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(Micro-)Plastics in Saturated and Unsaturated Groundwater Bodies: First Evidence of Presence in Groundwater Fauna and Habitats

Author

Listed:
  • Laura Sforzi

    (Department of Chemistry “Ugo Schiff”, University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia, 3-13, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy)

  • Agostina Tabilio Di Camillo

    (Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, Via Vetoio, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy
    Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems of the National Research Council of Italy (IRET CNR), 50019 Florence, Italy)

  • Tiziana Di Lorenzo

    (Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems of the National Research Council of Italy (IRET CNR), 50019 Florence, Italy
    NBFC (National Biodiversity Future Center), 90133 Palermo, Italy
    “Emil Racovita” Institute of Speleology, 050711 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
    3cE3c—Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes & CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal)

  • Diana Maria Paola Galassi

    (Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, Via Vetoio, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy)

  • Valentina Balestra

    (Department of Environment, Land and Infrastructure Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, Italy
    Biologia Sotterranea Piemonte—Gruppo di Ricerca, Bossea Cave, Frabosa Soprana, 12082 Cuneo, Italy
    Struttura Operativa Bossea CAI—Underground Karst Laboratory of Bossea Cave, Bossea Cave, Frabosa Soprana, 12082 Cuneo, Italy)

  • Leonardo Piccini

    (Department of Earth Sciences, University of Florence, 50121 Florence, Italy)

  • Serena Benedetta Cabigliera

    (Department of Chemistry “Ugo Schiff”, University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia, 3-13, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy)

  • Samuele Ciattini

    (Centro Interdipartimentale di Cristallografia, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Via della Lastruccia 5, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy)

  • Marco Laurati

    (Department of Chemistry “Ugo Schiff”, University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia, 3-13, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
    Consorzio Interuniversitario per lo Sviluppo dei Sistemi a Grande Interfase (CSGI), University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia 3, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy)

  • David Chelazzi

    (Department of Chemistry “Ugo Schiff”, University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia, 3-13, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
    Consorzio Interuniversitario per lo Sviluppo dei Sistemi a Grande Interfase (CSGI), University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia 3, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy)

  • Tania Martellini

    (Department of Chemistry “Ugo Schiff”, University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia, 3-13, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
    Consorzio Interuniversitario per lo Sviluppo dei Sistemi a Grande Interfase (CSGI), University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia 3, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy)

  • Alessandra Cincinelli

    (Department of Chemistry “Ugo Schiff”, University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia, 3-13, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
    Consorzio Interuniversitario per lo Sviluppo dei Sistemi a Grande Interfase (CSGI), University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia 3, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy)

Abstract

Microplastic (MP) pollution is a growing concern in every known ecosystem. However, MP presence in groundwaters and the ecological impact they can have on groundwater fauna is still poorly investigated. Here, we assess the presence of MPs in three Italian groundwater bodies, comprising two karst caves and two monitoring bores of a saturated alluvial aquifer. In addition to water samples, groundwater invertebrates were collected to assess their potential ingestion of MPs. For water samples, chemical characterization of polymers was done by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) 2D imaging, while fauna samples were analyzed with a tandem microscopy approach (fluorescence microscopy and FTIR). The abundance of MPs in water samples varied from 18 to 911 items/L. The majority of MPs were fibers (91%), with a mean size in the range of 100 µm and 1 mm. Black, red, and blue were the most abundant colors (30%, 25%, and 19%, respectively). The most abundant polymer was artificial/textile cellulose (65%), followed by PET (21%). MPs were found in every groundwater taxon. Pellets were the most abundant in each specimen (87% on average), while the largest were fragments, with a mean dimension of 26 µm. Cellulose was found to be the most abundant polymer (51%). This study is the first to highlight the presence of MPs ingested by groundwater fauna. Further investigations are urgently required to assess the potential ecological impact MPs can have on the resident fauna in these sensitive ecosystems.

Suggested Citation

  • Laura Sforzi & Agostina Tabilio Di Camillo & Tiziana Di Lorenzo & Diana Maria Paola Galassi & Valentina Balestra & Leonardo Piccini & Serena Benedetta Cabigliera & Samuele Ciattini & Marco Laurati & D, 2024. "(Micro-)Plastics in Saturated and Unsaturated Groundwater Bodies: First Evidence of Presence in Groundwater Fauna and Habitats," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-21, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:6:p:2532-:d:1359963
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kenneth W. Cummins & Margaret Wilzbach & Brigitte Kolouch & Richard Merritt, 2022. "Estimating Macroinvertebrate Biomass for Stream Ecosystem Assessments," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-16, March.
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