Spatial and temporal variations of microplastics in the Bangpakong River of Chachoengsao province

Microplastic contamination has received increased attention in recent years. The toxicity of microplastics has prompted environmental and human health concerns. The river is one of the sink media for the microplastics contributed from the land. The contamination of river water with microplastics has resulted in numerous reports. The Bangpakong River is one of the province's main sources of freshwater supplies, hence study on microplastics in the river is required in order to develop a database on the occurrence of microplastics in various land-use patterns along the river. The objective of this study was to determine variations of microplastics with regards to time and sampling location and to identify the potential sources of microplastic contamination. Water was collected from 9 sampling stations along the river, which flows through Chachoengsao Province, during the dry and wet seasons. The water was randomly collected and immediately filtered after collection. The adundance, size, shape, color and polymer type of microplastics were determined using micro-Raman spectrometer. The abundance of microplastics in the river ranged from 0.06-3.36 items/L. On the basis of abundance and form, no significant variations were seen between the wet and dry seasons. Fragments was the most abundant shape, while colorless and blue were the most prevalent colors. Fragments formed from anthropogenic waste. The locations surrounding river mouths were the most contaminated in the overall research area. Polypropylene, polyethylene, and polyethylene terephthalate comprised the majority of microplastics polymers.