Microplásticos no lago urbano do Parque Arthur Thomas em Londrina - PR

Abstract

The quality of water in urban systems is directly linked to the unplanned expansion of urban areas and the growing consumption of disposable plastic products, which have intensified the pollution of water bodies and contributed to the presence of microplastics in aquatic ecosystems. The objective of this research is to identify the presence of microplastics in the sediments and surface water of the lake in Arthur Thomas State Park, located in the municipality of Londrina, Paraná, Brazil. Sediment samples were collected at six points, with four samples taken at each point, and water samples were collected at both the inlet and outlet of the urban lake. The methodological procedure included: drying, granulometric separation, flotation, filtration, microscopic separation, and analysis using FTIR spectroscopy. The microplastics found in the sediments were nylon, polystyrene (PS), polycarbonate (PC), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), polyurethane (PU), and latex. In surface water, only nylon was detected at the lake’s outlet. Given this scenario, the development of sustainable strategies to reduce microplastic contamination in urban water bodies becomes urgent.