Abstract
Microplastic pollution has become a major global problem demanding prompt solution. So far, most research has focused on marine environment, but there is a lack of information about microplastic distribution, and persistence uptake in coastal soil environment. In this study, the Huangshui River Basin in Laizhou Bay and Dagu River Basin in Jiaozhou Bay of Shandong Province of China was taken as the research area. A total of 3,352 microplastic items were collected from 12 samples from the four sites in this study. The results showed that local soil was already affected by microplastics, of which 92.9% were particles, 6.1% were fibers, and only 1% were films. The existence of film PE indicated that the microplastic pollution in soil probably came from the plastic film. The degree of pollution was correlated with the size, and the size of microplastics was negatively correlated with abundance. Only a few labelled fibers were detected in groundwater samples, which may come from the external environment. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of environmental microplastic pollution in the coastal region.
Highlights
As the economy continues to grow, the demand for plastic products is increasing
A total of 3,352 microplastic items were collected from 12 samples from the four sites in this study
The results confirmed that the microplastic pollution in the soil mainly predominately originated from small particles
Summary
As the economy continues to grow, the demand for plastic products is increasing. A large number of discarded plastics pose a threat to the ecological environment. Microplastics with particle size less than 5 mm pose a higher threat[3]. The annual production of plastic waste in China is up to 3 million tons. Science and technology of human beings have been gradually improved, the growing waste plastics are still discharged into the ocean, threatening the stability of marine ecology. The microplastic pollution in the natural environment includes two parts: (1) primary microplastics are used for cosmetics and industrial purposes, and (2) secondary microplastics derive from the fragmentation of larger plastics, such as discarded plastic bags, nylon ropes and other large plastics. To realize the distribution of microplastics in groundwater and the damage to agriculture and the impact on ecosystem still needed further research and more endeavors
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