title: Microplastics in the surface sediments from the Beijiang River littoral zone: Composition, abundance, surface textures and interaction with heavy metals.
abstract: While large quantities of studies on microplastics in the marine environment have been widely carried out, few were available in the freshwater environment. The occurrence and characteristics, including composition, abundance, surface texture and interaction with heavy metals, of microplastics in the surface sediments from Beijiang River littoral zone were investigated. The concentrations of microplastics ranged from 178 ± 69 to 544 ± 107 items/kg sediment. SEM images illustrated that pits, fractures, flakes and adhering particles were the common patterns of degradation. Chemical weathering of microplastics was also observed and confirmed by μ-FTIR. EDS spectra displayed difference in the elemental types of metals on the different surface sites of individual microplastic, indicating that some metals carried by microplastics were not inherent but were derived from the environment. The content of metals (Ni, Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn and Ti) in microplastics after ultrasonic cleaning has been analyzed by ICP-MS. Based on data from the long-term sorption of metals by microplastics and a comparison of metal burden between microplastics, macroplastics and fresh plastic products, we suggested that the majority of heavy metals carried by microplastics were derived from inherent load.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 51006, China.
authors.forename: Jundong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 51006, China. Electronic address: Jppeng@gdut.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Jinping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Dongguan Environmental Monitoring Central Station, Dongguan, 523009, China.
authors.forename: Zhi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 51006, China.
authors.forename: Yifan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Dongguan Environmental Monitoring Central Station, Dongguan, 523009, China.
authors.forename: Zhiwei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.affiliation: Dongguan Environmental Monitoring Central Station, Dongguan, 523009, China.
authors.forename: Qiuqiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 51006, China.
authors.forename: Liqi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cai
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000378:metabolism*; D010969:Plastics / Q000737:chemistry*; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D010969:Plastics; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Beijiang River; ICP-MS; Microplastics; SEM/EDS; Sediments; μ-FTIR