We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Catchment-Specific Drivers of Microplastic Contamination in Two Central European Rivers: A Citizen Science Monitoring Campaign Along the Neckar and the Lusatian Neisse
AI summary Read the abstract
Water samples from two European rivers, the Neckar and the Lusatian Neisse, were tested for microplastic particles using chemical and microscope-based methods. The Neisse had higher microplastic levels than the Neckar, with one site near a lock showing especially variable results. Nearby land use and wastewater treatment plants showed no clear link to microplastic levels in either river.
Understanding microplastic (MP) transport dynamics in river systems requires spatially and temporally resolved monitoring to disentangle localized point sources from diffuse catchment inputs. This study investigated MP contamination across two contrasting Central European catchments: the heavily impounded, industrialized Neckar (n = 136; June 2026) and the transboundary Lusatian Neisse (n = 102; March and May 2026). A standardized monitoring campaign collected 0.5 L grab samples across both rivers and at the Neckar–Rhine confluence in Mannheim, including an inland port area, where 12 sites were sampled on four dates between January and April 2026. Samples underwent hydrogen peroxide digestion, fluorescent staining with a MP-specific dye mixture (particles > 10 µm), automated fluorescence microscopy, and geospatial analysis incorporating land cover and wastewater infrastructure metrics. Microplastic concentrations were significantly higher in the Neisse than in the Neckar (median 22.5 vs. 5.0 MP L−1; Cliff’s delta = 0.44). Because the two rivers were sampled in different months and at different water levels, seasonal and hydrological contributions to this difference cannot be excluded. In the Mannheim port area, the highest site mean was recorded upstream of a lock structure (544 MP L−1) with pronounced temporal variability at this site (5 to 1591 MP L−1). Neither local land use nor wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) metrics showed a detectable association with MP abundances in either river under the present design, which could reliably detect only moderate to strong associations. These results indicate that immediate land cover and WWTP proximity left no detectable signal in surface-water MP concentrations, possibly because point-source signals are masked by diffuse inputs, hydrological dynamics and temporal variation. Concentrations in the Neisse decreased from the upper to the lower reaches; whether this reflects the secondary WWTPs of the upper catchment or other longitudinal differences (e.g., flow conditions) could not be resolved.
More Papers Like This
Riverine microplastic contamination in southwest Germany: A large-scale survey
AI summary Read the abstract
A large-scale survey of microplastic contamination across multiple rivers in southwest Germany found that contamination increased from headwaters to lowland sections and was elevated downstream of urban areas and wastewater treatment plant discharges. Fibers dominated in all rivers, and the study highlighted rivers as both pathways and temporary sinks for microplastics.
Microplastic pollution differences in freshwater river according to stream order: Insights from spatial distribution, annual load, and ecological assessment
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers compared microplastic pollution levels in a freshwater river across different land-use zones, finding higher concentrations near urban and agricultural areas than in forested regions. Fiber-type microplastics were predominant across all sampling locations.
First evidence of microplastics in a freshwater river and their relationship to water quality
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in a freshwater river used for recreational purposes and found a significant relationship between microplastic abundance and water physicochemical quality parameters, along with the presence of three organic compounds, providing evidence that microplastic pollution and water quality are closely linked.
A systems approach to understand microplastic occurrence and variability in Dutch riverine surface waters
AI summary Read the abstract
Microplastic concentrations in two Dutch rivers ranged from 67 to 11,532 particles per cubic meter, varying by two orders of magnitude across space and one order over time, with polyethylene and polypropylene the most common polymers among 26 types identified. Rigorous quality assurance procedures including partial filter analysis guidelines are proposed to improve measurement reliability.
Microplastic distribution and their abundance along rivers are determined by land uses and sediment granulometry
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers studied two river watersheds and found that microplastics were widespread in both water and sediment, with concentrations in water rising alongside increased urban land use. Interestingly, microplastics trapped in sediment were more influenced by the grain size of the riverbed than by human activity. The findings suggest that both human factors and natural river characteristics work together to shape where microplastics end up in freshwater systems.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.