scholarly journals Occurrence of microplastic fragments in the Pasig River

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 92-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chester C. Deocaris ◽  
Jayson O. Allosada ◽  
Lorraine T. Ardiente ◽  
Louie Glenn G. Bitang ◽  
Christine L. Dulohan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
River Water ◽  
Solid Waste Management ◽  
Water Flow Rate ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Peroxide Oxidation ◽  
Plastic Pollution ◽  
Photo Degradation ◽  
Plastic Materials ◽  
Laguna De Bay ◽  
Bodies Of Water

Abstract Microplastics are plastic fragments with dimensions of less than 5 mm. These materials are formed within bodies of water by the forces shearing on the large plastics. Ultraviolet light from sunlight also degrades plastic materials causing discoloration and disintegration into smaller, micro- or even nano-sized particles. This study reports the isolation of microplastic fragments from the Pasig River within the vicinity of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. The collection of floating particulates was done by sieving the river water (flow rate = 0.31 m s−1) through a 0.35 mm mesh for 10 minutes. Through this method, 25.7 m3 of river water was sieved over three samplings. Microplastics were isolated through a series of peroxide oxidation and sedimentation methods. All microplastic fragments were viewed and photographed under a compound microscope (40–100× magnification). A total of 34 microplastic fragments with lengths ranging from 0.56 to 4.58 mm were categorized. Microplastic fragments were categorized into two categories: small (1.16 ± 0.42 mm) and large (4.13 ± 0.37 mm), based on the size distribution. The microplastic fragments isolated were partially rounded and some showed signs of discoloration indicating mechanical and photo-degradation. The presence of microplastic fragments in Pasig River indicates persistent plastic pollution from the river source (Laguna de Bay), its tributaries, as well as the communities and industries situated along the river. Programs on solid waste management especially on plastic wastes could mitigate the production of microplastics in the river.

The global threat from plastic pollution

Science ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 373 (6550) ◽  
pp. 61-65
Author(s):  
Matthew MacLeod ◽  
Hans Peter H. Arp ◽  
Mine B. Tekman ◽  
Annika Jahnke
Keyword(s):  
Aquatic Ecosystems ◽  
Keystone Species ◽  
Nutrient Cycles ◽  
Plastic Pollution ◽  
Habitat Changes ◽  
Plastic Materials ◽  
Mineralization Processes ◽  
Biological Impacts ◽  
Societal Impacts ◽  
Global Threat

Plastic pollution accumulating in an area of the environment is considered “poorly reversible” if natural mineralization processes occurring there are slow and engineered remediation solutions are improbable. Should negative outcomes in these areas arise as a consequence of plastic pollution, they will be practically irreversible. Potential impacts from poorly reversible plastic pollution include changes to carbon and nutrient cycles; habitat changes within soils, sediments, and aquatic ecosystems; co-occurring biological impacts on endangered or keystone species; ecotoxicity; and related societal impacts. The rational response to the global threat posed by accumulating and poorly reversible plastic pollution is to rapidly reduce plastic emissions through reductions in consumption of virgin plastic materials, along with internationally coordinated strategies for waste management.

scholarly journals Species Composition of Algal Epiphyton of Pink Lotus (Nymphaea pubescens Willd) Found in Laguna de Bay (Philippines)

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 237-256
Author(s):  
Eldrin De Los Reyes ARGUELLES
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Freshwater Ecosystems ◽  
Taxonomic Study ◽  
Habitat Distribution ◽  
Epiphytic Algae ◽  
Freshwater Habitats ◽  
Laguna De Bay ◽  
Root Tissues ◽  
First Time

In spite of the fact that epiphytic algae are considered an important component of freshwater ecosystems, our knowledge of their diversity and distribution is still rather poor. Taxonomic study on the composition of epiphytic algae living on submerged leaf and root tissues of macrophyte Nymphaea pubescens Willd, found at Laguna de Bay (Philippines), was conducted. In total, 21 algal taxa were identified: 10 Cyanophyceae, 6 Trebouxiophyceae, and 5 Bacillariophyceae. The taxa described in this study represent 13 orders, 16 families, 18 genera, and 21 species based on the recent combined taxonomical approach. Of these taxa, the occurrence of a rare cyanobacteria, Chroococcus schizodermaticus West, is reported for the first time in the Philippines. One species is also reported here for the first time in the Philippines, based on current taxonomic nomenclature, and this is Cyanothece aeruginosa (Nägeli) Komárek, which is based on the former name of Synechococcus aeruginosus Nägeli. These taxonomic records are considered important basal information in enriching the knowledge about the diversity and habitat distribution of cyanobacteria and microalgae in macrophytes found in freshwater habitats in the Philippines.

