Spatial and seasonal variation of Microplastics in the Avoimitro Ghat and Kalurghat of the Karnaphuli River, Chattogram

doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-2352600/v1

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Spatial and seasonal variation of Microplastics in the Avoimitro Ghat and Kalurghat of the Karnaphuli River, Chattogram

https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-2352600/v1

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The study investigated the Microplastics (MPs) abundance in the two distinct locations (Avoimitroghat and Kalurghat) of the Karnaphuli River, Chattogram, Bangladesh. Eight samples were collected monthly throughout the study period, with three transects covering a total area of 500 m at each site. MPs were collected using a 200 μm mesh size manta net, separated through a density separator, enumerated, and characterized using a microscope. Avoimitro Ghat (94861 ± 97126) had a higher mean abundance of MPs (particles per Km²) than Kalurghat (31343 ± 33183). Statistically significant variation was observed (p < 0.05) in the mean abundance of MPs per km² between the rainy (76134 ± 89641) and dry (63101 ± 79174) seasons. Fragment group MPs had the highest mean abundance (117430 ± 105028 MPs/Km²), whereas pellets had the lowest (8264± 8637). MPs with an elongated shape were dominant at both stations and during all seasons. Blue MPs had the highest mean item value in Avoimitro Ghat and during the dry season, while brown-colored MPs were highest in Kalurghat and during the rainy season. Among the five different size groups, 1–2 mm MPs were abundant in both seasons and Avoimitro Ghat, whereas 500 µm to < 1 mm MPs were abundant at the Kalurghat stations. This study identified and quantified microplastics at the chosen sites, which will be helpful for stakeholders in mitigating microplastic pollution in the Karnaphuli River.

Microplastics

Abundance

Seasonal variations

Characteristics

Karnaphuli river

Plastics are a broad category of synthetic polymeric materials (including polypropylene, polycarbonate, nylon, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, and polystyrene) that can be used to produce a wide range of final products (Leal et al., 2019). They are lightweight, durable, long-lasting, and inexpensive synthetic or semi-synthetic organic polymers (Van Eygen et al., 2017). As plastics last, improperly dumped plastic products accumulate in nature for a long time, and it has become evident that plastic pollution could pose a serious environmental threat (Andrady, 2011). Large-scale plastic production began in the 1950s, with a worldwide production of 2 million metric tons (Geyer et al., 2017). Plastics are carried to the oceans and found in the riverbed, where they either deposit or are remobilized at higher flow rates (Waldschläger & Schüttrumpf, 2019). Physical abrasion, high temperatures, and UV-B exposure are all environmental stresses that can assist plastic waste in disintegrating into a smaller form of plastic (Corcoran et al., 2009; Song et al., 2017). These smaller forms of plastic that are less than 5 mm are named "microplastic" (Egessa et al., 2020).

Microplastics were first reported in North American coastal waters in the 1970s (Carpenter et al., 1972). However, microplastic contamination is a prominent topic of global concern as it is an emerging pollutant (Halden, 2015). It has been identified in almost all types of aquatic environments, such as oceans, lakes, reservoirs, rivers, and estuaries, and even in the inhospitable regions of Antarctica and the Arctic Ocean (Kanhai et al., 2020; Lima et al., 2021; Villegas et al., 2021). Microplastic contamination in aquatic environments is an increasing environmental problem, not only because of their durability and accumulation in the environment, but also because of their propensity to harm aquatic biota (Wardrop et al., 2016). Organisms inadvertently ingest microplastics because of their smaller size range, which is comparable to that of natural food (Wright et al., 2013). Microplastics with colors and shapes that resemble natural foods, such as plankton, are easily ingested by aquatic species, such as low-to high-trophic animals (Dris et al., 2015; Laurier et al., 2007). It can cause physical problems, such as gut obstruction, reduced capacity to evade predators, altered feeding behavior, and low energy levels, all of which affect the exposed individuals' survival, growth, and reproduction. In addition, microplastics affect individual organisms, modify an organism's habitat, and affect the population (Wright et al., 2013). Microplastics can absorb other environmental contaminants, such as polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs), heavy metals, such as dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs), and act as vectors for accumulating and transferring toxins into organisms (Teuten et al., 2009; Ziccardi et al., 2016).

