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Microplastics: A vector for heavy metal adherence and its transportation

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Author Affiliations

  • 1Department of Environmental Studies, University of Delhi, India
  • 2Department of Environmental Studies, University of Delhi, India

Int. Res. J. Environment Sci., Volume 9, Issue (2), Pages 41-45, April,22 (2020)

Abstract

Plastic particle with size less than 5mm (in diameter) are known as Microplastic. Nowadays it is becoming global threat for several water bodies and associated organisms hence considered as an alarming pollutant. On the other hand, heavy metals being persistent problem for aquatic body with high biomagnification capacity. In general, both Microplastic and Heavy metals acts as a stressor for the aquatic ecosystem and its biota. To explore the interactions, a short exposure study was conducted in which we examined the adsorption of two metals, Nickel (Ni) and Lead (Pb), taken places from a paint which has antifouling nature onto the surface of unexposed Polyethylene (PE) and Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) beads. We have very clearly observed that both Ni and Pb was continuously released from paint into the tap water sample and adhered onto the surfaces of exposed microplastic beads but with specific preferential coexistence. Like, it was observed that Pb adsorption was appreciably greater in PE beads than in PVC further on the other side of Ni adsorption was significantly greater in PVC beads than in PE. This result strongly suggests that after degradation when a plastic convert into microplastic which has a high tendency to adhere heavy metals, further, act as a transport vehicle of such metals which moves one place to another in an ambient environment.

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