan
Summary
Researchers measured microplastic levels in riverside soils throughout Thimphu, Bhutan's rapidly growing capital, and found urban areas had far higher concentrations than rural ones, with blue-colored plastic particles most common and drainage outlets serving as key pollution pathways. The study highlights how fast-growing cities in developing regions can quickly accumulate soil microplastic pollution when waste management lags behind economic growth.
Abstract Plastic has become a vitally important material for humans; however, the large amount of plastic waste generated annually pollutes the environment. Plastic decomposition generates microplastics (MPs), which have emerged as a concerning global environmental pollutant because of their potential to be more harmful to the environment than their larger counterparts. This study examined the occurrence and abundance of MPs in riparian soils (RS) of a rapidly growing city in Thimphu, Bhutan. Additionally, the study investigated the relationships between the abundance of MP and several variables, such as the physicochemical properties of the soil, land use, the distance to impervious cover (IC), the plot IC%, surface plastic, textile waste, and the distance to upstream drainage outlets within the riparian zone (RZ). A density separation technique was used to extract MPs. The results showed that RS in urban sites had higher concentrations of MPs (93.3%) than in other land use (7.7%, p = 0.04). Blue MPs (46.2%) were the most common plastic colour. In urban RS, MPs ranged from 0 to 500 particles/kg. MP concentration showed a positive correlation with available phosphorus ( p = 0.01) and the distance to the upstream drainage outlets ( p = 0.01). Our findings highlight the nature and pathways of MP pollution in rapidly growing cities, where economic growth often overshadows environmental management. We also identify opportunities for these cities to mitigate MP pollution by reclaiming surface plastic and textile waste, stepping up recycling initiatives, and disposing of plastic-ridden waste in low-impact landfills.