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Spatial Connections between Microplastics and Heavy Metal Pollution within Floodplain Soils

Weber, Collin J. ; Hahn, Jens ; Opp, Christian (2022):
Spatial Connections between Microplastics and Heavy Metal Pollution within Floodplain Soils. (Publisher's Version)
In: Applied Sciences, 12 (2), MDPI, ISSN 2076-3417,
DOI: 10.26083/tuprints-00022525,
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Item Type: Article
Origin: Secondary publication service
Status: Publisher's Version
Title: Spatial Connections between Microplastics and Heavy Metal Pollution within Floodplain Soils
Language: English
Abstract:

Soils contain an increasing number of different pollutants, which are often released into the environment by human activity. Among the “new” potential pollutants are plastics and microplastics. “Recognized” pollutants such as heavy metals, of geogenic and anthropogenic origin, now meet purely anthropogenic contaminants such as plastic particles. Those can meet especially in floodplain landscapes and floodplain soils, because of their function as a temporary sink for sediments, nutrients, and pollutants. Based on a geospatial sampling approach, we analyzed the soil properties and heavy metal contents (ICP-MS) in soil material and macroplastic particles, and calculated total plastic concentrations (Ptot) from preliminary studies. Those data were used to investigate spatial connections between both groups of pollutants. Our results from the example of the Lahn river catchment show a low-to-moderate contamination of the floodplain soils with heavy metals and a wide distribution of plastic contents up to a depth of two meters. Furthermore, we were able to document heavy metal contents in macroplastic particles. Spatial and statistical correlations between both pollutants were found. Those correlations are mainly expressed by a comparable variability in concentrations across the catchment and in a common accumulation in topsoil and upper soil or sediment layers (0–50 cm). The results indicate comparable deposition conditions of both pollutants in the floodplain system.

Journal or Publication Title: Applied Sciences
Volume of the journal: 12
Issue Number: 2
Place of Publication: Darmstadt
Publisher: MDPI
Collation: 22 Seiten
Uncontrolled Keywords: plastic pollution, metals, metalloids, river systems, freshwater pollution
Classification DDC: 500 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik > 550 Geowissenschaften
Divisions: 11 Department of Materials and Earth Sciences > Earth Science > Department of Soil Mineralogy and Soil Chemistry
Date Deposited: 10 Nov 2022 13:11
Last Modified: 26 Apr 2023 08:43
DOI: 10.26083/tuprints-00022525
Corresponding Links:
URN: urn:nbn:de:tuda-tuprints-225258
URI: https://tuprints.ulb.tu-darmstadt.de/id/eprint/22525
PPN: 507247434
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