Microplastics in saturated soil and surface water in the urban area of Bauru - SP

• Grant number: 24/08968-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2024
• End date: June 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences - Geology
• Principal Investigator: Ricardo César Aoki Hirata
• Grantee: Enrique Ferreira Moreira da Silva
• Host Institution: Instituto de Geociências (IGC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 20/15434-0 - SACRE: integrated water solutions for resilient cities, AP.TEM

Abstract

The increasing development of human activities and productions are critical points for the increase in the contamination of soils and surface waters, among them, microplastics and synthetic organic polymers with sizes between 5 mm and 1 ¼m which, due to their high persistence in the environment, end up increasing the resulting environmental damage (like many aquatic and terrestrial organisms), either directly or as vectors of other contaminants adsorbed on microplastics. Therefore, we understand the need to collect, verify, quantify, and characterize microplastics (color, shape, and dimensions) and evaluate their possible sources, distributions, and transport in samples of saturated soils and surface waters in a municipality with low water treatment. Sanitary sewage (Bauru - SP) because, while the first is a vital sink and viable route of these contaminants to groundwater (through leaching), the second is a source with potential risks to human health through direct exposure. Surface water samples will be collected at three points along the Bauru River, and saturated soil samples of different depths will be at four points, three transversal to the River above and one longitudinal, forming a transect, making it possible to estimate the hydrogeological influence of the Bauru River with the soil directly connected or vice versa, using the distribution of microplastics and their respective characteristics and quantifications as indicators. Furthermore, with these data, it would be possible to discuss the potential sources of contamination by microplastics of domestic origin, mainly in terms of shapes, as while the fibers may indicate the entry of wastewater from washing clothes, furniture, carpets, and other textile products, the spheres may indicate the entry of effluents containing residues of personal hygiene materials.