May a Former Municipal Landfill Contaminate Groundwater in Microplastics? First Investigations from the “Prairie de Mauves Site” (Nantes, France)

Municipal landfills receive a high amount of plastic waste and due to the occurring physical biochemical degradation processes, could be significant sources microplastics (MP). Evaluating threat groundwater through transfer MP via landfill leachates require more research. The former “Prairie de Mauves” landfill, operated from 1963 1987 by municipality Nantes (France), located above alluvial Loire River, represents good candidate for such investigations. Leachates were sampled along transect line upstream downstream in March June 2022. (>25 µm) quantified characterized using µFTIR imaging transmission mode. observed every sample with concentrations ranging 0.71 106.7 MP/L. Concentrations illustrate migration MP. Twelve polymers identified polyethylene (PE) polypropylene (PP) predominant. After conventional rainfall event (14.3 mm), higher concentrations, diversity, size ranges observed. Water infiltration heterogeneous geological substratum therefore enhanced larger towards River.