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Microplastic pollution in show cave sediments: First evidence and detection technique.
Valentina Balestra1, Rossana Bellopede1
1Department of Environment, Land and Infrastructure Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129, Torino, Italy.
Environmental Pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)
|October 3, 2021
Summary
Microplastic pollution is present in Italian show caves, with higher concentrations found in tourist areas. Researchers developed a cost-effective method to detect these microplastics in cave sediments.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Geology
- Ecotoxicology
Background:
- Microplastic pollution is a pervasive global issue, affecting marine and terrestrial ecosystems.
- Cave environments and karst aquifers remain understudied concerning microplastic contamination.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate microplastic pollution in Italian show cave sediments.
- To develop and validate a cave-adapted methodology for microplastic detection in sediments.
- To characterize microplastics found in cave environments.
Main Methods:
- Sediment sampling from a show cave in Italy.
- Microplastic extraction using density separation and organic matter removal.
- Microscopic analysis (with and without UV light) and visual characterization (shape, color, size).
Main Results:
- Microplastics were detected in cave sediments, with higher average abundance (4390 items/kg dry weight) in the touristic zone compared to the speleological/research section (1600 items/kg dry weight).
- Fibers (84.9%) were the dominant microplastic shape, with most particles smaller than 1 mm (85.4%).
- A significant portion of microplastics (87.7%) were fluorescent under UV light, predominantly transparent, while non-fluorescent microplastics were often blue or black.
Conclusions:
- Show caves are susceptible to microplastic contamination.
- The developed analytical technique is effective, non-invasive, and cost-efficient for microplastic isolation from cave sediments.
- Findings provide crucial data for assessing environmental risks of microplastics in show cave ecosystems.
