Title :

To what extent can micro-and macroplastics be trapped in sedimentary particles? A case study investigating dredged sediments

Author(s) :

Constant, Mel [Auteur]
Laboratoire de Génie Civil et Géo-Environnement (LGCgE) - ULR 4515 [LGCgE]
Alary, Claire [Auteur]
Laboratoire de Génie Civil et Géo-Environnement (LGCgE) - ULR 4515 [LGCgE]
De Waele, Isabelle [Auteur]
Laboratoire Avancé de Spectroscopie pour les Intéractions la Réactivité et l'Environnement - UMR 8516 [LASIRE]
Dumoulin, David [Auteur]
Laboratoire Avancé de Spectroscopie pour les Intéractions la Réactivité et l'Environnement - UMR 8516 [LASIRE]
Breton, Noémie [Auteur]
Laboratoire Avancé de Spectroscopie pour les Intéractions la Réactivité et l'Environnement - UMR 8516 [LASIRE]
Billon, Gabriel [Auteur]
Laboratoire Avancé de Spectroscopie pour les Intéractions la Réactivité et l'Environnement - UMR 8516 [LASIRE]

Journal title :

Environmental Science and Technology

Pages :

5898-5905

Publisher :

American Chemical Society

Publication date :

2021-04-05

ISSN :

0013-936X

English keyword(s) :

macroplastics
microplastics
dredging sediment
FTIR

English abstract : [en]

Plastic wastes and their fragments (microplastics, MPs <5 mm) represent a global, persistent, and ubiquitous threat to ecosystems. Their sources, transfers and fates are still poorly understood, especially in rivers. To ...
Show more >Plastic wastes and their fragments (microplastics, MPs <5 mm) represent a global, persistent, and ubiquitous threat to ecosystems. Their sources, transfers and fates are still poorly understood, especially in rivers. To fill this gap, sediments were collected from two dredging disposal sites along the Aa River (France). Four pits were dug, and triplicate samples were obtained at four depths (down to 140 cm). The sediments were sieved to 5 mm to collect macroplastics (MaPs). MPs were separated from the sediment based on density using a NaI solution (1.6 g/mL). Suspected plastics were analyzed with Fourier Transform InfraRed (FTIR) spectroscopy. The studied sediments were found to be widely contaminated with concentrations ranging from 0.97 to 77 MaPs/kg and from 0.78 to 2800 MPs/kg, which were one to four orders of magnitude lower than those in most polluted European riverbeds. The MaPs were principally PE, PP, PS and PVC films, whereas the MPs were mainly PA and PES fibers. The plastic concentrations and features of the two sites, which were filled at two different times, differed. Several factors occurring before and after dredging operations may explain these discrepancies. Nevertheless, no relationships with the sediment features were noted, and thus, one major driving force could not be identified. At the site scale, more than 1 ton of plastic could be stored. In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of dredged sediments for past plastic pollution studies and global plastic budget estimations.Show less >

Language :

Anglais

Peer reviewed article :

Oui

Audience :

Internationale

Popular science :

Non

Collections :

• Laboratoire Génie Civil et géo-Environnement (LGCgE) - ULR 4515

Source :

Harvested from HAL