Limits, challenges, and opportunities of sampling groundwater wells with plastic casings for microplastic investigations

Viaroli，Stefano1; Lancia，Michele2,3; Lee，Jin Yong4; Ben，Yujie3; Giannecchini，Roberto1,5; Castelvetro，Valter5,6; Petrini，Riccardo1; Zheng，Chunmiao2,3; Re，Viviana1

2024-10-10

10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174259

Science of the Total Environment   影响因子和分区

0048-9697

1879-1026

Investigating microplastics (MPs) in groundwater suffers from problems already faced by surface water research, such as the absence of common protocols for sampling and analysis. While the use of plastic instruments during the collection, processing, and analysis of water samples is usually avoided in order to minimize unintentional contamination, groundwater research encompassing MPs faces unique challenges. Groundwater sampling typically relies on pre-existing monitoring wells (MWs) and water wells (WWs) that are often constructed with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) casings or pipes due to their favorable price-performance ratio. Despite the convenience, however, the suitability of PVC casings for MP research is questionable. Unfortunately, the specifics of these wells are often not detailed in published studies. Current literature does not indicate significant pollution risks from PVC casings, suggesting these wells might still be viable for MP studies. Our preliminary analysis of the existing literature indicates that if PVC exceeds 6 % of the total MP concentration, it is likely that casings and pipes made of PVC are a source of pollution. Above this threshold, additional investigations in MWs and WWs with PVC casings and pipes are suggested.

Groundwater pollution Groundwater sampling Microplastics Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)

SCI ; EI

英语

通讯

20242716569419

Chlorine compounds ; Groundwater ; Groundwater pollution ; Microplastic ; Surface waters ; Water wells

Surface Water:444.1 ; Groundwater:444.2 ; Water Pollution:453 ; Water Pollution Sources:453.1 ; Environmental Impact and Protection:454.2 ; Ecology and Ecosystems:454.3 ; Organic Polymers:815.1.1

ENVIRONMENT/ECOLOGY

2-s2.0-85197566625

Scopus

1.Department of Earth Sciences,University of Pisa,Pisa,Italy
2.Eastern Institute for Advanced Studies,Eastern Institute of Technology,Ningbo,China
3.State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control,School of Environmental Science and Engineering,Southern University of Science and Technology,Shenzhen,China
4.Department of Geology,Kangwon National University,Chuncheon,South Korea
5.CISUP - Center for the Integration of Scientific Instruments of the University of Pisa,University of Pisa,Pisa,Italy
6.Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry,University of Pisa,Pisa,Italy

Viaroli，Stefano,Lancia，Michele,Lee，Jin Yong,et al. Limits, challenges, and opportunities of sampling groundwater wells with plastic casings for microplastic investigations[J]. Science of the Total Environment,2024,946.

Viaroli，Stefano.,Lancia，Michele.,Lee，Jin Yong.,Ben，Yujie.,Giannecchini，Roberto.,...&Re，Viviana.(2024).Limits, challenges, and opportunities of sampling groundwater wells with plastic casings for microplastic investigations.Science of the Total Environment,946.

Viaroli，Stefano,et al."Limits, challenges, and opportunities of sampling groundwater wells with plastic casings for microplastic investigations".Science of the Total Environment 946(2024).