Removing plastics from India's freshwater systems
The world’s rivers, lakes and seas are increasingly becoming contaminated with microplastics. But what exactly are they? Microplastics are very small pieces of plastic that pollute the environment. They come from a variety of sources, including larger plastic debris that degrades into smaller pieces.
Microbeads - tiny plastic pieces used in products including toiletries, toothpastes and household goods - are also a type of microplastic. They are made of non-biodegradable plastic and can't be extracted during water treatment. They also don't dissolve in water, resulting in pollution and harm to marine life. The UK is only one of a few countries to have enforced a ban on manufacturing microbeads.
Poor waste management worsens pollution
One country blighted by microplastic pollution is India. Urbanisation is putting pressure on water and waste management systems, with poor waste management leaving plastic uncollected to be washed into drains and rivers.
We need to better understand how plastics are transported through rivers to the sea in order to discover where they end up, and help to stop the pollution they cause.
The nature of microplastics makes them ideal for the transport of heavy metals and pollutants. The result? Water becomes unfit for human consumption, ecosystems are damaged and pollution increases.
A project by Dr Sarah Cook from the University of Warwick has examined microplastics in water systems to help develop effective waste management strategies.
Working with the Indian Institute of Technology, Dr Cook’s team conducted a laboratory study in Thane, East India.
The district receives a lot of waste from the surrounding urban areas, made worse by natural habitat loss.
Plastic pollution in one of India's many rivers
Tracking the pathways and behaviour of microplastics
Firstly, it was important to examine the pathways and behaviour of microplastics to see how they end up in freshwater systems. This was achieved by tracking and tracing the flows of the microplastics by adding dye to the water. Dr Cook states: “The main aim was to investigate whether fluorescent tracers mimic microplastics’ pathways.”
The project has successfully produced up-to-date data on microplastic water pollution in the region. Dr Cook explains: “This novel methodology could help to bridge current knowledge gaps. It is urgently needed by our project partners to help develop waste management strategies. The data can be used to help tackle water quality issues across India and elsewhere, including the UK.”
Dye injected into water to trace pollution
Sharing microplastic knowledge in local communities was also a key aim of the project.
Part of this involved a digital communications hub where people can share live information about water quality hazards, and through which support agencies and service providers were able to communicate with each other.
Dr Cook explains: “Development of the hub involved regular visits to regions affected by water quality issues and discussions with town and village leaders. This ensured the data generated was influenced by local perspectives.”
A cleaner future
The team’s collaborators in India are currently working to develop a bid to submit the Department of Science and Technology (India) to establish a water quality laboratory.
The lab will be used to educate and support existing water quality measuring strategies currently undertaken by the Thane Pollution Control Board.
“The research has identified information and technology gaps to be considered in future work. We are currently in talks to trial the technology in our catchment area and hope to generate future collaborative research bids,” explains Dr Cook.
In early 2020, the team received further funding to take this research further by working with local communities to develop locally-led approaches to plastic waste management.
The project is helping contribute towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals of Life Below Water and Clean Water and Sanitation.