The Karnaphuli River originates in the Lushai hills of India's Mizoram state and is most significant river in Chattogram and the Chattogram Hill Tracts. This river is significant for various reasons, including navigation, fishing, docking yards, transportation, and industrial use of river water (Siddique and Akter, 2012). The river receives many canals, tributaries, and minor rivers, all of which have significantly impacted the Karnaphuli river's hydrobiology, contributing vast amounts of polluted water, solid wastes, sewage, and other pollutants contaminants (Hossain et al., 2005). In various industrial zones, approximately 800 industrial units are situated on and adjacent to the Karnafully's banks, including tannery factories, fish processing plants, textile mills, oil refineries, chemical industries, Triple Super Phosphate (TSP) plant, Karnaphuli Paper Mills (KPM), paint and dye manufacturing units, Chittagong Urea Fertilizer Ltd and the Karnafully Fertilizer Company Ltd (Hossain et al., 2005). All these industries are polluting the Karnaphuli river in an indiscriminate manner that exceeds the safer limit, and these pollutants contribute to microplastic formation.

Microplastics have been studied for more than 45 years, particularly in marine environments (Bergmann et al., 2015; Carpenter et al., 1972), but only a few studies have been conducted in freshwater environments (Blettler et al., 2018). Moreover, research on microplastics in Bangladesh is at a very early stage. To the best of our knowledge, the presence of microplastics in freshwater environments is a new issue in the microplastic research field of Bangladesh. Therefore, it is imperative to obtain in-depth knowledge on the identification and quantification of microplastics in freshwater environments, which will aid in developing guidelines for minimizing plastic pollution. This study goal to determine the present status of microplastic abundance and seasonal variability in terms of their type, shape, size and color in the Avoimitro Ghat and Kalurghat of the Karnaphuli River located at Chattogram, Bangladesh.

Study area

The Karnaphuli River is the lifeline of the port city of Chattogram. Karnaphuli is slowly dying from uncontrolled domestic and industrial trash dumping, unmanaged Pollution, and unabated encroachment. Rajakhali Khal, Chaktai Khal, Kalurghat bridge, AvoimitroGhat, and others are some of the Karnaphuli river's polluted areas. AvoimitroGhat and Kalurghat were chosen from these sites for this study. Those are highly industrial areas where fertilizer, oil refineries, shipbreaking, and fish processing industries are located, all of which contribute to the pollution of the Karnaphuli river. A map of the study area is shown in Fig. 1.

Sampling technique

From July 2021 to February 2022, sampling was conducted every month to collect floating microplastics from the surface water of the Karnaphuli river near Avoimitro Ghat and Kalurghat of the Karnaphuli River. Three transects covering approximately 500 m of the area were chosen for sample collection. Two transects were chosen from the two sides of the river, while the third was chosen from the middle of the river. Each transect consisted of two replicates. Samples were collected using a manta net with a rectangular opening 20 cm high by 30 cm wide, 80 cm long, and 200 µm net with a 20 × 10 cm² collecting pot. The net was towed from the side of the boat and drifted into the surface water. Finally, distilled water was used to rinse and flush the net on-site, ensuring that samples reached sample collection at the end of the net, and the collected samples were transferred to a 500 ml jar immediately after closing the lid to avoid airborne plastic contamination.

