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Integrative Evaluation of the Ecological Hazards by Microplastics and Heavy Metals in Wetland Ecosystem

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Abstract

This study was performed to evaluate the impact of microplastics and heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, Zn, Ni) on sediments, water, aquatic plants (Pistia stratiotes, Alternanthera philoxeroides, and Ipomoea carnea), and fish (Labeo rohita) samples collected from five different sites in the Bajwat wetlands in Sialkot, Pakistan. The concentrations of Pb, Cd, and Cr were above the permissible limits devised by WHO in all the ecosystem components (i.e. sediments, water, plants, and fish) at all sites. The maximum amount of microplastic particles (2317 microplastic particles per kg of sediments) was recorded at Site 1. The filaments were the most commonly found type of microplastics. Plants and fish samples also showed considerable concentration of metals. The multivariate statistical analysis revealed anthropogenic sources of elevated concentrations of metal elements which could cause adverse biological effects in the ecosystem.

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 Acknowledgements

We are thankful to Prof. Firdous-e-Bareen for providing us laboratory equipment for heavy metal analysis at University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany, Government College Women University, Sialkot, Pakistan

    Shanza Zaka, Zarrin Fatima Rizvi, Wajiha Sarfraz, Komal Arshad & Noreen Khalid

  2. State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, Gansu, People’s Republic of China

    Muhammad Aqeel

  3. Department of Environmental Sciences, Government College Women University, Sialkot, Pakistan

    Adeel Mahmood

  4. Department of Botany, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan

    Ali Noman

  5. Institute of Botany, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan

    Aisha Nazir

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  1. Shanza Zaka
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Zaka, S., Aqeel, M., Mahmood, A. et al. Integrative Evaluation of the Ecological Hazards by Microplastics and Heavy Metals in Wetland Ecosystem. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 110, 81 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-023-03716-6

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