Microplastics in soils and groundwater in the urban area of the municipality of Bauru-SP

• Grant number: 24/13515-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: February 01, 2025
• End date: February 28, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Water Resources
• Principal Investigator: Décio Luis Semensatto Junior
• Grantee: Tayne Samara Machado da Silva
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Ambientais, Químicas e Farmacêuticas (ICAQF). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus Diadema. Diadema , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 20/15434-0 - SACRE: integrated water solutions for resilient cities, AP.TEM

Abstract

Currently, plastic has become indispensable to society, serving as raw material for packaging, clothing, cosmetics, agricultural inputs, among others. However, a large part of these products is discarded into the environment, becoming sources of microplastic (MP) contamination. MPs are anthropogenic polymeric particles that range from 1 to 5000 ¼m and have already been found in various environmental compartments. Concern about this type of waste is growing due to its potential environmental impacts, such as the adsorption and transport of other harmful substances to the environment and human health. Many studies have reported the presence of MPs primarily in aquatic environments and biota, although very few have addressed soils and groundwater as analysis matrices. In this context, the general objective of this research is to identify, measure, and characterize the MPs present in soil and groundwater of the Bauru Aquifer System (SAB) in the urban area of the municipality of Bauru (SP). To achieve this, fieldwork will be conducted to install four multilevel monitoring well sets for groundwater and soil sample collection, as well as laboratory work to characterize the collected samples. From this, it is expected to understand which soil characteristics promote greater retention or mobility of MPs, determine the depth at which these reach the aquifer, and relate it to possible contamination sources.