It has been just over 20 years since microplastics were first identified in scientific literature, but there's still so much we don't know about this form of plastic pollution.
New research, conducted jointly by the Indian Institute of Technology, the National Institute of Technology, and the Durban University of Technology, South Africa, focused on an "overlooked" aspect of the issue: microplastics pathways.
What's happening?
Indian science communication hub Research Matters recently profiled the research, published in the Royal Society of Chemistry's peer-reviewed journal, Environmental Science: Advances, in late September.
The authors began by acknowledging that microplastic contamination in freshwater systems was a "pressing" ecological concern, observing that research into its sources was lacking.
To gain insight into these pathways between plastic debris and bodies of water, the team focused on Srinagar's Dal Lake, in India's Kashmir Valley.
Specifically, they sought further details on how pathways like runoff, wastewater treatment plants, laundries, and litter were influenced or altered during periods of "continuous rainfall." They determined that wastewater treatment plants in particular were "persistent" hotspots.
Periods of continuous rainfall "substantially" increased "[microplastics] abundance" in the vicinity of rainwater runoff outlets, and the authors identified myriad "pathway-specific characteristics" overall.
Moreover, they found that Dal Lake had "pervasive" levels of microplastic contamination, rising from 5.9 particles per liter in dry weather to 10 particles per liter amid heavy rainfall.
Why are these findings important?
Although plastic has been around for decades, the discovery of microplastics is far newer.
Since microplastics were first identified, research into their impact on the environment, wildlife, and humans has followed, and each new study has pointed to broad risks.
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Majorly 😥 "Microplastic (MP) pollution has emerged as a pressing environmental challenge with far-reaching implications," the authors explained.
As this study demonstrated, microplastics are "pervasive" in both Dal Lake and the pathways to it. Microplastics are similarly ubiquitous on land and at sea, and worryingly, in our bodies.
Research into the impact of microplastics on human health is ongoing, but data suggest a range of potentially adverse outcomes. Microplastics lodge themselves in organ tissue, with cognitive and carcinogenic effects observed in various studies.
What's being done about microplastic pollution?
The study's authors proposed "climate-resilient stormwater management" measures and upgrades to wastewater treatment plants to mitigate the pollution caused by microplastics.
Since microplastics also enter the human body through our habits, there are ways to limit your exposure to them.
Using less plastic and replacing everyday items with plastic-free alternatives can reduce individual risk.
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