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Microplastic Contamination in Freshwater and Coastal Ecosystems — Spatial Distribution, Polymer Characterisation, and Source Attribution Across Northwestern Europe
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Researchers conducted a two-year, 84-site sampling campaign across freshwater and coastal ecosystems in Sweden, the Netherlands, France, and Poland, finding urban rivers and coastal zones carry the highest microplastic concentrations and that wastewater effluent and urban runoff together account for over half of all freshwater microplastic inputs, with summer concentrations running 38–52% above winter levels.
Microplastic contamination of freshwater and coastal ecosystems has emerged as a critical environmental challenge, with particles detected in virtually every aquatic matrix sampled globally — from Arctic sea ice to remote mountain lakes — yet the quantitative spatial distribution, polymer composition, and source attribution of microplastic loads across connected freshwater-coastal continua remain incompletely characterised in European contexts. This study presents a systematic multi-site sampling campaign across 84 aquatic monitoring locations in Sweden, the Netherlands, France, and Poland, spanning six water body typologies — urban rivers, peri-urban rivers, rural streams, coastal zones, stratified lakes, and groundwater — sampled seasonally over a two-year period (2022–2023). A total of 6,482 individual microplastic particles were characterised by attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) for polymer type identification. Urban rivers showed the highest mean concentrations (1,842 particles/m³) and coastal zones the second highest (2,284 particles/m³), driven by wastewater effluent discharge and urban stormwater runoff. Positive matrix factorisation source attribution identified wastewater effluent (34.2%) and urban runoff (22.8%) as the dominant freshwater microplastic sources. Seasonal variation was significant, with summer concentrations 38–52 percent higher than winter values, consistent with increased recreational plastic use and reduced dilution under lower summer discharge.
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Microplastic Contamination in Freshwater and Coastal Ecosystems — Spatial Distribution, Polymer Characterisation, and Source Attribution Across Northwestern Europe
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers characterized 6,482 microplastic particles across 84 aquatic sites in Sweden, the Netherlands, France, and Poland over two years, finding urban rivers and coastal zones carried the highest concentrations — with wastewater effluent and stormwater runoff accounting for over half of all freshwater microplastic loads, and summer concentrations running 38–52% higher than winter.
Quantitative Analysis of Urban Microplastic Dissemination and Accumulation in Marine Ecosystems: Pathways, Processes, and Impacts
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Researchers used water and sediment sampling across urban, riverine, and marine environments to quantify microplastic pathways from cities into marine ecosystems, finding the highest concentrations in urban areas linked to industrial activity and poor waste management. Polyethylene, polypropylene, and PET were the most common polymer types, with seasonal peaks in concentration tracking periods of high rainfall and urban runoff.
Temporal and spatial variations of microplastic concentrations in surface waters in Gothenburg, Sweden.
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Microplastic concentrations were measured across Gothenburg's urban surface waters over multiple seasons in 2017, characterizing spatial and temporal variation in plastic particles, fibers, and other anthropogenic particles. The study contributes to monitoring urban microplastic pollution in Scandinavian surface waters and identifies stormwater as a key pathway.
Microplastic contamination in urban aquatic environments: Occurrence characteristics in urban streams and stormwater runoff from urban surfaces
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Researchers examined microplastic contamination in urban streams and stormwater runoff across different seasons and found that wastewater treatment plant discharges were a major source during dry weather. During rainy periods, stormwater runoff from roads and rooftops contributed additional microplastics, predominantly fibers and fragments. The study highlights that urban water systems receive microplastic pollution from multiple pathways year-round.
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Researchers mapped microplastic distribution across freshwater systems in Flanders, Belgium, finding widespread contamination with concentrations varying by land use and urbanization level, providing a regional-scale assessment needed for risk evaluation in densely populated areas.
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