Microplastics and PAH contamination in the Eastern Arabian Sea: A synergistic environmental hazard

IF 7.2 1区地球科学 Q1 GEOSCIENCES, MULTIDISCIPLINARY

Gondwana Research Pub Date : 2026-06-01 Epub Date: 2026-01-23 DOI:10.1016/j.gr.2025.12.019

Priyansha Gupta , Mahua Saha , Chayanika Rathore , V. Suneel , Jacob de Boer , Anita Garg

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

How significant is the role of microplastics (MPs) in transporting toxic chemicals such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in marine ecosystems, particularly along India’s vulnerable coastlines? Despite growing recognition of MPs as persistent pollutants and effective sorbents for hydrophobic compounds, limited evidence exists on their contaminant-loading potential in the Eastern Arabian Sea (EAS), a region subjected to intense anthropogenic stressors. This study quantifies PAHs associated with both pellets and fragments from 14 beaches in Maharashtra, Goa, and Karnataka along the EAS using column chromatography followed by Gas-chromatography mass spectroscopy techniques. The concentrations of ∑16PAHs in pellets were 1.9–29,500 ng/g (Goa), 0.6–22,900 ng/g (Mumbai), and 0.8–21,400 ng/g (Karnataka). For the fragments the ∑16PAHs ranged from 2 to 2,100 ng/g (Karnataka), followed by 1–1,500 ng/g (Goa) to 12–230 (Mumbai). 4–6 ring-PAHs dominated and the diagnostic ratios indicated combination of processes such as pyrolytic, petroleum spills, and combustion activities. The study also investigated which type of MPs, pellets or fragments, exhibited higher PAH concentrations, and explored the factors responsible. Pellets consistently exhibited higher PAH loads, likely due to their smaller size, greater surface area, and prolonged environmental exposure. The ecological risk associated with PAH-contaminated MPs showed that ∑PAH was higher than TEL (Threshold effect level) and ERL (Effects range low), indicating a probable occasional biological impact. On the other hand, lower ∑PAH level than PEL (Probable effect level) and ERM (Effects ranged median) suggest no significant adverse effects on marine or human ecosystems at the evaluated locations. By highlighting the ecological risks of PAH-contaminated MPs and their role as pollutant vectors, this study raises urgent questions: how far can these invisible threats disperse, and what are their long-term implications for coastal ecosystems and public health?

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东阿拉伯海的微塑料和多环芳烃污染：一种协同环境危害

微塑料（MPs）在海洋生态系统中运输有毒化学物质，如多环芳烃（PAHs），特别是在印度脆弱的海岸线上，所起的作用有多重要？尽管越来越多的人认识到MPs是持久性污染物和疏水性化合物的有效吸附剂，但关于它们在东阿拉伯海（EAS）的污染物负荷潜力的证据有限，这是一个受到强烈人为压力的地区。本研究使用柱层析和气相色谱质谱技术对马哈拉施特拉邦、果阿邦和卡纳塔克邦沿EAS的14个海滩的颗粒和碎片中与多环芳烃相关的多环芳烃进行了量化。颗粒中∑16PAHs浓度分别为：果阿邦1.9 ~ 29500 ng/g、孟买0.6 ~ 22900 ng/g、卡纳塔克邦0.8 ~ 21400 ng/g。这些碎片的∑16PAHs含量在2 ~ 2100 ng/g（卡纳塔克邦）之间，其次是1 ~ 1500 ng/g（果阿邦）到12 ~ 230 ng/g（孟买）。4-6环多环芳烃占主导地位，诊断比率表明热解、石油泄漏和燃烧活动等过程的组合。该研究还调查了哪种类型的MPs，颗粒或碎片，表现出更高的多环芳烃浓度，并探讨了相关因素。颗粒始终表现出较高的多环芳烃负荷，可能是由于其较小的尺寸，较大的表面积和长时间的环境暴露。多环芳烃污染MPs的生态风险∑PAH高于TEL（阈值效应水平）和ERL（效应范围低），表明可能存在偶发性生物影响。另一方面，∑PAH水平低于PEL（可能影响水平）和ERM（影响范围中值），表明在评价地点对海洋和人类生态系统没有显著的不利影响。通过强调多环芳烃污染的MPs的生态风险及其作为污染物载体的作用，本研究提出了一些紧迫的问题：这些看不见的威胁能传播多远，它们对沿海生态系统和公众健康的长期影响是什么？

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Gondwana Research 地学-地球科学综合

CiteScore

12.90

自引率

6.60%

发文量

298

审稿时长

65 days

期刊介绍： Gondwana Research (GR) is an International Journal aimed to promote high quality research publications on all topics related to solid Earth, particularly with reference to the origin and evolution of continents, continental assemblies and their resources. GR is an "all earth science" journal with no restrictions on geological time, terrane or theme and covers a wide spectrum of topics in geosciences such as geology, geomorphology, palaeontology, structure, petrology, geochemistry, stable isotopes, geochronology, economic geology, exploration geology, engineering geology, geophysics, and environmental geology among other themes, and provides an appropriate forum to integrate studies from different disciplines and different terrains. In addition to regular articles and thematic issues, the journal invites high profile state-of-the-art reviews on thrust area topics for its column, ''GR FOCUS''. Focus articles include short biographies and photographs of the authors. Short articles (within ten printed pages) for rapid publication reporting important discoveries or innovative models of global interest will be considered under the category ''GR LETTERS''.