@conference{
author = "Mikavica, Ivana and Ranđelović, Dragana and Stojanović, Jovica and Mutić, Jelena",
year = "2022",
abstract = "Microplastics (MPs) are a newly acknowledged, pervasive pollutants found even in distant Earth
areas and represent a matter of global concern. This study inspects, for the first time, microplastic
content in terrestrial environments in the city of Bor, known as one of the most polluted industrial
cities in Serbia. Soils from the park in the II kilometer and the periphery of the Bor (Brezonik
settlement) were collected and analyzed. Plastic particle extraction from the soil matrix was
performed using the flotation method based on density separation. MP content differed significantly
between the two sites. Urban soil contained around 3800 items kg-1
, while suburban held 600 particles
per kilogram. The outstandingly high difference likely originates from the distinction in the
anthropogenic activity levels of the two localities. There was no notable difference in appearance. All
extracted items were white to transparent fragments. The morphological shape of plastic particles
indicated defragmentation as a governing origin source. Future investigations should be concentrated
on the MPs' correlation with other contaminants, namely heavy metals, and the eventual recognition
of MP`s role as the metal pollution vector in the investigated area",
publisher = "Bor : University of Belgrade, Technical Faculty in Bor",
journal = "29th International Conference Ecological Truth and Environmental Research - EcoTER'22",
title = "Microplastic occurrence in urban and suburban soils of Bor, Eastern Serbia",
pages = "324-319"
}
