We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Tracing the journey of microplastics in lake from surface water to accumulation in the sediments
Summary
Researchers conducted a comprehensive seasonal and historical study of microplastics in an urban lake in Latvia, using manta trawling for surface water, sediment coring with 210Pb dating for sediment archives, and sediment traps to assess deposition rates over one year. They found surface water concentrations peaked in summer at 5.71 particles per cubic meter, microplastic concentrations in recent sediments were 25 times higher than layers dating to 1924, and the annual deposition rate was approximately 9.47 particles per square centimeter per year.
The monitoring of freshwater microplastics still is underway to establish standardized methods for sampling, sample treatment, and analysis. Here we present a comprehensive study on microplastics in an urban lake from Latvia (North-Eastern Europe). This study covers the seasonal dynamics of pollution in surface water, sediment deposition rates over one year and distribution in dated sediment archives to determine the most representative environmental compartment for microplastic pollution monitoring (Barone et al. manuscript submitted for publication). We used Manta trawling (300 µm) for surface water collecting, sediment coring for sediments, and trapping for assessing microplastic sedimentation rates. Attenuated Total Reflection and micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy methods were used to investigate particles. Sediment core chronology was based on 210Pb. Surface water microplastic concentrations peaked in summer (5.71 particles/m3) and gradually declined towards winter (0.75 particles/m3). Microplastic concentrations were nearly 25 times higher in more recent sediments (year 2013) compared to deeper layers dating back to 1924. A significant amount of microplastics were found in sediments dated before 1950. The deposition rate of microplastics was 9.47 particles/cm2/year or 4.31 µg/cm2/year. The most abundant polymers identified were polyethylene, polystyrene, and polypropylene, with fibres being the dominant shape in surface water and fragments in sediments. These findings establish a baseline for evaluating future changes in contamination levels. We recommend a combined approach of surface water filtering and sediment trapping methods for monitoring microplastics in lakes. This approach offers efficient sampling and processing, utilizing minimal time and financial resources, while providing valuable insights into the temporal occurrence and deposition of microplastics. This study was supported by ESF Project No. 8.2.2.0/20/I/003, European Regional Development Fund, 1.1.1.2 postdoctoral project no. 1.1.1.2/VIAA/2/18/359, EEA and Norway grants 2014-2021 Bilateral Relations Fund (agreement no. FM2022/37), Estonian Research Council grant PRG1993, Centre of Excellence TK215 and the Latvian University grant Y5-AZ03_ZF-N-110. Also see: https://micro2024.sciencesconf.org/555548/document
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Tracing the journey of microplastics in lake from surface water to accumulation in the sediments
Researchers conducted a comprehensive seasonal monitoring study of microplastics in an urban lake in Latvia, tracking distribution in surface water, measuring sediment deposition rates over one year, and analyzing dated sediment archives to determine which environmental compartment best represents long-term microplastic pollution trends. The study aimed to identify the most suitable monitoring matrix and establish standardized sampling protocols for freshwater microplastic research.
What to monitor? Microplastics in a freshwater lake – From seasonal surface water to bottom sediments
Researchers tracked microplastics in a Baltic urban lake through surface water trawling, sediment traps, and dated sediment cores, finding that concentrations peak in summer and have increased 25-fold in recent decades, while particles — mostly polyethylene, polystyrene, and polypropylene — appeared even in sediment layers predating mass plastic production. The study recommends combining surface trawling and sediment trapping as a cost-effective monitoring approach for freshwater microplastic pollution.
Historical and current occurrence of microplastics in water and sediment of a Finnish lake affected by WWTP effluents
Researchers characterized microplastics in water and cesium-137-dated sediment cores from a Finnish lake sub-basin receiving wastewater treatment plant effluent. Microplastics were detected back to the 1970s in sediment records, and current concentrations in the lake reflected the wastewater treatment plant as the dominant local source.
Tracking the microplastic accumulation from past to present in the freshwater ecosystems: A case study in Susurluk Basin, Turkey
Researchers tracked the historical accumulation of microplastics in freshwater lake sediment cores, finding a steady increase in particle deposition corresponding to rising plastic production since the mid-20th century and demonstrating that sediment archives can reconstruct the timeline of freshwater microplastic pollution.
Reconstructing the first record of historical microplastic accumulation from lake sediments in Aotearoa New Zealand: A case study at Lake Wiritoa.
Researchers reconstructed historical microplastic accumulation records from lake sediment cores, establishing the first temporal record of MP deposition in a freshwater lake system. The sediment record revealed accelerating MP accumulation over the 20th century, mirroring global plastic production trends and marking the onset of plastic pollution in the stratigraphy.