Assessment of Microplastics and Heavy Metal Contamination in Urban Road Dust: A Case Study from Begusarai, Bihar

Assessment of Microplastics and Heavy Metal Contamination in Urban Road Dust: A Case Study from Begusarai, Bihar | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Assessment of Microplastics and Heavy Metal Contamination in Urban Road Dust: A Case Study from Begusarai, Bihar Vishal Kumar, Abhishek Kumar, Richa Singh, Kirpa Ram This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7606261/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Graphical Abstract Abstract This study investigates the occurrence, distribution and abundance of microplastics (MPs) and potential health risks associated with heavy metals (HMs) in road dust from Begusarai, Bihar, India. Road dust samples were collected from 33 sites across five land-use zones: Silent, Traffic, Commercial, Industrial, and Residential. MPs were extracted using Fenton's reagent, characterized by stereomicroscopy and Raman spectroscopy, and quantified by abundance, morphology, size, color and polymer type. HMs (Co, Cr, Ni, Cd, Pb, Mn, Zn, Cu, Fe) were analyzed using microwave-assisted acid digestion and atomic absorption spectroscopy. The Silent Zone exhibited the highest average MPs load (48.3 ± 27.3 items/2g) followed by the Commercial and Traffic Zones. Fragments dominated the MP profile (59.4%), with fibers (37.5%) and pellets (3.1%) less abundant. Most MPs were < 500 µm in size and white or black in color. Polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride and polyurethane were the most common polymers identified. Fe, Mn, and Zn were the most abundant HMs, with Zn showing the highest enrichment and contamination levels. Pollution indices (PLI, EF, Igeo, CF) indicated moderate to low contamination for most HMs, with Zn as the primary concern. Non-carcinogenic health risks were within acceptable limits, but carcinogenic risks, particularly from Cr exposure, exceeded safe thresholds for both children and adults. The findings highlight the need for integrated pollution control measures and provide a scientific basis for evidence-based regulations to mitigate environmental and public health risks associated with urban dust pollution in Begusarai and similar industrial regions. Road Dust Microplastics Heavy Metal Health risk Pollution indices Morphology Full Text Supplementary Files highlightsIJER.docx Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7606261","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":524089638,"identity":"86cdf51c-16bf-4781-a9f6-254524477385","order_by":0,"name":"Vishal Kumar","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Banaras Hindu University Faculty of Science","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Vishal","middleName":"","lastName":"Kumar","suffix":""},{"id":524089639,"identity":"f62fe753-9179-42ef-80d7-6d584d07c361","order_by":1,"name":"Abhishek Kumar","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"BHU IESD: Banaras Hindu University Institute of 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14:17:25","extension":"png","order_by":14,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"graphical-abstract","size":2205593,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"This study investigates the occurrence, distribution and abundance of microplastics (MPs) and potential health risks associated with heavy metals (HMs) in road dust from Begusarai, Bihar, India. Road dust samples were collected from 33 sites across five land-use zones: Silent, Traffic, Commercial, Industrial, and Residential. MPs were extracted using Fenton's reagent, characterized by stereomicroscopy and Raman spectroscopy, and quantified by abundance, morphology, size, color and polymer type. HMs (Co, Cr, Ni, Cd, Pb, Mn, Zn, Cu, Fe) were analyzed using microwave-assisted acid digestion and atomic absorption spectroscopy. The Silent Zone exhibited the highest average MPs load (48.3\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;27.3 items/2g) followed by the Commercial and Traffic Zones. Fragments dominated the MP profile (59.4%), with fibers (37.5%) and pellets (3.1%) less abundant. Most MPs were \u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;500 \u0026micro;m in size and white or black in color. Polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride and polyurethane were the most common polymers identified. Fe, Mn, and Zn were the most abundant HMs, with Zn showing the highest enrichment and contamination levels. Pollution indices (PLI, EF, Igeo, CF) indicated moderate to low contamination for most HMs, with Zn as the primary concern. Non-carcinogenic health risks were within acceptable limits, but carcinogenic risks, particularly from Cr exposure, exceeded safe thresholds for both children and adults. The findings highlight the need for integrated pollution control measures and provide a scientific basis for evidence-based regulations to mitigate environmental and public health risks associated with urban dust pollution in Begusarai and similar industrial regions.","description":"","filename":"Onlinefloatimage1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7606261/v1/074d2d855cda6369acb8af5d.png"},{"id":105215081,"identity":"09248123-33b1-403b-b185-407bf2ce91e7","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-03-23 14:27:52","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1233515,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"BegusaraiMSfinal11092025blinded.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7606261/v1_covered_10d98285-2abc-4303-9720-8717d83d5f14.pdf"},{"id":93692203,"identity":"f3e8c92c-b7da-48f4-8fc8-934401cce116","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-16 14:09:24","extension":"docx","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":11460,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"highlightsIJER.docx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7606261/v1/7af7dd06df54b8500b65af9f.docx"}],"financialInterests":"","formattedTitle":"Assessment of Microplastics and Heavy Metal Contamination in Urban Road Dust: A Case Study from Begusarai, Bihar","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Road Dust, Microplastics, Heavy Metal, Health risk, Pollution indices, Morphology","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7606261/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7606261/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"This study investigates the occurrence, distribution and abundance of microplastics (MPs) and potential health risks associated with heavy metals (HMs) in road dust from Begusarai, Bihar, India. Road dust samples were collected from 33 sites across five land-use zones: Silent, Traffic, Commercial, Industrial, and Residential. MPs were extracted using Fenton's reagent, characterized by stereomicroscopy and Raman spectroscopy, and quantified by abundance, morphology, size, color and polymer type. HMs (Co, Cr, Ni, Cd, Pb, Mn, Zn, Cu, Fe) were analyzed using microwave-assisted acid digestion and atomic absorption spectroscopy. The Silent Zone exhibited the highest average MPs load (48.3\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;27.3 items/2g) followed by the Commercial and Traffic Zones. Fragments dominated the MP profile (59.4%), with fibers (37.5%) and pellets (3.1%) less abundant. Most MPs were \u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;500 \u0026micro;m in size and white or black in color. Polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride and polyurethane were the most common polymers identified. Fe, Mn, and Zn were the most abundant HMs, with Zn showing the highest enrichment and contamination levels. Pollution indices (PLI, EF, Igeo, CF) indicated moderate to low contamination for most HMs, with Zn as the primary concern. Non-carcinogenic health risks were within acceptable limits, but carcinogenic risks, particularly from Cr exposure, exceeded safe thresholds for both children and adults. 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