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Seasonal hydrological impacts on microplastic removal by floating treatment wetlands in two urban ponds
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Researchers tested floating plant systems for removing microplastics from two urban ponds over a year. The deeper pond with steady water flow removed up to 80.2% of microplastics, while the shallower pond with less water removed up to 75.2%, showing pond depth and water flow affect how well these systems work.
The increasing microplastics (MP) pollution in urban aquatic environments demands sustainable and locally adapted management strategies. This study evaluated the efficiency of Floating Treatment Wetlands (FTWs) for MP removal in two urban ponds with contrasting hydraulic characteristics (Pond 1 and Pond 4), considering seasonal variations. During four seasons (2023-2024), water flow was measured and MP were quantified in water, sediments and the roots of Cyperus papyrus and Pontederia sagittata. Pond 1, characterized by greater depth and a continuous water supply, showed greater resilience to seasonal variations, with elevated concentrations of MP at the inlet (3.6 mg/L in water and 3.7 mg/g in sediments), higher root retention (24.5 mg/g), and a removal efficiency in the FTWs of up to 80.2%. Pond 4, characterized by shallower depth, lower water inflow, and higher total suspended solids load, was more vulnerable to extreme weather conditions. It exhibited lower MP concentrations at the inlet (2.5 mg/L in water and 1 mg/g in sediments), reduced root retention (13.3 mg/g), and a maximum removal efficiency of 75.2%. A negative correlation between water depth and MP concentration in water, sediments, and roots was observed in Pond 1, whereas opposite patterns were found in sediment and root samples from Pond 4. These findings emphasize the importance of considering hydrological factors in the design and implementation of FTWs to mitigate MP pollution in urban aquatic environments.
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