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Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on microplastic occurrence in aquatic environments: A three-year study in Taihu Lake Basin, China
Summary
Researchers tracked microplastic levels in the Taihu Lake Basin in China over three years spanning the COVID-19 pandemic. They found that microplastic concentrations initially dropped by 62% at the start of lockdowns but gradually returned to pre-pandemic levels, while the proportion of small fiber-type plastics linked to masks and protective equipment increased. The study illustrates how shifts in human behavior and product use can rapidly change the composition of microplastic pollution in waterways.
The impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on microplastic (MP) occurrence in aquatic environments deserves an in-depth study. In this study, the occurrence of MPs and environmental flux of plastics before (2019) and during (2020 and 2021) the pandemic were comparatively investigated in various aquatic compartments in the Taihu Lake Basin in China. The field-based investigations from 2019 to 2021 for Taihu Lake have shown that, at the onset of the outbreak, the MP abundance declined at a rate of 62.3 %, but gradually recovered to the pre-pandemic level. However, the amount of plastics being released into aquatic environments showed a declining trend in 2020 and 2021 compared to those in 2019, with decrease rates of 13.7 % and 15.8 %, respectively. Characterization analysis of MP particles and source apportionment framework implied that while the contributions of tire abrasion and domestic waste to MP occurrence were depleted owing to the reduction in human activity during the pandemic, weathering and fragmentation of retained plastics contributed to the recovery of stored MPs. This study provides insights into the anthropogenic influences on MP occurrence, and supports policymakers in managing and controlling plastic contamination in large freshwater systems in the "new normal" phase.
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