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Hazardous microplastic characteristics and its role as a vector of heavy metal in groundwater and surface water of coastal south India
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Researchers conducted the first baseline study of microplastics in groundwater and surface water along coastal south India and tested how different plastic polymers absorb heavy metals. They found microplastics at concentrations up to 19.9 particles per liter, with polypropylene showing the highest capacity to adsorb toxic metals like cadmium and manganese. The findings suggest microplastics may act as significant carriers of heavy metals through water systems, raising concerns about contamination of drinking water sources.
Study of hazardous microplastics in the natural water resources is minimal compared to the sea salt, seafood and even packaged water. We presented results of the first baseline research of microplastics in groundwater and surface water from the coastal south India (Tamil Nadu state) and evaluated the heavy metal adsorption capacities of different polymers. The microplastics (up to 19.9 particles/L) were of relatively larger size in surface water (0.34-4.30 mm) compared to the groundwater (0.12-2.50 mm). Polyamide (nylon), polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride and cellulose were the common polymers and all of them showed different capacities of heavy metal adsorption. In two different experimental sites, the polypropylene showed higher capacity of adsorption compared to other polymers in the following orders: (i) cadmium > manganese > lead > arsenic and (ii) manganese > zinc > arsenic > lead > copper. The polyamide, however, exhibited better adsorption only for manganese. Similar to other recent findings, our results associate microplastics as a major vector to transport heavy metals in the water system. Formulation of strategies to reduce the environmental risks of particulate plastics as a potent vector for transportation of the toxic trace elements and subsequent, impact on human health through the OSPRC framework (Origins, Sources, Pathways, Receptors and Consequence) in the study area would require future research.
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Researchers found microplastics and toxic heavy metals contaminating groundwater in the Brahmaputra Valley of northeastern India, with polypropylene being the most common plastic type detected. The microplastics appeared to absorb heavy metals onto their surfaces, creating a combined pollution threat, and cancer risk assessments showed that about a third of samples posed potential health risks to children. This study demonstrates that even underground water sources used for drinking are not safe from microplastic contamination.
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This study mapped microplastic pollution across 16 coastal and estuarine sites along India's coastline, finding contamination everywhere with concentrations varying based on local human activities like port operations, tourism, and fishing. The microplastics were mostly small fibers and fragments under 500 micrometers, and certain plastic types were especially good at absorbing heavy metals. This means microplastics in coastal waters serve as carriers that can transport toxic metals into the seafood chain and ultimately into human diets.
Distribution, Sources, and Heavy Metal Interactions of Microplastics in Groundwater and Sediment of Semi‐Arid Regions of Northwest India
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Researchers found microplastics at every sampling location in groundwater and sediment in a semi-arid region of northwest India, with concentrations reaching up to 122 particles per liter in well water. The groundwater also contained dangerously high levels of arsenic and manganese, and while a direct link between microplastics and heavy metals was not confirmed in water samples, electron microscopy showed heavy metal particles attached to microplastic surfaces in sediment.
Contamination, morphological and chemical characterization, and hazard risk analyses of microplastics in drinking water sourced from groundwater in a developing nation
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Microplastics as adsorbent for Pb2+ and Cd2+: A comparative study of polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, high-density polyethylene, and low-density polyethylene
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Researchers compared how four common types of microplastics adsorb lead and cadmium heavy metals in aquatic environments. The study found that polypropylene had the highest adsorption capacity for both metals, with oxygen-containing functional groups playing a key role in the adsorption process, suggesting that different microplastic types pose varying levels of environmental risk as heavy metal carriers.
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