Environmental and Health Implications of Plastic Pollution

2020 ◽  
pp. 38-58
Author(s):  
Toqeer Ahmed ◽  
Hassaan Fayyaz Khan Sipra
Keyword(s):  
Water Pollution ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Waste Management ◽  
Environmental Health ◽  
Solid Waste ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Solid Waste Management ◽  
Health Impacts ◽  
Plastic Pollution ◽  
Human Health Impacts

Plastic pollution is one of the prime and alarming issues in developing countries that has vast environmental and human health impacts which need to be addressed as a priority. Unfortunately, limited work has been done on the topic, especially on air and water pollution due to plastics in Pakistan. Informal solid waste management is being done by municipalities, which is not adequate, and the problem will increase with the upsurge in population and industrialization. There is a need to address the knowledge gap and improvements in the existing conditions to manage the issue of plastic pollution separately. In this chapter, causes; impacts of plastic pollution both on human and environmental health, plastic industries, and legislative context; and best practices to manage plastic pollution along with some important recommendations are discussed. It is expected the data presented may help the managers, environmental scientists, and policymakers to manage the problem of plastic pollution.

scholarly journals Marine Plastic Pollution in Asia: All Hands on Deck!

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatriz Garcia ◽  
Mandy Meng Fang ◽  
Jolene Lin
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Asia Pacific ◽  
Policy Recommendations ◽  
Plastic Pollution ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Regulatory Measures ◽  
Multi Level

Abstract Marine plastics pollution (MPP) is an alarming problem affecting many countries, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, and generated mostly from land-based sources. Five Asian countries (i.e. China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Sri Lanka) have been identified as the largest sources of MPP globally. This article presents two cases studies focused on the two largest polluters: China and Indonesia. Both countries face similar challenges in dealing with plastic pollution. They have weak legal and institutional frameworks in place to deal with MPP. The two case studies also show that there have been more creative and effective measures taken at the domestic level by local governments and non-state actors, many of which involve partnerships among different stakeholders. This article argues that governance efforts to address MPP require an ‘all hands-on deck’ approach, involving multi-level and multi-actor strategies and targeted regulatory and non-regulatory measures. However, our findings also suggest that most efforts should be directed at the subnational level, from which the problem mainly originates. This article proposes a number of legal and policy recommendations, based on the lessons learned from the case studies, which can be instrumental in reducing the global MPP crisis.

scholarly journals New Electropositive Filter for Concentrating Enteroviruses and Noroviruses from Large Volumes of Water

2009 ◽  
Vol 75 (8) ◽  
pp. 2393-2399 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad R. Karim ◽  
Eric R. Rhodes ◽  
Nichole Brinkman ◽  
Larry Wymer ◽  
G. Shay Fout
Keyword(s):  
River Water ◽  
Tap Water ◽  
Water Flow Rate ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Ohio River ◽  
Norwalk Virus ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Flow Rate Range ◽  
Ph Range ◽  
Virus Recovery

