ASSESSMENT OF MICROPLASTICS TRANSPORT IN GROUNDWATER IN TROPICAL ENVIRONMENTS

Abstract

Microplastics (MPs) are emerging pollutants with wide global dispersion, present in a wide variety of environmental compartments, including groundwater. The sources of MPs entering groundwater are diverse, coming from rural and urban anthropogenic activities, such as leaks in sewage systems. From these sources, MPs are leaked and can reach aquifers, putting groundwater quality at risk. Therefore, understanding the behavior of these contaminants in underground environments, especially in tropical, it is essential to develop strategies for aquifer protection and remediation of contaminated areas. Thus, this research will evaluate, through laboratory tests, the transport and behavior of MPs in groundwater, seeking to assess the main characteristics of the particles and the environment that control their mobility in this matrix. It is expected that smaller MPs are transported faster and over longer distances than larger particles. It is expected that in sandy soils, MPs are transported at a higher speed and have a lower retention than in loamy soils rich in iron oxides. To evaluate these hypotheses, column experiments and batch adsorption tests will be performed with polyester fibers in two size categories (0.063-1mm and 1-5 mm) in two Brazilian soils, one of them sandy and one loamy (typically tropical).