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Identification of Plastic Product Based on Microplastic Collected from River Water and River Bank
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Researchers analyzed the characteristics of microplastics in river water and sediments of three Japanese rivers to identify the plastic product types most likely to be their source. They found that artificial turf, textile plastics, foam plastics, and waterproof sheeting dominated both water and sediment microplastics by mass. The study provides source attribution insights useful for targeting plastic reduction measures in urban river catchments.
5mm未満のプラスチック片（MP）の発生源推定は，海域へのプラスチックの排出抑制対策を講じるための喫緊した課題である．本研究では，荒川，多摩川，引地川を対象に河川水及び河岸堆積物内のMPの特性（材質・サイズ・形状）を調べ，MP特性に基づきプラスチック製品の種類の特定を試みた．その結果，河川堆積物中のMPサイズは河川水中よりも大きく，両者の差は統計的に有意であることが示された．製品別に分類すると，人工芝，繊維系プラスチック，発泡プラスチック，防水シートが河川水と堆積物の両方で支配的であり，質量割合の平均値はいずれも39%を占めていた．したがって，これら4つのプラスチック製品の対策を講じることが必要であることが示唆された．
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