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Characterization and Temporal Variation of Microplastics in Surface Waters and Sediments of the Lower Lurín River Basin, Peru
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Researchers documented widespread microplastic contamination in the sediments of the Tijuana River, a binational waterway shared by Mexico and the United States, with fibers and polypropylene fragments being the most common types. Inadequate wastewater treatment and poor solid waste management were identified as the primary sources.
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Scientists found tiny plastic bits (mostly small blue and clear fibers) in both the water and riverbed of a Colombian river and reservoir, with more showing up during rainy seasons when heavy flows wash plastic downstream. This matters because these waterways likely feed into drinking water systems or local ecosystems, meaning the plastics, and whatever chemicals they carry, could eventually make their way into the food and water people rely on.
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Sediment samples from an urban stream in Rio Claro, Brazil showed microplastic concentrations up to 18,000 units per kilogram — among the highest reported in Brazil — with fibers and tire wear particles as the dominant types, driven by untreated sewage and stormwater runoff. The extreme pollution levels in a mid-sized city highlight that microplastic contamination is not confined to megacities, posing risks to water quality in smaller urban centers.
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This global review of freshwater sediment studies finds that human activities, stormwater runoff, water flow, and sediment grain size all shape where microplastics accumulate in rivers and lakes, but most data come from Asia with limited coverage elsewhere. Filling these geographic and temporal gaps is essential for understanding the long-term fate of microplastics in freshwater systems that supply drinking water worldwide.
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