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Spatiotemporal distribution of microplastics in the Gansu section of the Yellow River and its influencing factors
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Researchers studied tiny plastic particles in water and sediment from the Yellow River in Gansu, China. Levels were higher where more people lived, and river flow affected how plastics spread, with more even distribution during high-flow months and more uneven distribution during low-flow months.
The Yellow River, the second-longest river in China, is a major channel for the transport of microplastics. In this study, we investigated the occurrence, spatiotemporal distribution, and influencing factors of microplastics in the main stem and major tributaries of the Gansu section of the Yellow River. The average annual microplastic concentrations in the surface water and sediments of the main stem of the Yellow River were relatively low at 1502.99 p m − 3 and 206.86 p kg − 1 , respectively. The chemical composition of microplastics in surface water and sediments comprised polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, polyethylene, and polyamide, with particle sizes generally below 1,000 μm. Fibers were more abundant in surface water, while fragments predominated in sediments. The spatial variation of microplastics in surface water was dominated by population density, while in sediments, this was primarily affected by population density and average annual flow. The temporal variation of microplastics in surface water was positively affected by monthly averages of flow and sediment concentration, while the temporal variation of microplastics in sediments was negatively influenced by the two factors. Riverine microplastics exhibited distinct spatial vertical distribution characteristics related to their physicochemical properties. In months with higher average monthly flow, the vertical distribution of microplastics in rivers was more uniform, whereas months with lower average flow exhibited more pronounced vertical variation. Our findings provide a reference for the impact of population density and river flow on the environmental behavior of microplastics in freshwater ecosystems.
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Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in surface water and sediments along the Lanzhou section of China's Yellow River. They found that most particles were small fibrous fragments of PET and polypropylene, with higher abundances during the dry season, and that human activity and weather patterns influenced microplastic distribution. Ecological risk assessments indicated the overall pollution level in this stretch of the river was relatively low.
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This study tracked microplastic contamination in the Yellow River near Baotou, China, across different seasons and locations, sampling surface water, sediment, and nearby soil. Researchers found microplastics everywhere they looked, with fibers being the dominant type and concentrations varying by season and proximity to urban areas. The findings highlight that major rivers can serve as pathways carrying land-based microplastic pollution toward the ocean.
[Occurrence Characteristics and Ecological Risk Assessment of Microplastic Pollution in the Yellow River Basin].
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Researchers examined the spatial distribution, composition characteristics, and ecological risks of microplastic pollution across the Yellow River Basin in China, assessing contamination levels in the nation's historically significant waterway system.
Distribution of microplastic contamination in the major tributaries of the Yellow River on the Loess Plateau
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Researchers investigated microplastic distribution across 96 sampling sites in three major tributaries of the Yellow River on the Loess Plateau, finding that microplastic abundance and characteristics differed among tributaries based on land use and human activity. The study identified environmental factors driving microplastic contamination patterns in these river systems.
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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.