Quantificação e caracterização de Microplástico no Córrego Bandeira

Abstract

Microplastic pollution is an emerging concern due to its ubiquitous presence in aquatic environments and potential ecological and health impacts. This study aimed to quantify and characterize microplastics in the Bandeira stream, in Campo Grande-MS, analyzing two points: the source and the mouth. The samples were collected using a 20 µm mesh and processed by filtration through 63 µm and 20 µm sieves, followed by digestion of the organic matter using the Wet Peroxide Oxidation (WPO) method and separation by density. Microscopic analysis revealed average concentrations of 2847 particles m-3 at the source and 5527 particles m-3 at the mouth, indicating a significant increase of more than 94% along the stream. Microplastics were predominantly fibers, with variations in formats such as beads and microspheres, in addition to color differences associated with transport dynamics and pollution sources. The water quality indices showed that IQACETESB presented a good classification at the two points analyzed. IQASMITH identified thermotolerant coliforms as a critical parameter at the source and total phosphorus at the mouth, showing qualitative changes between the sections analyzed.