MICROPLASTIC POLLUTION IN FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS: SOURCE APPORTIONMENT, SPATIAL HETEROGENEITY, AND INTEGRATED ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT
Abstract
Microplastic pollution has emerged as a significant environmental issue in freshwater environments due to uneven extent, origin, and effects of the pollution on space and seasons. This research considered microplastic pollution using a comprehensive framework of spatial heterogeneity, source contributions, environmental relationships, and ecological risk. Five hundred freshwater observations, including upstream, midstream, and downstream sections in four seasons and four land-use categories were used to determine the quantitative environmental evaluation. The abundance of microplastic, contamination of sediment, physicochemical parameters, source contributions, Pollution Load Index, Polymer Hazard Score, and Integrated Ecological Risk Index were examined using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, correlation, and regression. The lowest ecological risk and highest freshwater and sediment microplastic contamination were found in downstream reaches. The intensity of pollution was usually higher in monsoon conditions, but season was not found to be a significant factor in ecological-risk classification. River reach and land use had a significant risk association. The abundance of microplastic was positively related to sediment contamination, conductivity, turbidity, wastewater, industrial contribution, polymer hazard, and ecological risk, and negatively related to dissolved oxygen. The regression analysis revealed that a number of environmental and anthropogenic factors are important predictors. Spatial setting, land use, source characteristics, and the local environmental conditions had a strong influence on the cause of Freshwater microplastic pollution. There is a need to have integrated surveillance and source-control measures especially in downstream, urban and industrial regions.
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