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Fluvial Concentrations of Microplastics in a Suburban Micro-Watershed: Sampling Methodology and Analysis
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Researchers designed a low-cost sampling station to collect and quantify microplastics in a shallow suburban stream in South Carolina. They found that microplastic abundance increased from the top of the watershed to the bottom, rising from about 269 to 715 particles per 10 cubic meters of surface water. Fibers were the dominant type, and the study highlights the need for standardized sampling methods for small freshwater streams.
Plastics have been incorporated into everyday life due to their versatility, yet when microplastic particles enter natural fluvial systems, they pollute the surrounding environment and pose potential human health risks. As state and federal agencies develop regulations for microplastics in natural systems, it is important to properly assess potential sources of pollution and the concentration of microplastic particles in freshwater environments; however, microplastic pollution in small streams can be complex to investigate because of their dynamic hydrography and lack of standardization in microplastic sample collection and quantification. In this study, a unique low-cost sampling station was designed to collect microplastics from surface water in a shallow urban freshwater stream. The goal is to understand the variation in microplastic concentrations across a watershed at baseflow. Surface water samples were collected and analyzed from five sites along Hunnicutt Creek, a suburban freshwater stream located in Clemson, SC. The sampling station was deployed in the upper water column long enough to allow 10 m3 of surface water through a sampling net. Seven sampling events occurred at five sampling sites across the Hunnicutt Creek watershed. Surface water samples indicate that the microplastic abundance increased from the top of the watershed (269 ± 30 particles/10 m3) to the bottom of the watershed (715 ± 93 particles/10 m3). Fibers were the dominant morphology identified in the system, which accounted for 99.7% of the microplastic particles sampled. There was a significant difference in the microplastic concentrations between sampling sites moving down the watershed (F = 53.27, df = 4, p < 0.001), with the highest concentrations at the bottom of the watershed (or at the confluence of the tributaries). This work contributes to the understanding of how microplastics move at low-flow/baseflow conditions in small freshwater streams, which are common throughout global communities.
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Researchers sampled microplastics in small streams across an urbanization gradient and found contamination at all sites, with concentrations comparable to those in larger rivers and lakes. Fragments and small particles between 63 and 500 micrometers were the most common forms detected. Surprisingly, catchment-scale factors like population density and stormwater overflows did not predict microplastic levels well, suggesting that local-scale sources may be more important for pollution in small streams.
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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.
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