Microplastics contamination in the soil from Urban Landfill site, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Abstract

Microplastics (MP) pollution has become a matter of global concern because of its several deleterious effects on environmental health, especially on the terrestrial environment. The evidence of MP contamination in terrestrial environment is less explored compared to aquatic bodies. However, in Bangladesh despite having high possibility of MP contamination, there is lacking of available research-based evidence. Urban areas soil is subjected to act as a major environmental reservoir for MPs. Thus, this study was carried out to investigate the presence of MP contamination in constructed landfill sites near Dhaka city, Bangladesh. Ten unmixed soil samples were collected from the Aminbazar Sanitary landfill sites, from that thirty replicated samples were investigated via Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis and Stereomicroscope. The range of physicochemical parameters were found in the soil samples as follows: moisture content; 15.84%-56.54%; soil pH; 5.76-6.02, electric conductivity; 0.1 μs/cm-2.43 μs/cm, alkalinity; 6.7 AE 1.528-14.33 AE 0.577, TOC; 0.18% AE 0.02-1.09 AE 0.03. Among the ten samples, 3 samples were identified to have the presence of MP in the form of Low density polyethylene (LDPE), High density polyethylene (HDPE), and Cellulose acetate (CA) respectively. The detection limit ranged from 1-2000 μm. Hence, the results show that the procurement and discharge of MPs in the landfills is an overlong process. The results of this study provide an initial evidence and affirm that landfill can be a potential source of MPs. This study indicates that MPs are comparatively overlong outcome of human induced activities which can significantly cause changes in terrestrial ecosystems.

Impact of landfill leachate contamination on surface and groundwater of Bangladesh: a systematic review and possible public health risks assessment

“…As for Bangladesh, among the different categories of waste that are dump in solid waste landfill, on an average around 4% of it comprises polythene and plastic (Alam and Qiao 2020 ). In the very recent time, soil samples were collected from the Amin bazar landfill sites and the presence of microplastic has been identified in the form of low density polyethylene (LDPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), and cellulose acetate (CA) (Afrin et al 2020 ). Hence, we can hypothesize the possibility of release microplastic and micropollutants from the landfill leachate of the dumping site in Bangladesh to the receiving water body and thereby bioaccumulation in aquatic species (Parvin et al 2021 ).…”

Microplastic occurrence in urban and industrial soils of Ahvaz metropolis: A city with a sustained record of air pollution

“…Contamination of MPs in urban soils around a landfill site in Dhaka, Bangladesh confirmed the presence of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) MPs and demonstrated that landfill can be a source of MPs dispersing to the surrounding soils (Afrin et al, 2020). MPs in soil can be transported and circulated to other environmental compartments and may reach water resources, sediments and living organisms (Facchinelli et al, 2001;Keshavarzi et al, 2019;Afrin et al, 2020). It is still unknown if MPs will be incorporated in the dynamic structure of the soil and if they will be bioaccessible and affect environmental health in a significant way , Afrin et al, 2020.…”

“…Microplastics (MPs), which can be defined as synthetic solid particles or polymer matrices with a size range of 1 µm -5 mm and insoluble in water (Arthur et al, 2009), are emerging and ubiquitous contaminants that have become an environmental challenge (Afrin et al, 2020).…”

“…MPs can enter the environment through processes that are in place to reduce pollution such as municipal wastewater treatment plants and urban landfills (Afrin et al, 2020), among other sources. Plastics and MPs persist in the environment due to their relatively inert nature.…”

Microplastic Contamination in Soils: A Review from Geotechnical Engineering View

“…The polymer types of the microplastics were expressed as polyethylene and cellulose acetate. The particle diameter of the microplastics detected in the soil beneath the landfill was within the range of 0.001–2 mm [ 101 ].…”