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“The great source” microplastic abundance and characteristics along the river Thames
Summary
A two-year study of the River Thames found an average of over 12 microplastic pieces per litre of surface water, with fibres and fragments dominating and polymers including polyethylene and polypropylene identified. Notably, microplastic abundance did not consistently increase along the river's length, suggesting multiple entry points rather than a single accumulation zone. The Thames is thus a significant ongoing source of microplastic pollution flowing into the North Sea.
This study focused on quantifying the abundance of microplastics within the surface water of the River Thames, UK. Ten sites in eight areas were sampled within the tidal Thames, starting from Teddington and ending at Southend-on-Sea. Three litres of water was collected monthly at high tide from land-based structures from each site from May 2019 to May 2021. Samples underwent visual analysis for microplastics categorised based on type, colour and size. 1041 pieces were tested using Fourier transform spectroscopy to identify chemical composition and polymer type. 6401 pieces of MP were found during sampling with an average MP of 12.27 pieces L-1 along the river Thames. Results from this study show that microplastic abundance does not increase along the river.