Sample preparation

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) laboratory method was followed in this experiment with some modifications. The samples were prepared in the laboratory immediately after the sampling was completed. Samples were poured through 5.6 mm and 0.3 mm stainless steel mesh sieves stacks. The plastics retained in the 5 mm sieve were discarded, while those retained in the 0.3 mm sieve were collected in a 500-ml weighted beaker. The next step was the wet peroxide oxidation procedure, which aided in the removal of the organic material present in the sample. To the beaker having the 0.3 mm size of collected materials, 20 mL of aqueous 0.05 M Iron (II) solution and 20 mL of 30% H₂O₂ were added. After the reaction was stopped, the beaker was heated to 75°C for 30 min. A further 20 mL of 30% hydrogen peroxide was added to further digest any organic material that did not dissolve, and the procedure was repeated until no naturally occurring organic material was left.Six grams of salt (NaCl) per 20 mL of sample was added to the solution to increase its density. The mixture was heated to 75°C until the salt was dissolved. Coppock et al. (2017) followed a density separation process, with some modifications. A density separator made of PVC pipe (100 × 200 × 480 mm) was used for this purpose, and a zinc chloride (ZnCl₂) solution was used as the flotation medium. The supernatant was collected from beakers. The supernatant collected from the density separator was filtered through filter paper (cellulose nitrate with a diameter of 47 mm diameter and 0.45 µm pore size of). After filtering, the filter paper was placed in a fresh petri dish and examined under a microscope.

Microplastics identification

Microplastic lengths greater than 2 mm were visually identified and quantified. In contrast, microplastics with a length smaller than 2 mm were identified and quantified using an electron microscope (OPTIKA, B-192, Italy) at 40X magnification, following Masura et al. (2015). The length of the microplastic particles was calculated using the method described by Isobe et al. (2014). Microplastics with a length of more than 2 mm and size were measured directly using a measuring scale, while the rest (smaller than 2 mm size) of the particles were measured with the help of Proview digital camera software under an electron microscope by calibrating the stage micrometer scale.

Microplastic images were captured using a digital camera (OPTIKA-CB3) attached to a microscope. Hidalgo-Ruz et al. (2012) used the microplastic criteria to distinguish microplastic particles from naturally occurring particles. Morphological characteristics such as color, surface structure, shape, and detailed criteria described by KovačViršek et al. (2016) were used to identify the microplastics. Microplastics are divided into six categories: fragment, fiber, granule, film and pellet, and foam; the present study also followed these criteria. The identified MPs were categorized based on their color and size.

Determination of microplastic abundance

The microplastic abundance in each sample was calculated using the equation of KovačViršek et al. (2016).

Microplastic abundance (per km²) =\(\frac{\text{The number of microplastic counted}}{\text{Total area}}\)

Here, net width = 30 cm (0.3 m), and sampling length = 500 m. Therefore, the total area = (0.3 x 500) m² = 150 m² = 0.00015 km².

Statistical analysis

The abundance of microplastics was expressed as particles per km². Microsoft Excel and IBM SPSS (version 26) were used for all statistical analyses. To determine whether there were variations in MP abundance between the rainy and dry seasons, a Mann-Whitney U test was conducted, with values expressed as mean ± standard deviation.

Abundance of microplastics

Microplastics were identified in all months in all samples collected during the dry and rainy seasons. The highest microplastic abundance per Km² was found in Avoimitroghat (94861 ± 97126) compared to Kalurghat (31343 ± 33183). Figure 2 shows the mean abundance of microplastic (per Km²) in chosen stations of the Karnaphuli river. This study showed that the highest microplastic abundance was found in August (87407 ± 101941 particles per km²), and the lowest amount of microplastics was found in January ( 38889 ± 944798 particles per km² ) (Fig. 3).

The rainy season showed a greater mean abundance of MPs per Km² (76134 ± 89641) than the dry season (63101 ± 79174). To determine if there were variations in MPs abundance between the rainy and dry seasons, a Mann-Whitney U test was conducted. Distributions of MP abundance of MPs the dry and rainy seasons were not similar, as assessed by visual identification. The abundance of MPs in the rainy (mean rank = 315.05) and dry (mean rank = 261.95) seasons were statistically significantly different (U = 33824.50, z =-3.836, p = 0.0001). The study found statistically significant variations in MP abundance between the rainy and dry seasons.

