Abstract
Microplastics have been increasingly documented globally in numerous environmental compartments. However, little information exists in the Philippines despite the fact that the country is considered to be one of the largest contributors of plastics in oceans. This study, considered as one of the pioneering microplastic research, evaluated the abundance, distribution, and composition of microplastic pollution in the mouths of five rivers, namely Cañas, Meycauayan, Parañaque, Pasig and Tullahan, draining to Manila Bay. Surface water and sediments samples were collected, then passed through a stack of sieves with sizes from 2.36 mm at the top to 0.075 mm at the bottom. These samples were digested to remove organic matter, and salt solutions were added to allow the microplastics to float. Extracted particles were examined under a stereo microscope, and quantified and categorized into shape, size, color, and type. Results show that microplastics were present ubiquitously at all river mouths but with concentrations varying from 1,580 to 57,665 particles/m3 (surface water) and 386 to 1,357 particles/kg (dry sediment). Fragment was the most abundant shape, while white, blue, and transparent were the most prevalent colors. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis revealed that polypropylene (PP), high and low-density polyethylene (high-density polyethylene and low-density polyethylene) and polystyrene were the main types of microplastics present in the river mouths.
Highlights
Microplastics are recently considered as an emerging pollutant, and these are divided into primary and secondary (Andrady, 2011; Wang et al, 2019)
Microplastics were ubiquitously extracted in both surface water and sediment samples
There is no uniform standard for recording the abundance of microplastics in surface water and sediment worldwide, not all the results from published studies can be used for comparison
Summary
Microplastics are recently considered as an emerging pollutant, and these are divided into primary and secondary (Andrady, 2011; Wang et al, 2019). Many studies have documented the occurrence of microplastic contamination among the different bodies of water such as oceans (Anderson et al, 2016; Browne et al, 2011), estuaries (Browne et al, 2010; Lima et al, 2015; Zhao et al, 2014) freshwater bodies (Biginagwa et al 2016; Free et al, 2014; Sanchez et al, 2014), and even in the remote arctic ice (Zarfle and Matthies, 2010; Hubard et al, 2014).
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