Microplastics and particulate matter: assessment of atmospheric pollution in the Region of Hortênsias, Brazil:

Patriane Noschang Pletsch; Gustavo Marques da Costa; Fernando Dal Pont Morisso; Daniela Montanari Migliavacca Osório; Daiane Bolzan Berlese; Daniela Müller de Quevedo

doi:10.5327/Z2176-94782280

Authors

Patriane Noschang Pletsch Universidade Feevale - Brazil https://orcid.org/0009-0005-3733-7488
Gustavo Marques da Costa Instituto Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7343-8527
Fernando Dal Pont Morisso Universidade Feevale - Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9653-9857
Daniela Montanari Migliavacca Osório Universidade Estadual de Campinas - Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9923-4514
Daiane Bolzan Berlese Universidade Feevale - Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5326-8065
Daniela Müller de Quevedo Universidade Feevale - Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2169-9781

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5327/Z2176-94782280

Keywords:

air quality monitoring; particulate matter analysis; environmental health; fine and coarse particles.

Abstract

Atmospheric pollution is one of the main consequences of anthropogenic activities in the environment. The insertion of particles suspended in the air, which are composed of dust, fumes, microplastics, and aerosols emitted by industries, vehicles, and constructions, alters the quality of the environment they are inserted into, impacting both human health and the environment. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the atmospheric particles that may influence the air quality in the Region of Hortênsias (municipalities of Canela and Gramado) in Rio Grande do Sul state. The concentrations of the particulate matter PM_2.5 and PM_2.5-10 were evaluated at two sites from April 2021 to April 2022. The fine and coarse particulate matter sampler (FCS) was used to collect samples at the site located in Canela. In Gramado, besides the FCS, a dichotomous sampler was also used. The filters were observed under a microscope to evaluate the presence of polymeric material. The selected particles were then analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Six samples of PM_2.5 did not meet the air quality standards recommended by the World Health Organization guideline. The results demonstrated low air quality, and the microscopic analysis detected the presence of particles with polymeric material characteristics. These particles suggest traces of microplastics, in addition to the presence of vehicular soot and fly ash when analyzed by SEM/EDS.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Air Quality Life Index (Aqli), 2020. Annual Update (Accessed April 17, 2019) at:. https://aqli.epic.uchicago.edu/reports/.

Alves, D.D.; Riegel, P.R.; Klauck, R C.; Ceratti, M.A.; Hansen, J.; Cansi, M L.; Pozza, A.S.; Quevedo, M.D., 2020. Source apportionment of metallic elements in urban atmospheric particulate matter and assessment of its water-soluble fraction toxicity. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, v. 27, 12202-12214. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-07791-8.

American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), 2006. Annual Book of ASTM Standards: 2006. ASTM International, West Conshohocken.

Brasil, 2018. Conama – Conselho Nacional do Meio Ambiente. Resolução nº 491, de 19 de novembro de 2018. Dispõe sobre os padrões de qualidade do ar. Conama, Brasília (Acessed June 20, 2022) at:. https://www.in.gov.br/web/guest/materia/-/asset_publisher/Kujrw0TZC2Mb/content/id/51058895/do1-2018-11-21-resolucao-n-491-de-19-de-novembro-de-2018-51058603.

Companhia Ambiental do Estado de São Paulo (CETESB), 2019. Qualidade do ar no estado de São Paulo – Relatório 2019 (Accessed July 14, 2022) at:. https://repositorio.cetesb.sp.gov.br/items/761f47e7-9d57-4f74-8a7a-97a16a2ff4ac

Costa, G.M.; Droste, A.; Alves, D.D.; Osório, M.M.D., 2018. Integrated evaluation of quantitative factors related to the environmental quality scenario. In: Hussain, C. (Ed.), Handbook of Environmental Materials Management. Springer, Cham, pp. 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-58538-3_122-1.

Crispim, A.B.; Vaini, O.J.; Grisolia, B.A.; Teixeira, Z.T.; Mussury, M.R.; Seno, O.L., 2012. Biomonitoring the genotoxic effects of pollutants on Tradescantia pallida (Rose) D.R. Hunt in Dourados, Brazil. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, v. 19, 718-723. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-011-0612-3.

Dehghani, S.; Moore, F.; Akhbarizadeh, R., 2017. Microplastics pollution in deposited urban dust, Tehran metropolis, Iran. Environmental Science Pollution Research, v. 24, 20360-20371. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-9674-1.

Departamento de Trânsito (DETRAN), 2022. Frota em circulação no RS (Accessed June 13, 2022) at:. https://www.detran.rs.gov.br/frota-5bd4f16283470.

Empresa Gaúcha de Rodovias (EGR), 2021. Volume de tráfego (Accessed January 15, 2022) at:. https://www.egr.rs.gov.br/lista/365/volume-de-trafego

Evangeliou, N.; Grythe, H.; Klimont, Z.; Heyes, C.; Eckhardt, S.; Lopez-Aparicio, S.; Stohl, A., 2020. Atmospheric transport is a major pathway of microplastics to remote regions. Nature Communications, v. 11, 3381. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-17201-9.

Guimarães, C.S., 2017. Controle e monitoramento de poluentes atmosféricos. Elsevier, Rio de Janeiro.

