A recent study conducted along the Ganges river in South Asia has unveiled alarming findings regarding microplastics. The research, representing the first comprehensive analysis of microplastics in water, sediment, and air around a major river system, found that these tiny plastic particles are widespread and problematic.
On average, 41 microplastic particles per square meter settle from the atmosphere onto the riverbed each day. Sediment from the riverbed contains an average of 57 microplastic particles per kilogram, and every 20 liters of water in the river contains one microplastic particle.
This study, published in the journal Science of the Total Environment, relied on samples collected during the National Geographic Society's Sea to Source: Ganges expedition. Dr. Imogen Napper, a Research Fellow at the University of Plymouth and National Geographic Explorer, led the research.
The study's findings underscore the significant role rivers play in transporting microplastics to marine environments and reveal the extent of microplastic contamination in river systems. Also Read New Study Reveals Cleaning Products Release Many Dangerous Chemicals
The international team of scientists involved in the research found that fibrous microplastics were the most common type, comprising up to 99 percent of the microplastics in some samples. Rayon, a synthetically altered cellulose, was the dominant polymer in these fibers, followed by acrylic and polyester. Blue was the most prevalent color.
The study also identified clothing as a likely primary source of microplastics in the Ganges river system, influenced by factors such as atmospheric deposition, wastewater, and direct inputs like handwashing clothes in the river.
This research builds on a previous study from January 2021, which suggested that the Ganges River and its tributaries might be responsible for up to 3 billion microplastic particles entering the Bay of Bengal daily. Also Read Women and Atrial Fibrillation After Menopause
