High frequency sampling during a storm hydrograph offers insights into the possible transport and source activation dynamics of microplastics within a peri urban stream.

In the last decade mismanaged plastic waste, specifically microplastics (1-5000 µm) have gained significant scientific and public interest with research from numerous disciplines highlighting the ubiquitous nature and potential harm microplastics can exert on both human and ecosystem health. Microplastics can now be found in all of Earth’s environmental compartments. Although a large level of knowledge has been obtained highlighting the sources (wastewater treatment plants, urban areas, agricultural fields etc), sinks (oceans, lakes, rivers, ground water, etc) and transport routes (rivers, air currents, ground water etc) of microplastics in the environment, our understanding of the processes that drive flux between systems is still limited. This is especially true in systems where environmental loading and activation events are less predictable, such as those found in diffuse source dominated catchments. Previous studies have highlighted storm events as significant drivers of microplastic flux in such catchments. However, little research has been conducted examining how microplastic concentrations, loading and characteristics change over the course of a storm hydrograph and also how the hydrometeorological conditions before and during an event interact with the microplastic supply dynamics.This study aims to address this gap. In June 2022 a single light storm event (1 (2.05)) with microplastic concentration peaking before peak discharge suggesting microplastic supply depletion. Furthermore, it was estimated that during the sampled portion of the storm event (around 8 hours) about six million microplastic particles were exported from the catchment. In contrast, microplastic export during baseflow ranged from around 28,000 to around 368,000 particles for the same time frame, indicating the significance of such events when calculating annual MP flux. This study demonstrates how microplastic concentrations and characteristics change over the course of a single storm event, providing a mechanistic understanding of how hydrometeorological conditions interact with microplastic supply dynamics.