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Comparison of plastic pollution between waters and sediments in four Po River tributaries (Northern Italy)
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This study compared plastic pollution in both the water column and bottom sediments of four Po River tributaries in northern Italy, finding higher concentrations in sediments than in surface water and spatial variation linked to land use. The results highlight the importance of sampling both compartments to fully characterize riverine plastic contamination.
The monitoring of plastic contamination in freshwaters is still pioneering in comparison with marine environments, and few studies analyzed the distribution of these pollutants in both aqueous and bottom compartments of continental waters. Therefore, the aim of this study was the comparison of plastic pollution in both waters and sediments of four Po River tributaries (Ticino, Adda, Oglio and Mincio Rivers), which outflow from the main Italian sub-alpine Lakes, in order to establish the strengths and weaknesses of both matrices. The main results pointed out a heterogeneous plastic contamination, with the lowest values in Ticino (0.9 ± 0.5 plastics/m in waters and 6.8 ± 4.5 plastics/kg dry weight - d.w. - in sediments) and the highest in Mincio (62.9 ± 53.9 plastics/m in waters and 26.5 ± 13.3 plastics/kg d.w in sediments), highlighting a plastic amount in sediments four times higher than waters. Plastic pollution, mainly due to microplastics, was associated principally to a domestic input in both waters and sediments of Ticino and Adda Rivers, as well as in sediments of Oglio, while an industrial pollution was found in waters and sediments of Mincio and Oglio waters. Our data clearly highlighted as the monitoring of both matrices provide complementary information for a holistic risk assessment of these emerging contaminants in freshwaters: the aqueous matrix provides an instantaneous picture of contamination, while sediments the history of pollution.
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Microplastics and Phthalates in the Po River Delta: the Spatial Heterogeneity of the Plastic Associated Pollutant Pools
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Microplastics and phthalate plasticizers were surveyed in sediments of the Po River Delta in Italy, a major land-ocean transition zone for pollution. Both contaminants showed significant spatial variability, with higher concentrations near urban and agricultural inputs. The co-occurrence of microplastics and chemical additives in delta sediments raises concerns about multiple forms of pollution reaching the Adriatic Sea from one of Europe's most developed river systems.
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Researchers found that plastic particle concentrations in Italy's Po River varied significantly over time in 2019, with 5,063 particles collected and 80.6% being fragments, providing temporal data on riverine plastic flux to the Adriatic Sea.
Microplastic pollution in small rivers along rural–urban gradients: Variations across catchments and between water column and sediments
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This study compared microplastic pollution in water column and sediments of two small Slovenian rivers with different levels of urbanization and wastewater treatment plant influence. Microplastic concentrations differed significantly between water samples from the two rivers but not in sediments, with fibers dominating in both matrices.
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An innovative sampling method was used to assess microplastic contamination in both surface and subsurface river water, finding higher MP concentrations near the riverbed than at the surface, highlighting that surface-only sampling underestimates total MP contamination in rivers.
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This first vertical profile study of microplastics in a river in northern China found significant differences in microplastic concentration between surface, intermediate, and bottom waters, with higher abundances near the riverbed, suggesting that surface-only sampling underestimates total microplastic loads.
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