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Preliminary investigation on the occurrence and associated risks of Microplastics, Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons in the Ansupa Wetland: A Ramsar site in Odisha, India
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Scientists found high levels of microplastics (tiny plastic particles) and harmful chemicals called PAHs in a protected lake in India that people rely on for water. The microplastics came from common plastics like water bottles and food packaging, while the chemicals likely came from oil spills and burning fossil fuels. This pollution combination poses serious health risks to people who drink or use this water, showing how plastic waste and industrial pollution are contaminating freshwater sources we depend on.
Microplastics (MPs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) pollution together pose significantly higher ecological and health risks in freshwater ecosystems than either pollutant alone. However, studies on the distribution and associated risks of MPs and PAHs pollution in relation to hydrological parameters are limited. The present study investigates the occurrence, spatial distribution, interrelationship of MPs, PAHs, and hydrological parameters, and their ecological risks in Ansupa Lake. Surface water samples were collected from 8 different locations and analysed using standardized physico-chemical, spectroscopic, microscopic, and chromatographic methods. The average abundance of MPs and PAHs was found to be 15.5±17.3 mg/L and 0.13±0.16 mg/L, respectively. MPs were extracted and characterized using a microscope and Fourier-Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), whereas PAHs were characterized in High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The results revealed 10 different polymers such as Polyurethane (PU), Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Polystyrene (PS), Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), Polypropylene (PP), Low density polyethylene (LDPE), High density polyethylene (HDPE), Polyethylene (PE), and Polyamide (PA) with highest occurrence of PET, PE, HDPE, and LDPE (100%) followed by PVC, PS, and ABS (87.5%). Twelve different types of PAHs were found among which benzo [b] fluoranthene (87.5%) showed highest % occurrence. PAHs containing 2 or 3 rings (Low molecular weight (LMW) PAHs were detected in higher concentration as compared to PAHs containing 4, 5, and 6 rings (high molecular weight (HMW) PAHs. Source diagnostic ratio showed both petrogenic and pyrolytic origin of PAHs, with predominance of petrogenic PAHs. The principal component analysis (PCA) was carried out, and the results shown strong correlation between MPs with transparency, dissolved oxygen (DO), alkalinity, conductivity, and total dissolved solids (TDS), and PAHs with air temperature, whereas no significant relation was observed between MPs and PAHs. The pollution load index (PLI) and polymer hazard index (PHI) of MPs ranged between 1-4.35 and 25- 437587.5, respectively, depicting a low level of PLI with the presence of high-extremely hazardous polymer types. Whereas, the ecological risk assessment (ERA) of PAHs was found to be at high risk.
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Preliminary investigation on the occurrence and associated risks of Microplastics, Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons in the Ansupa Wetland: A Ramsar site in Odisha, India
AI summary Read the abstract
This study of Ansupa Lake, a Ramsar-designated wetland in India, found 10 microplastic polymer types averaging 15.5 mg/L alongside 12 PAH compounds, with co-contamination substantially elevating ecological and health risk scores. The findings demonstrate that microplastics and PAHs co-occur and interact in freshwater protected areas, compounding pollution threats in biodiversity-critical ecosystems.
Microplastic Contamination in the Ramsar-Designated Pallikaranai Wetland, Southern India
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Scientists found tiny plastic bits (from things like packaging, bottles, and synthetic fabrics) buried in the mud and water of a protected wetland in southern India, likely washed in from nearby cities' trash. While this study looked at the wetland itself rather than people, it matters because these wetlands filter water and support wildlife that's part of the food chain—so plastic pollution here can work its way up to the fish and water supplies humans depend on. The findings are a reminder that mismanaged waste doesn't just disappear; it accumulates in the ecosystems we rely on for clean water and food.
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This first-ever study of microplastics in Harike Wetland, India's largest northern wetland and a Ramsar-designated protected site, found plastic particles throughout the water and sediment. The contamination of this internationally recognized conservation area highlights that even protected freshwater ecosystems are not shielded from microplastic pollution.
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Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in surface water and sediment along two Bay of Bengal coastal beaches in India and found microplastics present at both sites. They also detected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, a group of harmful chemicals, adsorbed onto the microplastic surfaces at concentrations that varied by particle shape. The study highlights that microplastics in coastal waters act as carriers for toxic organic pollutants, potentially increasing ecological risks in the marine environment.
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