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Did the COVID-19 pandemic play a role in the spatial and temporal variations of microplastics? Evidence from a tropical river in southern India
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Monitoring of the Netravathi River in southern India before and after COVID-19 lockdowns found that microplastic concentrations were highest during monsoon seasons and actually declined during the lockdown period, likely due to reduced rainfall and restricted human activity. After the lockdown ended, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) — associated with PPE and food packaging — rose sharply to 74% of all polymers detected in post-monsoon samples. The study shows how pandemic-related changes in plastic use and movement can rapidly shift the composition and quantity of microplastics in rivers.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) use has increased because of COVID-19, producing more microplastics (MPs). The pandemic's impact on MP pollution in Indian rivers is little understood. In this study, the Netravathi River in Karnataka was investigated for the spatiotemporal distribution of MPs. The MPs abundance, size, and categories varied seasonally, with a higher concentration during the monsoon seasons. The reduction in rainfall during MON20 and the COVID-19 lockdown can be the reasons for the significant decrease in the MP concentration when compared to MON19. Polyethylene and polyethylene terephthalate were the most abundant polymers, with a shift from polyethylene to the latter (74 %) during post-monsoon season post-lockdown. The situation of MP pollution in Western Ghats can be mitigated with the aid of appropriate waste management of plastic trash and greater public awareness about the disposal of single-use plastics, which has risen significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The consequences of reduced anthropogenic activities during the COVID-19 pandemic on microplastic abundance in a tropical estuarine region: Goa, India
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This study compared microplastic abundance in a tropical estuarine region in Goa, India before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, finding that reduced human activity during lockdown corresponded to measurable changes in microplastic levels. The results offer a natural experiment on how anthropogenic activity drives microplastic inputs.
Impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on microplastic abundance along the River Thames
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Researchers monitored microplastic levels along the River Thames before, during, and after the Covid-19 pandemic from 2019 to 2021. The study found that the second national lockdown in November 2020 had the highest average microplastic concentrations, with fibers making up over 82% of particles detected, suggesting the pandemic influenced plastic pollution patterns in urban waterways.
Spatial and temporal variations of microplastics in the lower Chao Phraya River, Thailand: an investigation during the COVID-19 pandemic period
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Researchers systematically measured microplastics in the lower Chao Phraya River, Thailand, during the COVID-19 pandemic period across spatial and temporal gradients. Average MP abundance was 8.3 ± 5.8 particles/m, dominated by PE and PP fibers and fragments, with higher concentrations downstream in urbanized areas and slight seasonal elevation in wet season runoff.
Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on microplastic occurrence in aquatic environments: A three-year study in Taihu Lake Basin, China
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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.
Spatiotemporal distribution of microplastics in Miri coastal area, NW Borneo: inference from a periodical observation
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Sediment samples collected across three time periods — monsoon, post-monsoon, and post-COVID — at the Miri coast of Borneo showed a dramatic 148–218% increase in microplastic concentrations in post-COVID samples, likely reflecting increased single-use plastic waste during the pandemic. Fibers dominated (about 64%), with PTFE, PE, and PP as the most common polymer types, and concentrations were highest near river mouths and industrial areas. The findings illustrate how major societal events like a pandemic can rapidly worsen microplastic pollution at the local level.
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