Macroplastic and microplastic contamination assessment of a tropical river (Saigon River, Vietnam) transversed by a developing megacity

Author: Lisa Lahens, Emilie Strady, Thuy-ChungKieu-Le, Rachid Dris, Kada Boukermae, Emmanuel Rinnert, Johnny Gasperi and Bruno Tassin
Year of Publication: 2018
Published: Environmental Pollution 236: 661–671

Abstract:
Both macroplastic and microplastic contamination levels were assessed for the first time in a tropical river estuary system, i.e. the Saigon River, that traverses a developing South East Asian megacity, i.e. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The analysis of floating debris collected daily on the Nhieu Loc – Thi Nghe canal by the municipal waste management service shows that the plastic mass percentage represents 11–43%, and the land-based plastic debris entering the river was estimated from 0.96 to 19.91 g inhabitant−1 d−1, namely 350 to 7270 g inhabitant−1 yr−1. Microplastics were assessed in the Saigon River and in four urban canals by sampling bulk water for anthropogenic fiber analysis and 300 μm mesh size plankton net exposition for fragment analysis. Fibers and fragments are highly concentrated in this system, respectively 172,000 to 519,000 items m−3 and 10 to 223 items m−3. They were found in various colors and shapes with smallest size and surface classes being predominant. The macroplastics and fragments were mainly made of polyethylene and polypropylene while the anthropogenic fibers were mainly made of polyester. The relation between macroplastic and microplastic concentrations, waste management, population density and water treatment are further discussed.

Keywords:
Microplastic, Macroplastic, Urban river, Contamination, Anthropogenic fibers

Citation:
Lahens, L., Strady, E., Kieu-Le, T.-C., Dris, R.,  Boukerma, K., Rinnert, E., Gasperi, J., Tassin, B., 2018. Macroplastic and microplastic contamination assessment of a tropical river (Saigon River, Vietnam) transversed by a developing megacity. Environmental Pollution 236: 661–671.

Link:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749117330579

Contamination of table salts from Turkey with microplastics

Author: Sedat Gündoğdu
Year of Publication: 2018
Published: Food Additives & Contaminants: Part A 35 (5): 1006-1014

Abstract:
Microplastics (MPs) pollution has become a problem that affects all aquatic, atmospheric and terrestial environments in the world. In this study, we looked into whether MPs in seas and lakes reach consumers through table salt. For this purpose, we obtained 16 brands of table salts from the Turkish market and determined their MPs content with microscopic and Raman spectroscopic examination. According to our results, the MP particle content was 16–84 item/kg in sea salt, 8–102 item/kg in lake salt and 9–16 item/kg in rock salt. The most common plastic polymers were polyethylene (22.9%) and polypropylene (19.2%). When the amounts of MPs and the amount of salt consumed by Turkish consumers per year are considered together, if they consume sea salt, lake salt or rock salt, they consume 249–302, 203–247 or 64–78 items per year, respectively. This is the first time this concerning level of MPs content in table salts in the Turkish market has been reported.

Keywords:
Microplastic, Table salt, Contamination, Food security, Turkey

Citation:
Gündoğdu, S., 2018. Contamination of table salts from Turkey with microplastics. Food Additives & Contaminants: Part A 35 (5), 1006-1014.

Link:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19440049.2018.1447694