ABSTRACT The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's information collection rule requires the use of 1MDS electropositive filters for concentrating enteric viruses from water, but unfortunately, these filters are not cost-effective for routine viral monitoring. In this study, an inexpensive electropositive cartridge filter, the NanoCeram filter, was evaluated for its ability to concentrate enteroviruses and noroviruses from large volumes of water. Seeded viruses were concentrated using the adsorption-elution procedure. The mean percent retention of seeded polioviruses by NanoCeram filters was 84%. To optimize the elution procedure, six protocols, each comprising two successive elutions with various lengths of filter immersion, were evaluated. The highest virus recovery (77%) was obtained by immersing the filters in beef extract for 1 minute during the first elution and for 15 min during the second elution. The recovery efficiencies of poliovirus, coxsackievirus B5, and echovirus 7 from 100-liter samples of seeded tap water were 54%, 27%, and 32%, respectively. There was no significant difference in virus recovery from tap water with a pH range of 6 to 9.5 and a water flow rate range of 5.5 liters/min to 20 liters/min. Finally, poliovirus and Norwalk virus recoveries by NanoCeram filters were compared to those by 1MDS filters, using tap water and Ohio River water. Poliovirus and Norwalk virus recoveries by NanoCeram filters from tap and river water were similar to or higher than those by the 1MDS filters. These data suggest that NanoCeram filters can be used as an inexpensive alternative to 1MDS filters for routine viral monitoring of water.

Characterization of Plastic Pollution in Rivers: Case of Sapang Baho River, Rizal, Philippines

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ma. Brida Lea D. Diola ◽  
Maria Antonia N. Tanchuling ◽  
Dawn Rhodette G. Bonifacio ◽  
Marian Jave N. Delos Santos
Keyword(s):  
Raman Spectroscopy ◽  
Surface Water ◽  
Solid Waste Management ◽  
Plastic Pollution ◽  
Plastic Wastes ◽  
Baseline Information ◽  
Characterization Studies ◽  
Representative Samples ◽  
Laguna Lake

<p>Philippines is considered as one of the top contributors of plastic wastes in the oceans globally. Lack of strict implementation of solid waste management regulations has led to mismanaged wastes, especially plastics, that eventually end up in water bodies. This study focuses on characterizing plastic waste pollution in Sapang Baho River in the province of Rizal. The river is located in an urban area and is a significant tributary of Laguna Lake, the largest lake in the country. Through this study, macrowastes and microplastics in Sapang Baho River, Rizal were characterized and analyzed to provide baseline information and to raise awareness to address plastic pollution, in macro- and micro-scale. This study also determined possible sources of microplastics by relating the particles to the plastic wastes present as well as activities in the sites. Waste analysis and characterization studies (WACS) were conducted for four sampling stations along the river. Microplastic samples were also collected from surface water and were characterized based on form such as filament, fragment, film, foam, and pellet through microscope examination. Representative samples were subjected to Raman spectroscopy testing to identify the polymer types. Results show that macrowaste samples were mostly plastic wastes (27.33%) in terms of mass. Plastic wastes were composed of film plastic (47%). Most of the microplastic particles were in the form of filaments (92.24%) which were fragmented from textile wastes and cloth washing. In terms of color, transparent particles were dominant and particles in the lower size range (0.3 mm - 0.8 mm) were predominant. Samples subjected to Raman spectroscopy were mainly polyethylene (PE), a material used in containers and packaging. Lastly, it was calculated that the surface water of Sapang Baho River contributes approximately 24 - 362 microplastic particles to Laguna Lake.</p>

scholarly journals A Long-Standing Problem: A Review on the Solid Waste Management in the Philippines

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 213-220
Author(s):  
Ericson E. Coracero ◽  
RB J. Gallego ◽  
Kristine Joy M. Frago ◽  
Ruel Joseph R. Gonzales
Keyword(s):  
Waste Management ◽  
Solid Waste ◽  
Solid Waste Management ◽  
Good Governance ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
The People ◽  
Sanitary Landfills ◽  
Global Issue ◽  
The Government ◽  
Waste Diversion

Solid waste management is considered a pressing global issue calling for an immediate response from the government and its people. The Philippines has a continuously rising amount of waste and is expected to further increase in the succeeding years. As reviewed, associated problems with solid waste management in the country include an increasing amount of solid waste, weak law implementation, scarcity of sanitary landfills, and improper disposal. The ultimate solution existing in the country is the RA 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 which highlights the practices of segregation, proper disposal, and waste diversion. The importance of envisioning a trash-free Philippines and encouraging people’s participation and awareness is also emphasized. Another possible solution to solid waste management is valorization which can also address other environmental problems such as the depletion of natural resources. These solutions enumerated will only be possible with the presence of good governance, active participation of the people of the country, and the cooperation of all constituents and agencies in the Philippines.

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