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Microplastics in floodplain soils along the rhine river in germany
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Researchers characterized microplastic pollution in floodplain soils along the Rhine River in Germany, focusing on this understudied habitat at the interface of terrestrial and freshwater systems to understand how rivers act as vectors for microplastic transport and deposition.
Microplastic pollution was initially documented in the oceans, and only recently has research begun to focus on terrestrial and freshwater systems. Given that most microplastics originate on land, it is essential to study terrestrial environments to understand how microplastics are transported. Although recent studies have extensively examined agricultural soils, there is limited knowledge about floodplain soils, which lie at the intersection of terrestrial and freshwater systems. Rivers are key in transporting microplastics to the ocean, but they can also act as sinks due to microplastic deposition in riverbed sediments and nearby floodplains. Flood events, in particular, can mobilize and redistribute microplastics within floodplains based on their topography. Additionally, microplastics deposited on the soil surface can migrate downwards in the soil to deeper profiles. We sampled soil at different depths along three transects in Rhine floodplains and analyzed the abundance and mass concentration of microplastics using FTIR and pyrolysis GC/MS. Additionally, a hydrodynamic flood model was developed to assess the impact of flood frequency on microplastic distribution. At one study site, we analysed and dated a soil profile down to 120 cm to understand the vertical movement of microplastics. The results revealed a consistent distribution pattern, with the highest microplastic abundance and concentration found in topographical depressions where floodwaters accumulate and deposit more particles. We found an enrichment of MPs in soil horizons with smaller grain sizes, possibly due to smaller pore sizes, although our results suggest that high biological activity can alter this pattern. This study underscores the relationship between microplastic distribution in floodplains and the interplay of flood frequency and local topography, highlighting the need for further research on the long-term fate of microplastics in floodplain soils. Also see: https://micro2024.sciencesconf.org/559153/document
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