Petrochemical industry as a source for microplastics; abundance and characteristics of pollution in soil, sewage, and bay

Petrochemical industries can potentially be sources of microplastics. This is the first report that studies the abundance and characteristics of microplastics in different parts of a petrochemical site, and process of changes in microplastics from the place of production to reaching open waters. Sam...

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Main Authors: Alireza Rahmani, Reza Shokoohi, Ghorban Asgari, Abdolmotaleb Seid-mohammadi, Malihe Nasrollah Boroojerdi, Dostmorad Zafari, Amir Shabanloo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:Results in Engineering
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123024013161
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author Alireza Rahmani
Reza Shokoohi
Ghorban Asgari
Abdolmotaleb Seid-mohammadi
Malihe Nasrollah Boroojerdi
Dostmorad Zafari
Amir Shabanloo
author_facet Alireza Rahmani
Reza Shokoohi
Ghorban Asgari
Abdolmotaleb Seid-mohammadi
Malihe Nasrollah Boroojerdi
Dostmorad Zafari
Amir Shabanloo
author_sort Alireza Rahmani
collection DOAJ
description Petrochemical industries can potentially be sources of microplastics. This is the first report that studies the abundance and characteristics of microplastics in different parts of a petrochemical site, and process of changes in microplastics from the place of production to reaching open waters. Samples were taken from 10 points. In order to identify the microplastics, NaCl and ZnCl2 solutions were used for extraction and then H2O2 was used for cleaning and with using different filters, two groups of size were divided. Then, using a stereomicroscope and ATR-FTIR their abundance, color and shape and the type of polymers were determined. The number of microplastics in the soil samples varied from 1483 ± 475 items/Kgdws to 4620 ± 983 items/kgdws, the industrial WWTP sludge, the number of microplastics detected varied from 1233 ± 225 items/L to 1433 ± 372 items/L and in WWTP effluent was determined to be 276 ± 76 items/10 L. on average, 66.38 % and 33.62 % of the detected microplastic particles were in the size range of 0.45μ-20μ and 20μ-2mm, respectively. Also on average, 75.89 % and 24.11 % of the particles were in the density range of 1.2–2 g/cm3 and less than 1.2 g/cm3, respectively. On average, 68.33 %, 14.35 %, 10.55 %, and 6.77 % of the microplastics were in the form of fiber, film, pellet and other, respectively. On average, 29.84 %, 56.27 %, 1.02 %, 2.88 %, 0.97 %, and 8.99 % of the microplastics were black, white, red, blue, green and other respectively. 61 %, 23 %, 8 %, 4 % and 4 % of the investigated particles were classified as PES, PET, PE, PE and unknown, respectively. The results indicate that by moving away from the place of production of PES fibers, microplastics have undergone physical and chemical changes and their nature is changing. Results showed that the petrochemical industries can be potentially a microplastic source. It is a warning that if not taken into consideration will be a serious threat to environmental health.
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spelling doaj-art-df5d0477df2e4f209e02c9821e6cb5d42024-12-19T10:57:59ZengElsevierResults in Engineering2590-12302024-12-0124103061Petrochemical industry as a source for microplastics; abundance and characteristics of pollution in soil, sewage, and bayAlireza Rahmani0Reza Shokoohi1Ghorban Asgari2Abdolmotaleb Seid-mohammadi3Malihe Nasrollah Boroojerdi4Dostmorad Zafari5Amir Shabanloo6Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health and Research Center for Health Sciences, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, IranDepartment of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health and Research Center for Health Sciences, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, IranDepartment of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran; Social Determinants of Health Research Center (SDHRC), Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, IranDepartment of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran; Social Determinants of Health Research Center (SDHRC), Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, IranStudent Research Committee, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran; Corresponding author.Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, IranDepartment of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health and Research Center for Health Sciences, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran; Corresponding author.Petrochemical industries can potentially be sources of microplastics. This is the first report that studies the abundance and characteristics of microplastics in different parts of a petrochemical site, and process of changes in microplastics from the place of production to reaching open waters. Samples were taken from 10 points. In order to identify the microplastics, NaCl and ZnCl2 solutions were used for extraction and then H2O2 was used for cleaning and with using different filters, two groups of size were divided. Then, using a stereomicroscope and ATR-FTIR their abundance, color and shape and the type of polymers were determined. The number of microplastics in the soil samples varied from 1483 ± 475 items/Kgdws to 4620 ± 983 items/kgdws, the industrial WWTP sludge, the number of microplastics detected varied from 1233 ± 225 items/L to 1433 ± 372 items/L and in WWTP effluent was determined to be 276 ± 76 items/10 L. on average, 66.38 % and 33.62 % of the detected microplastic particles were in the size range of 0.45μ-20μ and 20μ-2mm, respectively. Also on average, 75.89 % and 24.11 % of the particles were in the density range of 1.2–2 g/cm3 and less than 1.2 g/cm3, respectively. On average, 68.33 %, 14.35 %, 10.55 %, and 6.77 % of the microplastics were in the form of fiber, film, pellet and other, respectively. On average, 29.84 %, 56.27 %, 1.02 %, 2.88 %, 0.97 %, and 8.99 % of the microplastics were black, white, red, blue, green and other respectively. 61 %, 23 %, 8 %, 4 % and 4 % of the investigated particles were classified as PES, PET, PE, PE and unknown, respectively. The results indicate that by moving away from the place of production of PES fibers, microplastics have undergone physical and chemical changes and their nature is changing. Results showed that the petrochemical industries can be potentially a microplastic source. It is a warning that if not taken into consideration will be a serious threat to environmental health.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123024013161Petrochemical industriesMicroplastic contaminationAbundance of microplasticsWastewater effluentPersian gulf
spellingShingle Alireza Rahmani
Reza Shokoohi
Ghorban Asgari
Abdolmotaleb Seid-mohammadi
Malihe Nasrollah Boroojerdi
Dostmorad Zafari
Amir Shabanloo
Petrochemical industry as a source for microplastics; abundance and characteristics of pollution in soil, sewage, and bay
Results in Engineering
Petrochemical industries
Microplastic contamination
Abundance of microplastics
Wastewater effluent
Persian gulf
title Petrochemical industry as a source for microplastics; abundance and characteristics of pollution in soil, sewage, and bay
title_full Petrochemical industry as a source for microplastics; abundance and characteristics of pollution in soil, sewage, and bay
title_fullStr Petrochemical industry as a source for microplastics; abundance and characteristics of pollution in soil, sewage, and bay
title_full_unstemmed Petrochemical industry as a source for microplastics; abundance and characteristics of pollution in soil, sewage, and bay
title_short Petrochemical industry as a source for microplastics; abundance and characteristics of pollution in soil, sewage, and bay
title_sort petrochemical industry as a source for microplastics abundance and characteristics of pollution in soil sewage and bay
topic Petrochemical industries
Microplastic contamination
Abundance of microplastics
Wastewater effluent
Persian gulf
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123024013161
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