He, T.; Qu, Y.; Yang, X.; Liu, L.; Xiong, F.; Wang, D.; Liu, M.; Sun, R., 2023. Research progress on the cellular toxicity caused by microplastics and nanoplastics. Journal of Applied Toxicology, v. 43 (11), 1576-1593. https://doi.org/10.1002/jat.4449.

Hwang, H.; Lee, J.E.; Shin, S.A.; You, C.R.; Shin, S.H.; Park, J.S., 2024. Vertical Profiles of PM2.5 and O3 Measured Using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and Their Relationships with Synoptic- and Local-Scale Air Movements. Remote Sensing, v. 16 (9), 1581. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16091581.

Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE), 2022. Cidades: informações sobre os municípios brasileiros (Accessed June 15, 2022) at:. https://cidades.ibge.gov.br/brasil/rs/gramado/panorama.

Instituto de Pesquisa Econômica Aplicada (IPEA), 2011. Emissões relativas de poluentes do transporte motorizado de passageiros em grandes centros urbanos brasileiros (Accessed November 11, 2021) at:. https://www.ipea.gov.br/portal/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9567.

Khadem, M.; Somea, S.M.; Hassankhani, H.; Heravizadeh, R.O., 2018. Joint Iranian-Russian studies of airbone asbestos concentracions in Tehran, Iran, 2017. Atmospheric Environment, v. 186, 9-17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2018.05.022.

Li, T.; Hu, R.; Chen, Z.; Huang, M.; Li, Y. Q.; Huang, X. S.; Zhu, Z.; Zhou, L. F., 2018. Fine particulate matter (PM2,5): The culprit for chronic lung diseases in China. Chronic Diseases and Translation Medicine, v. 4 (3), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cdtm.2018.07.002.

Liao, Z.; Ji, X.; Ma, Y.; L.; B.; Huang, W.; Zhu, X.; Fang, M.; Wang, Q.; Wang, X.; Dahlgren, R.; Shang, X., 2021. Airborne microplastics in indoor and outdoor environments of a coastal city in Eastern China. Journal of Hazardous Materials, v. 417, 126007. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.126007.

Mertz, J., 2019. Introduction to optical microscopy. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, MA.

Micic, M.; Leblanc, M.R.; Markovic, D.; Stamatovic, A.; Vukelic, N.; Polic, P., 2003. Atlas of the Tropospheric aerosols from Belgrade Troposphere. Frenesius Environmental Bulletin, v. 12, 1-10.

Ministério do Turismo, 2020. Ministro do Turismo conhece planos para o futuro do setor de Gramado (RS) (Accessed October 12, 2020) at:. http://www.turismo.gov.br/%C3%BAltimas-not%C3%ADcias/13709-ministro-doturismo-conhece-planos-para-o-futuro-do-setor-em-gramado-rs.html.

Niu, Y.; Pan, F.; Shen, K.; Yang, X.; Niu, S.; Xu, X.; Zhou, H.; Li, X., 2024. Status and Enhancement Techniques of Plastic Waste Degradation in the Environment: A Review. Sustainability, v, 16 (21), 9395. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16219395.

Pal, D.; Prabhakar, R.; Barua, V.B.; Zekker, I.; Burlakovs, J.; Krauklis, A.; Hogland, W.; Vincevica Gaile, Z., 2025. Microplastics in aquatic systems: A comprehensive review of its distribution, environmental interactions, and health risks. Environmental Science and Pollution, v. 32, 56-88. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-024-35741-1

Payne, S.D.; Johnson, T.J.; Symonds, J.P.R., 2023. Characterisation of the aerodynamic aerosol classifier transfer function for particle sizes up to 5 micrometres. Aerosol and Air Quality Research, v. 23 (1), TN0008. https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.230008.

Sindicato da Região das Hortênsias (Sinditur), 2020. Crescimento acelerado desafia Gramado (Accessed Retrieved January 13, 2022) at:. https://www.sindturserragaucha.com.br/crescimento-acelerado-desafia-gramado/.

Teixeira, E.C.; Garcia, K.O.; Meincke, L.; Leal, K.A., 2011. Study of nitro-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in fine and coarse atmospheric particles. Atmospheric Research, v. 101 (3), 631-639. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2011.04.010.

Torres-Agullo, A.; Karanasiou, A.; Moreno, T.; Lacorte, S., 2021. Overview on the occurrence of microplastics in air and implications from the use of face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Science of the Environment, v. 800, 149555. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149555.

Vidal, P.R.; Riedl, M., 2016. A influência do turismo de eventos na Região das Hortênsias, no Rio Grande do Sul, (Brasil): o caso do evento Natal Luz de Gramado. Turismo e Sociedade, v. 9, 1-22. https://doi.org/10.5380/tes.v9i3.47709.

World Health Organization (WHO), 2021. Air quality and health (Accessed March 18, 2022) at:. https://www.who.int/teams/environment-climate-change-and-health/air-quality-and-health/about.

Yao, X.; Luo, X.-S.; Fan, J.; Zhang, T.; Li, H.; Wei, Y., 2022. Ecological and human health risks of atmospheric microplastics (MPs): a review. Environmental Science: Atmospheres, v. 2, 921-942. https://doi.org/10.1039/d2ea00041e.

Yurak, V.V.; Fedorov, S.A., 2024. Review of natural and anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide into the earth’s atmosphere. International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, v. 21 (4), 523-540. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-024-05896-y.