Microplastic pollution in small rivers along rural–urban gradients: Variations across catchments and between water column and sediments

• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160043
• Publication Date: 2022-11-08T07:04:23Z
• Authors: Tjaša Matjašič; Nataša Mori; Irma Hostnik; Oliver Bajt; Manca Kovač Viršek
• Keywords: microplastics; koncentracija mikroplastike; porečje; Microplastics; Urbanization; info:eu-repo/classification/udc/504.5; 574; Water; info:eu-repo/classification/udc/504.5; mikroplastika, porečje, koncentracija mikroplastike, onesnaževanje okolja; mikroplastika; 01 natural sciences; 6. Clean water; MP concentrations; 13. Climate action; environmental drivers; catchment; onesnaževanje okolja; Plastics; Ecosystem; MP distribution; 0105 earth and related environmental sciences

The aquatic ecosystems of the world are highly burdened with microplastics (MPs; particles <5 mm). There is a great need for better understanding patterns MP pollution across catchments and rivers different sizes, anthropogenic pressures hydrogeomorphological features. In this study, we investigated concentrations including their characteristics (polymer type, shape, size colour), distribution in water sediments two hydrogeomorphologically small-scale (< 800 km2), namely Kamniška Bistrica (KB) Ljubljanica (LJ), Slovenia. main objective study was to gain how WWTP effluents catchment urbanisation together diversity natural hydrogeomorphology, affect quantity quality pollutants smaller catchments. Significantly mean were found columns (KB: 59 ± 16 items m-3; LJ: 31 14 m-3), but not 22 20 kg-1; 23 25 kg-1). A longitudinal gradient increasing particle concentration observed both sediment samples Polyethylene (PE) polypropylene (PP) dominated all samples. Fibres predominant column samples, while fragments more common mostly coloured, most them than 2 mm critical evaluation results previous studies suggest that (anthropogenic pressures, size, climate, etc.), hydrogeomorphology river (sediment discharge, flow velocity sampling location along river, sampled compartment (water, sediment), method, hydrometeorological at time sampling, important factors other characteristics.