Type-wise abundance of MPs

A total of six types of MPs were identified in both selected research stations of the Karnaphuli river. The types identified were fragments, filaments, films, foams, granules, and pellets (Fig. 4). Fragments (117430 ± 105028 MPs/Km²) were the most abundant group, while pellets were the least abundant group (8264 ± 8637). Table 1 shows the type-wise abundance of the MPs in the Karnaphuli river.

Table 1

The type-wise abundance of the MPs in the assigned research stations of the Karnaphuli River. Values were given with SD for each type of identified microplastic.
Type	Mean (MP/ Km²)
Fragment	117430 ± 105028
Filament	132291 ± 89051
Film	69444 ± 61060
Foam	38611 ± 30922
Granule	12569 ± 11602
Pellet	8264 ± 8637

Station and seasonal variations in the count of MPs shape

Six (6) shapes of MPs were identified in the selected research stations of the Karnaphuli River: irregular, round, elongated, rectangular, cylindrical and angular. The research station showed the same microplastic shapes but varied in MP's mean MP count. The irregularly shaped (36 ± 17 MP/Km²) MPs were highly abundant in Avoimitroghat, but elongated shapes (11 ± 1 MP/Km²) were high in Kalurghat. Irregular shapes had the highest mean counts in both the rainy and dry seasons. Cylindrical shapes were less abundant in groups of MPs in both stations and seasons. Figure 5 and Fig. 6 show the different shapes of MPs with their mean item counts for the stations and seasons.

Size variations

The identified MPs were measured and categorized into five size classes: 300 to < 500 µm, 500 µm to < 1 mm, 1 to < 2 mm, 2 to < 3 mm, and 3 to < 5 mm. The MP classes varied in the case of their mean count in the case of the seasons and stations. Size classes 1 to < 2 mm were highly abundant (34 ± 7 MPs/Km²) in Avoimitroghat, while 500 µm to < 1 mm size MPs were highly abundant (9 ± 8 MPs/Km²) in Kalurghat. In both seasons, MPs of 1 to < 2 mm were mostly found. Figure 7 and Fig. 8 show the mean item count of the MP according to their designated size class.

Color variations

The identified MPs were categorized into different classes based on their colors. Ten (10) types of colour were observed: brown, red, black, white, green, transparent, pink, orange, blue, and yellow. Brown-colored MPs (per Km²) showed the highest mean count (5 ± 1) in Kalurghat and blue color (12 ± 17) in the Avoimitroghat station (Fig. 9). Colorwise variations in MPs were also observed in the case of the season, as shown in Fig. 10.

In the present study, microplastics were identified in eight months, and the highest abundance of microplastic per Km² was found in Avoimitroghat (94861 ± 97126) than in Kalurghat (31342 ± 33182). Almost 800 industries are located adjacent to the banks of the river Karnaphuli in different areas, and the river is linked with many canals, minor rivers, and tributaries, all of which contribute to the accumulation of plastic Pollution (Hossain et al., 2005). Microplastic concentrations in the Rhine River were also higher than those in the current study, ranging from 145000 to 3070000 particles per km² (Mani et al., 2015). Six different nations border the Rhine River, and its basin is characterized by high population concentrations, which, combined with other factors, causes the Rhine River to have a higher quantity of microplastics (Mani et al., 2015). Italian Subalpine Lakes had a relatively lower concentration of microplastics than the current study, with concentrations ranged from 4000 particles per km² to 57000 particles per km² (Sighicelli et el., 2018). Various factors, including environmental differences, human activities, sample methodologies, net mesh size, and meteorological and hydrological conditions, cause these variations.

