Investigation of microplastic contamination in the sediments of Noyyal River- Southern India

Microplastics (MPs) have received widespread attention as an emerging environmental pollutant. They are ubiquitous in the freshwater system and have caused a global environmental issue. The terrestrial component of the Noyyal River sediments microplastic is poorly understood due to a lack of quantification of sources, stores, and fluxes. We have presented catchment-wide patterns of microplastic contamination, classified by type, Shape, size, and color, in channel bed sediments from 15 sites in Coimbatore's urban river catchments. In this research, we identified the concentrations of MPs ranging from 500 to 6500 n/m3 at river mouths (dried sediments). In sediments, microplastics are found in a variety of shapes, colors, and compositions, with green, blue, white, transparent, and other colors predominating. MPs components were identified and analyzed by ATR-FTIR (PP, PET, PS, LDPE, and PVAC). The present study is the first comprehensive study of western Tamilnadu, and the findings raise public awareness of the risks of microplastic pollution. This study also discusses the technique used, as well as the impacts and effects of MPs on the environment. Future perspectives are also thoroughly discussed in this study.