Occurrence and risk assessment of microplastics in surface water, sediment, and biota of Surma River, Bangladesh

Pollution from microplastics (MPs) has become a major environmental concern worldwide, impacting ecosystems severely. Bangladesh is one of the developing nations, with concerning issues of improper plastic trash handling by poor recycling infrastructure. The present study focuses on MPs pollution in the Surma River, which is in the northeastern part of the country. MPs in the water, sediment, and biota sample were observed in the study. Density separation, microscopic observations, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis have been conducted for MPs identification and quantification. MPs concentrations were observed at 5–20 items/L in surface water, 360–960 items/kg in sediment, and 2–3.6 items/species in biota. Fiber shapes, 1–2 mm sizes, and transparent colored MPs were the most prevalent type in surface water. While fragment shape, 1–2 mm sizes, and black MPs were most common in sediment samples. For biota samples, fiber shape, 1–2 mm sizes, and black MPs were the most prevalent. Moreover, risk assessment indices were examined for the individual sites, including contamination factors (CF), polymeric hazard assessment (PHA), pollution risk index (PRI), and pollution load index (PLI). PLI recorded for surface water and sediment are 1.92 and 2.69, respectively, indicating substantial contamination in the Surma River. This study provides the first multi-compartment analysis of microplastic pollution in the Surma River. The findings can inform future mitigation strategies, waste management policies, and contribute to global efforts in combating the pervasive issue of MPs pollution.