The abundance of microplastics was higher during the rainy season than during the dry season. August had the highest microplastic abundance (87407 ± 101940 particles per km²) during the eight months of the study period. The lowest microplastics were found in January (38888 ± 944798 particles per km2). Similar results were obtained in the Nakdong River, South Korea (Eo et al., 2019), the Pearl River Estuary, China (Li et al., 2021) and the Southern Indian Lake (Warrier et al., 2022), where a comparatively higher abundance of microplastics was reported in rainy seasons than in dry seasons. Heavy rain causes runoff in the surrounding areas, which allows microplastics from the land to enter the river (Lima et al., 2014). Large river water outflow and rapid water flow occur during the wet period, re-suspending and conveying microplastics previously dumped in the river basin (Hurley et al., 2018). Large river outflows and rapid water flow, which occur during the rainy season, re-suspend and convey microplastics that have previously been dumped on the river bottom (Hurley et al., 2018). This process substantially increases the microplastic concentrations in water as a result of resuspension during the rainy season. The average precipitation during the dry season is low and the surface runoff input is predicted to be similarly low (Eo et al., 2019). As a result, the microplastic concentrations were lower during the dry season.

In this investigation, six types of MPs were identified: fragments (117430 ± 105028 MPs/Km²) were the most abundant group, and pellets were the least abundant group (8264 ± 8637). This outcome is consistent with earlier investigations by Lin et al. (2018), Dikareva et al. (2019), Radhakrishnan et al. (2021), and Saha et al. (2021). As fragment-type MPs were more abundant in this investigation, it can be inferred that secondary MPs were more prevalent in the studied area. Fragment-type MPs can originate from land- and sea-based sources (Gupta et al., 2021). Land-based sources of MPs include packaging tools, industrial inputs, tire wear, fisheries, and aquaculture (Lusher and Pettersen, 2021). In contrast, sea-based sources of MPs include the degradation of fishing gear, fishing, paintings from ships and other vessels, maintenance in airport regions, and water sports events (Gupta et al., 2021). Filaments or fiber-type MPs originate from various sources, including laundry, abandoned ropes, textiles, sewage treatment plants, and fishing operations (Browne et al., 2011). The main source of films is the degradation of items, such as plastic bags, one-time-use plastics, and trash discarded during tourist activities (Robin et al., 2020). This study found that the abundance of pellet-type MPs was the lowest. A study by Wicaksono et al. (2021) reported a similar result, with pellets making up the lowest amount. The lower abundance of pellets in this study indicates that microplastics in the studied area do not originate largely from primary MPs. Pellets are commonly employed as feedstock for the manufacture of plastics or in air-blasting (Eerkes-Medrano et al., 2015). Granule-type plastics are frequently present in many cosmetic and cleaning products or are created when larger degradable plastics break down (Cole et al., 2011). Foams are frequently used in packaging and fishing industries (Wang et al., 2019).

The identified MPs were categorized into six distinct shapes, with irregular and elongated MPS being the most dominant in the seasons and stations. Similar results were reported in studies of the Bay of Bengal fish and sediment from the beach (Hossain et al., 2019; Hossain et al., 2021), where filamentous or elongated and irregularly shaped MPs predominated. All filaments in this study had an elongated shape and originated primarily from laundry and fishing net waste. Additionally, most of the fragments had irregular shapes and rough edges, suggesting that the deterioration of larger plastic items may have generated them.MPs with cylindrical shapes were the least common at both stations and seasons. These changes in MPs morphologies may be caused by several factors, including the waste source, MPs breakdown, debris quality, UV-B radiation, the way plastics are suspended in water, wind drift, and the rate at which plastic sinks (Karthik et al., 2018).

