Microplastics in Russian Freshwater Systems: a Review

The global production of polymers and accumulation of waste has resulted in the worldwide problem of environment contamination by plastic debris. Microplastic (MP) particles (<5 mm) have been found almost everywhere. Despite the significant number of publications devoted to the microplastic contamination in freshwater and marine environments, Russia is a major gap in the review articles about worldwide freshwater systems. The article provides the summary of studies focused on MPs in both water samples and bottom sediments from Russian rivers and lakes. Information on microplastic concentration, methods, investigated particle size, morphological characteristics and polymer type are collected in tabular format. The map of the MP distribution in Russian freshwater systems are presented. The concentration of microplastics in freshwater system is highly variable in both water and bottom sediments. For the most studied particle size 0.3–5 mm in aquatic environments, the minimum content was obtained in the N. Dvina River (0.004–0.01 items/m3), while the maximum was in the Ob River (26.5–114 items/m3). The highest MP concentration (4000–26,000 items/m3) in water samples was estimated in the Altai lakes (Western Siberia) for particle size 10–960 nm. The minimum MP abundance (14 items/kg dry weight (DW) for 0.06–5 mm size particles) was estimated in Ladoga bottom sediments, the maximum content (52,107 items/kg DW for 0.174–5 mm size particles) was found in Kondopoga Bay in Lake Onego.