Extraction and Analysis of Microplastics in the Soil of Diamond City, Surat (Gujarat, India): Ecological Risk, Pollution Indices, and Greenness Evaluation

This study examines microplastics (MPs) for the first time in the soil of Diamond City, Surat (Gujarat, India) in terms of their abundance, distribution, chemical composition, and ecological risk assessment. A stereomicroscope and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were used to measure the physical and chemical properties of the MPs. The outcome showed the omnipresence of MPs in Surat city's soil, with an average abundance of 103.2 ± 57.28 particles 100 g–1. Over 90% of all MPs were made of polyethylene (70.19%), polypropylene (17.53%), and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (6.92%) polymers. The white/transparent-colored MPs having a size of about 2–5 mm are predominantly available. The principal component analysis (PCA) results indicate that the discovered MPs in the soil samples are mostly represented by fragments and fibers, which account for 52.90% of the total variance in the data set. Additionally, in the current research, the ecological risk assessment of MPs in soil, the pollution load index (PLI), the polymer hazard index (PHI), and the ecological risk index (ERI) of MPs were studied. The PLI values greater than 1 were observed, indicating that all sampling sites were polluted with MPs. Based on the abundance, type of polymer, and toxicity of MPs found in the soil sample, an evaluation concluded that there is a moderate to medium ecological risk associated with MPs polluting the city soil. The greatest PHI value in this study is 239.69 (risk category: medium), while the lowest PHI value is 8.69 (risk category: low). The greenness profile of the method was assessed using the software-based analytical greenness metric (AGREE) tool. The developed approach is partially green, as shown by an AGREE metric score of 0.53. The present investigations emphasize the critical importance of taking action in metropolitan areas such as Surat to mitigate MP pollution and improve waste management practices for a greener and cleaner ecosystem in the future. These findings will inspire the creation of ecofriendly alternatives crucial for reducing plastic consumption, safeguarding ecosystems, and mitigating MPs' impact on the soil quality.