Large microplastics were found in the 1 mm to < 2 mm size class at station Avoimitroghat during the rainy and dry seasons. A similar result was found in the study by Zhang et al. (2019), where most microplastic particles were < 2 mm. The size of microplastics did not vary with the season in this study, and Wang et al. (2021) also observed that microplastics did not vary with the season. These findings suggest that microplastics persist in water for a prolonged period and have a long-term effect on the environment. MPs with sizes ranging from 500 µm to < 1 mm were highly abundant in Kalurghat. The fragmentation of larger plastics could be aided by the high water flow in river systems and abrasion caused by the tide (Browne et al., 2007), which likely contributes to the higher number of small-sized MPs. Because of the size similarity of microplastics with lower trophic level organisms, smaller microplastics have a greater chance of being consumed by a variety of organisms (such as micro-or nanoplankton) (Cole et al., 2011). In this study, the large amount of microparticles in the class of 1 mm to < 2 mm was 32.97%, suggesting that aquatic biota were more likely to misinterpret microplastics as food in the studied areas.

Ten colors were observed: brown, red, black, white, green, transparent, pink, orange, blue, and yellow. Castro et al. (2020) reported similar findings. In this study, brown and blue MPs showed the highest mean counts at Kalurghat and Avoimitroghat stations, respectively. The yellow colour showed the least mean count in the Avoimitroghat, while orange was in the Kalurghat stations. The color of microplastics can help determine their origin and level of weathering (Wicaksono et al., 2021). Colored MPs are typically produced from textiles, packaging, and other commercial uses (Xu et al., 2018). Therefore, the predominance of colored microplastics in this study is compatible with the idea that the microplastics observed here may have come from consumer goods (e.g., clothes, plastic caps and cosmetics, plastic bags, and plastic containers). Microplastic color may also affect a fish's preference for consuming small plastic items. MPs with the same color as their food are preferred by fish (Wicaksono et al., 2021). Some fish and their young, which eat plankton, may misinterpret microplastics (e.g., brown, white, and yellow plastics) as resembling their food. Sea turtles frequently consume transparent and light-coloured plastics, according to a study by (Boerger et al., 2010). However, the relationship between plastic color and ingestion of microplastics by organisms has not been conclusively established (Zhang et al., 2017). Furthermore, the color of microplastics is typically derived from a synthetic colorant, which can leach into the environment and pose a risk to aquatic organisms (Wicaksono et al., 2021).

This study has shown that extremely alarming amounts of microplastics are in the Karnaphuli River's surface water. The microplastic concentration during the rainy season was substantially higher than that during the dry season. Because most microplastics are colored and mimic prey for living organisms, they are regarded as hazardous. Most of the identified microplastics were elongated, irregular in shape, and varied in size. Overall, the varying sizes, shapes, and colors indicate that microplastics at this study site may have undergone distinct physical processes, resulting in a variety of sources of microplastic contamination. In this study area, the largest potential sources of microplastics are land-based sources, including road runoff, untreated wastewater discharges, tourism, and other anthropogenic wastes, with minimal contribution from sea-based sources such as fishing and port operations. These findings lay the groundwork for future research into the point and nonpoint causes of MP pollution. Furthermore, this study can serve as a baseline for the management of river pollution. In addition to the current study, more research is required to confirm the annual changes in the number of microplastics and their toxicological effects on aquatic organisms and the environment.

Funding statement: The research work was funded by University Grants Commission (UGC), Bangladesh.

Acknowledgements: The authors are also grateful to Aquatic Ecology Laboratory, Department of Fisheries Resource Management, Faculty of Fisheries, for providing laboratory research facilities.

Author’s Contribution: Shahida Arfine Shimul: Conceptualization, Methodology, Laboratory work, Writing-Original Draft Preparation, Writing-Review and Editing; Zannatul Bakeya: Methodology, Laboratory work, Writing-Original Draft Preparation; Jannatun Naeem Ananna: Laboratory work, Writing-Original Draft Preparation; Saifuddin Rana: Data Analysis, Writing-Original Draft Preparation, Writing-Review and Editing, Visualization; Sk. Ahmad Al Nahid: Conceptualization, Methodology, Writing-Review and Editing, Supervision.

Competing interest: The authors declare no competing interest.

Data availability statement: The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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No competing interests reported.

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Spatial and seasonal variation of Microplastics in the Avoimitro Ghat and Kalurghat of the Karnaphuli River, Chattogram

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