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Spider Webs as Passive Monitors of Microplastic and Its Copollutants in Indoor Environments

Kadamparambil Sivasankaran Aradhana1, Vishnu S Moorchilot2, Taiha Joo3

  • 1School of Environmental Studies, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi 682022, India.

ACS Omega
|February 17, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Indoor spider webs effectively monitor microplastics (MPs) and copollutants. Webs show higher MP levels than dust, confirming their role as bioindicators for indoor contamination and health risk assessment.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Analytical Chemistry
  • Toxicology

Background:

  • Indoor environments accumulate microplastics (MPs) and copollutants, posing health risks.
  • Continuous monitoring is crucial for assessing indoor exposure levels.
  • Limited air circulation exacerbates particulate matter buildup in homes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate indoor spider webs as passive samplers for microplastics (MPs) and associated copollutants.
  • To compare MP and copollutant levels in spider webs versus dust.
  • To establish spider webs as bioindicators for indoor environmental monitoring.

Main Methods:

  • Collected indoor spider web and dust samples.
  • Quantified microplastic particles using analytical techniques.
  • Analyzed copollutant concentrations, including Bisphenol A and phthalic acid esters (PAEs).
  • Performed statistical analysis to assess MP distribution and correlations.

Main Results:

  • Microplastics were detected in both web and dust samples with significant variations (p < 0.05).
  • Spider webs exhibited substantially higher MP concentrations (138-33,570 MPs/g) than dust (59-9324 MPs/g).
  • A strong positive correlation (r = 0.93, p < 0.05) was found between MPs in dust and webs.
  • Copollutants like Bisphenol A and PAEs were identified, with varying concentrations in webs and dust.

Conclusions:

  • Indoor spider webs serve as effective biomonitors for microplastics and copollutants.
  • Spider webs act as significant environmental sinks for indoor contaminants.
  • Findings support the use of spider webs for assessing indoor exposure and potential health risks.

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