The study quantified concentrations ranging from 150 ± 10 to 460 ± 20 items per liter, identified dominant particle types as fibers and microfilms, and highlighted polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), and nylon (NY) as the most common polymers. Assessment of polymer risk and pollution load indices indicated a very high health risk for local groundwater consumers. These findings suggest that cement production activities, including the use and degradation of plastic-containing materials, may significantly contribute to microplastic pollution. Addressing these risks could inform improved waste management, reduce microplastic additives in industrial materials, and guide routine groundwater monitoring to protect human health.
Microplastic pollution has emerged as a critical environmental and public health concern worldwide. While previous research has primarily focused on oceans, rivers, and soils, less is known about microplastic contamination in groundwater, especially near industrial facilities. Cement plants increasingly use plastic materials as alternative fuels and additives in concrete production. Improper handling of such materials can lead to fragmentation, dust emissions, and runoff, introducing microplastics into surrounding ecosystems. The persistent, small, and chemically diverse nature of microplastics allows them to transport toxins and accumulate along food chains, posing risks ranging from inflammation to endocrine disruption in humans. Given the reliance of local communities on groundwater for domestic and agricultural purposes, understanding the distribution and health implications of microplastics near cement facilities is essential. Based on these challenges, in-depth research is needed to assess microplastic prevalence, composition, and associated risks.
A study (DOI: 10.48130/newcontam-0026-0011) published in New Contaminants on 29 April 2026 by Tajudeen Olanrewaju Yahaya’s team, Federal University Birnin Kebbi, reports that borehole water near the factory contained microplastics at concentrations of 150–460 items/L, with fibers and films predominating and polymers such as PE, PET, PVC, PP, and NY posing high health risks.
The researchers conducted a systematic survey between May and July 2025, sampling 36 boreholes located 1–2 km in each cardinal direction around the factory. Water samples were collected in pre-cleaned glass bottles to prevent contamination, filtered through glass fiber membranes, and subjected to oxidative digestion using hydrogen peroxide. Microplastics were separated by density, vacuum-filtered, and characterized via stereomicroscopy and hot needle testing to determine size, shape, and color. Polymer types were confirmed using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy with a ≥70% similarity threshold against reference libraries. Data were analyzed for concentration, spatial distribution, and polymer-specific risk using the pollution load index (PLI) and polymer risk index (PRI). The highest microplastic levels were consistently found in northern boreholes, correlating with prevailing wind patterns during sampling, while concentrations decreased with distance from the factory. Fibers dominated in northern boreholes, microbeads in western boreholes, and mixed morphologies in southern and eastern boreholes. PE and PET were the most abundant polymers across all directions, with NY identified as the highest-risk polymer. All sites recorded PLI values above 1, confirming substantial contamination of groundwater, highlighting the health implications for local communities reliant on these water sources.
In summary, this study demonstrates that cement production and associated plastic use can elevate microplastic concentrations in groundwater, posing potential risks to human health. The research emphasizes the need for plastic management in industrial processes, routine monitoring of groundwater, and consideration of polymer-specific risks in environmental policy and mitigation strategies. These findings provide critical baseline data to inform sustainable practices for cement plants and safeguard community health.
###
References
DOI
10.48130/newcontam-0026-0011
Original Source URL
https://doi.org/10.48130/newcontam-0026-0011
Funding Information
The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
About New Contaminants
New Contaminants is a multidisciplinary platform for communicating advances in fundamental and applied research on emerging contaminants. It is dedicated to serving as an innovative, efficient and professional platform for researchers in the field of new contaminants research around the world to deliver findings from this rapidly expanding field of science.