International Science Community Association International Research Journal of Environmental Sciences 2319-1414 13 3 2024 07 22 Microplastics pollution in Narmada River water and sediments: characterization, source distribution and risk assessment 1 10 EN Patidar Kalpana 1 Department of Chemistry, National Institute of Technology, Jamshedpur 831014, Jharkhand, India Mahato Dilip Kumar 2 Department of Chemistry, National Institute of Technology, Jamshedpur 831014, Jharkhand, India Ambade Balram 3 Department of Chemistry, National Institute of Technology, Jamshedpur 831014, Jharkhand, India > Research Paper 2024 1 22 2024 07 22 Plastic pollution has been caused by the unavoidable and regular use of plastic materials in daily life along with manufacturing and chemical processes, which is extremely dangerous for the environment. In the current study, we investigated abundance of MPs, their probable sources, risk assessment of microplastics in surface water and sediments of the Narmada River in India. A stereomicroscope was used to determine the MPs size, shape, color, and an Attenuated Total Reflection-Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectrometer was used to determine the polymer composition of the MPs. The average MP concentration observed was 6.3 ± 3.8 in the water and 119.4 ± 39.6 in the sediments during the study period. Highest abundance of MPs was observed in diameter of less than 1mm, fibers, and fragments were the most common shapes. MPs colour composition of black and white in water, whereas white and blue was spotted in the sediments. The chemical structure of MPs in water and sediment samples i.e., polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyesters (PEs), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polyamide (PA), and polystyrene (PS) were analysed. The estimated pollution load index (PLI) result shows a category I pollution load in water, hazard level II in sediments and categories III, IV, and V polymer hazard levels, which indicates threat to ecosystem. According to recent research findings, the largest contributor of MPs contamination is probably due to river influxes, terrestrial and other aquatic activities. This research aims to assist individuals in reconsidering the irregular behaviours of MPs in diverse surroundings and may be useful in comprehending their biological consequences in wide-spread environmental situations. Copyright@ International Science Community Association