PANAJI, March 18: Wastewater from homes, commercial establishments, markets and vessels used for entertainment purposes like casinos contribute to the abundance of microplastics in Mandovi river and onward in the Arabian Sea, a study by the Goa-based CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) has found.
As part of the study titled ‘Unraveling the land-based discharge of microplastics from sewers to oceans – A comprehensive study and risk assessment in wastewaters of Goa’, researchers investigated the level of microplastics in wastewater and their potential risks to the ecosystem in Goa.
In the study, which has been published in the Science of the Total Environment Journal, the researchers have said the discharge of microplastics into the coastal waters assumes the role of a precursor for their presence in the coastal environment of Goa.
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“The urban wastewater exhibited significant amounts of microplastics in the size range of 100-300 microns mainly comprising fibres. Also the source identification study carried out found polymeric signatures of personal care products (PCPs) and washing machine effluents (WMEs) in wastewater,” the study said.
This underscores the role of wastewater as a distinct point source for impelling estuarine contamination encircling the environments of Panjim City, the study mentioned.
The research was led by Principal Scientist Dr. Mahua Saha (CSIR-NIO), while others who were party of the study included Chayanika Rathore, Aniket Desai, Priyansha Gupta, Akshata Naik, Haritha Yespal Subha from CSIR-NIO, Goa and Jacob de Boer from Virj University, Netherlands.
The finding confirms land-based origins in wastewater significantly contribute to microplastic pollution and their potential risks to the ecosystem and eventually to human health via seafood, the study said.
The study confirms their hypothesis covering a knowledge gap about the pathways of microplastics from source to sink, the researchers said.
Researchers said the study was the first to provide a snapshot information that illustrates the substantial influence of microplastics in wastewater and their transmission to receiving coastal waters.
The study can make a meaningful contribution to Sustainable Development Goal 6.3, which aims “to comprehend global wastewater generation, reduce pollution, eliminate dumping, minimize release of hazardous substances, cut proportion of untreated wastewater, and significantly enhance global recycling and safe reuse efforts”, they said. (PTI)
