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Microplastic accumulation in benthic macroinvertebrates is widespread, regardless of the river ecological status
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A broad survey of freshwater benthic macroinvertebrates across multiple rivers found that microplastic accumulation was widespread regardless of local urban development levels, suggesting that factors beyond proximity to urban areas—such as river hydrology and upstream sources—drive MP exposure in freshwater invertebrates.
Abstract Microplastics accumulation in freshwater organisms is expected to rise with the level of urbanization occurring near riverbanks, although other factors also contribute to this trend. Benthic macroinvertebrates, in particular, may be disproportionately affected by microplastic accumulation due to their feeding strategies (e.g., filter vs deposit feeders), highlighting feeding type-specific ingestion patterns. Nevertheless, it remains uncertain whether these impacts translate into detectable changes at the community level, underscoring the need for in situ investigations. We quantified the accumulation of microplastics in Chironomidae and Oligochaeta across 15 stream reaches along a rural–urban environmental gradient, within 3 Northern Atlantic rivers in Portugal. Microplastics were detected in organisms regardless of their river’s Ecological Quality Status, suggesting that the impact of urban land use is not the only factor that drives microplastics at a local scale. We also found microplastics across different Chironomidae subfamilies and tribes belonging to different functional feeding groups, potentially facilitating a higher influx of microplastics into the aquatic food web. This study demonstrates that even well-maintained ecosystems are not immune to microplastics pollution, emphasizing the urgent need for enhanced research efforts to develop methods for more effectively assessing and mitigating the impacts of microplastics on aquatic organisms.
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Benthic macroinvertebrates and microplastic contamination in contrasting water quality environments of the Middle Tietê River basin (São Paulo, Brazil)
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Researchers compared microplastic contamination in benthic invertebrates and sediments between a heavily polluted urban river and a cleaner tributary in São Paulo, Brazil. Higher microplastic concentrations were found near urban areas, confirming that human activity drives plastic accumulation in freshwater ecosystems.
Microplastics accumulation in functional feeding guilds and functional habit groups of freshwater macrobenthic invertebrates: Novel insights in a riverine ecosystem
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Microplastics were found across functional feeding groups and habitat types of freshwater macroinvertebrates in an Italian river, with collector-gatherers and sediment-dwelling species showing higher contamination, confirming that dietary and behavioral ecology shapes microplastic exposure patterns in invertebrate communities.
Anthropogenic Litter in Urban Freshwater Ecosystems: Distribution and Microbial Interactions
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Researchers quantified anthropogenic litter in urban rivers and streams and found that microplastics dominated by mass and particle count compared to macroplastic items. The study highlights urban freshwater systems as major conduits for plastic pollution moving toward marine environments and documents distinct microbial communities on plastic surfaces.
Microplastics in freshwater ecosystems: what we know and what we need to know
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This review examines the state of knowledge on microplastic contamination in freshwater ecosystems, which have received far less scientific attention than marine environments despite being major pathways for plastic transport. Researchers found that freshwater microplastic concentrations can be extremely high near urban areas and that organisms from insects to fish readily ingest these particles. The study identifies key research gaps including the need for standardized detection methods and better understanding of how microplastics move through and affect freshwater food webs.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.