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Microplastic footprints in freshwater ecosystems: Raman spectroscopy of microplastics as indicator of anthropopressure in Northeastern Poland's lakes
Summary
Scientists studying lakes in Poland found that even "protected" lakes far from cities still contain tiny plastic fibers, likely blown in by wind, though lakes near urban areas had 2-3 times more contamination. This matters because it shows there's no truly escaping microplastic pollution — these fibers end up in the water we may swim in or the fish we eat, no matter how remote or protected the location seems.
To understand the effect of anthropopressure on microplastic contamination, a comprehensive analysis of Raman spectroscopic measurements conducted on microplastic fibers collected from the freshwater lakes located in Northeastern Poland was performed. Six of the lakes are under protection. Results indicate a diverse array of fiber types with dominant synthetic polymers: polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), as well as numerous organic materials, including cellulose-based fibers (rayon). We found a positive relationship between the amount of microplastic fibers in surface water and the anthropopressure index (I) calculated for each of the studied lakes. Fiber levels differed significantly between lakes located in protected (33 - 370 items per m) and urban areas (285 - 845 items per m). Results indicate that the isolation in protected areas does not shield lakes from airborne microfiber pollution. For five of the lakes investigated results are compared with a previously published study pointing to notable differences in microplastic concentrations detected near shore and in the central part of the lake. Methods of assessing anthropopressure are contrasted and differences in sampling approach are evaluated. Monitoring the abundance and characteristics of microplastics is required to understand their source and patterns of distribution, both of which can be affected by the level of anthropopressure.