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Baseline assessment of microplastic in sediments of the Almendares River and Havana Harbour, Cuba
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Scientists tested river and harbor sediment in Havana, Cuba, and found tiny plastic bits, mostly from common plastics like food packaging and bottles, at wildly varying levels depending on location. This matters because these waterways connect to the ocean and food chain, meaning the plastic pollution we're tracking today could eventually make its way into seafood and drinking water.
Sediment samples were collected and analysed for microplastic concentrations and identification in the Almendares River, both upstream and at the river mouth, and in Havana Harbour. Microplastic particles (45 μm to 5 mm) isolated by density separation were identified using microFourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (μFT-IR), and found concentrations ranging from 24 to 9989 items kg −1 d.w. This large variation could be due to proximity to local input sources, hydrodynamic conditions, river discharge, tidal transport and/or depositional environment. Principal component analyses indicated that while some samples displayed similar particle composition in terms of organic, mineral, petrogenic/pyrogenic residue and microplastics, the polymer of the composition of the microplastics could differ substantially. Overall, the most identified microplastic particle was the low-density polymer polyethylene (PE), followed by polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). PVC was not detected in sediment from upstream Almendares River. Local input sources may explain the variation in polymer composition in sediment from the river outlet compared to upstream, where sediment from the river mouth is influenced by particle input from both river transport and coastal activities. Concurrently, the high concentration of particles with petrogenic/pyrogenic in the harbour sediment may be explained by the close vicinity to an oil refinery. This baseline study presents a spatial snapshot of microplastic pollution in the Almendares River and Havana Harbour. Future studies should focus on temporal variations and implement comprehensive sample and sediment characteristics to better understand variations in input sources and depositional environment.
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Researchers conducted the first study of microplastics in Cuban freshwater rivers, finding them in sediments at both an urban river and a rural river, with much higher levels in the urban site. PET plastic was the most common type, making up 42% of particles identified. The study also found that polypropylene concentrations were associated with elevated nitrogen compounds and appeared to suppress certain microbial enzyme activities, suggesting microplastics may alter how river sediments process nutrients. The work extends our understanding of microplastic contamination to Caribbean freshwater ecosystems.
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This study investigated the presence of microplastics in marine sediments on the Norwegian Continental Shelf and in Cuba's Rio Almendares, finding microplastic particles at both sites despite their different characteristics. The results contribute to growing evidence that marine sediments are a major sink for plastic pollution.
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A study of a Colombian urban river found microplastics in all water and sediment samples, with concentrations reaching 4,186 particles per liter in water and 62,763 per kilogram in sediments, and human activity along the riverbank directly correlated with contamination levels. This adds to evidence that urban rivers act as major conduits channeling microplastics from cities into the ocean.
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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.