Large-scale monitoring and risk assessment of microplastics in the Amazon River
Water Research2023
112 citations
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Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Score: 65
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0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Rachel Hurley,
Luca Nizzetto,
Luca Nizzetto,
Luca Nizzetto,
Luca Nizzetto,
Luca Nizzetto,
Rachel Hurley,
Andreu Rico,
Rachel Hurley,
Andreu Rico,
Rachel Hurley,
Rachel Hurley,
Cecilie Singdahl-Larsen,
Marco Vighi
Marco Vighi
Cecilie Singdahl-Larsen,
Theresa Schell,
Theresa Schell,
Theresa Schell,
Theresa Schell,
Theresa Schell,
Paula E. Redondo‐Hasselerharm,
Paula E. Redondo‐Hasselerharm,
Rachel Hurley,
Rachel Hurley,
Paula E. Redondo‐Hasselerharm,
Paula E. Redondo‐Hasselerharm,
Paula E. Redondo‐Hasselerharm,
Paula E. Redondo‐Hasselerharm,
Rachel Hurley,
Rachel Hurley,
Rachel Hurley,
Rachel Hurley,
Paula E. Redondo‐Hasselerharm,
Paula E. Redondo‐Hasselerharm,
Rachel Hurley,
Cecilie Singdahl-Larsen,
Cecilie Singdahl-Larsen,
Paula E. Redondo‐Hasselerharm,
Paula E. Redondo‐Hasselerharm,
Rachel Hurley,
Paula E. Redondo‐Hasselerharm,
Paula E. Redondo‐Hasselerharm,
Andreu Rico,
Paula E. Redondo‐Hasselerharm,
Paula E. Redondo‐Hasselerharm,
Rachel Hurley,
Rachel Hurley,
Andreu Rico,
Luca Nizzetto,
Rachel Hurley,
Andreu Rico,
Rachel Hurley,
Rachel Hurley,
Rachel Hurley,
Cecilie Singdahl-Larsen,
Rachel Hurley,
Rachel Hurley,
Rachel Hurley,
Luca Nizzetto,
Cecilie Singdahl-Larsen,
Rachel Hurley,
Cecilie Singdahl-Larsen,
Cecilie Singdahl-Larsen,
Cecilie Singdahl-Larsen,
Cecilie Singdahl-Larsen,
Andreu Rico,
Theresa Schell,
Theresa Schell,
Andreu Rico,
Theresa Schell,
Rachel Hurley,
Theresa Schell,
Theresa Schell,
Rachel Hurley,
Paula E. Redondo‐Hasselerharm,
Paula E. Redondo‐Hasselerharm,
Paula E. Redondo‐Hasselerharm,
Paula E. Redondo‐Hasselerharm,
Paula E. Redondo‐Hasselerharm,
Rachel Hurley,
Rachel Hurley,
Marco Vighi
Marco Vighi
Rachel Hurley,
Luca Nizzetto,
Andreu Rico,
Rachel Hurley,
Andreu Rico,
Rachel Hurley,
Theresa Schell,
Rachel Hurley,
Andreu Rico,
Andreu Rico,
Rachel Hurley,
Rachel Hurley,
Rachel Hurley,
Rachel Hurley,
Theresa Schell,
Rachel Hurley,
Rachel Hurley,
Paula E. Redondo‐Hasselerharm,
Theresa Schell,
Rachel Hurley,
Andreu Rico,
Andreu Rico,
Rachel Hurley,
Andreu Rico,
Rachel Hurley,
Rachel Hurley,
Rachel Hurley,
Rachel Hurley,
Rachel Hurley,
Luca Nizzetto,
Luca Nizzetto,
Luca Nizzetto,
Luca Nizzetto,
Luca Nizzetto,
Luca Nizzetto,
Luca Nizzetto,
Luca Nizzetto,
Paula E. Redondo‐Hasselerharm,
Paula E. Redondo‐Hasselerharm,
Paula E. Redondo‐Hasselerharm,
Theresa Schell,
Theresa Schell,
Andréa Viviana Waichman,
Luca Nizzetto,
Paula E. Redondo‐Hasselerharm,
Andreu Rico,
Andreu Rico,
Marco Vighi
Marco Vighi
Marco Vighi
Luca Nizzetto,
Paula E. Redondo‐Hasselerharm,
Andreu Rico,
Cecilie Singdahl-Larsen,
Cecilie Singdahl-Larsen,
Cecilie Singdahl-Larsen,
Paula E. Redondo‐Hasselerharm,
Rachel Hurley,
Paula E. Redondo‐Hasselerharm,
Rachel Hurley,
Paula E. Redondo‐Hasselerharm,
Cecilie Singdahl-Larsen,
Cecilie Singdahl-Larsen,
Cecilie Singdahl-Larsen,
Cecilie Singdahl-Larsen,
Cecilie Singdahl-Larsen,
Paula E. Redondo‐Hasselerharm,
Luca Nizzetto,
Rachel Hurley,
Gabriel Silva de Souza Nunes,
Luca Nizzetto,
Andreu Rico,
Andreu Rico,
Paula E. Redondo‐Hasselerharm,
Rachel Hurley,
Rachel Hurley,
Andreu Rico,
Rachel Hurley,
Luca Nizzetto,
Rachel Hurley,
Rachel Hurley,
Rhaul Oliveira,
Marco Vighi
Rachel Hurley,
Rachel Hurley,
Rachel Hurley,
Marco Vighi
Luca Nizzetto,
Cecilie Singdahl-Larsen,
Luca Nizzetto,
Luca Nizzetto,
Luca Nizzetto,
Luca Nizzetto,
Cecilie Singdahl-Larsen,
Andreu Rico,
Andreu Rico,
Andreu Rico,
Cecilie Singdahl-Larsen,
Rachel Hurley,
Cecilie Singdahl-Larsen,
Marco Vighi
Marco Vighi
Marco Vighi
Marco Vighi
Luca Nizzetto,
Luca Nizzetto,
Luca Nizzetto,
Rachel Hurley,
Rachel Hurley,
Rachel Hurley,
Andreu Rico,
Luca Nizzetto,
Rachel Hurley,
Luca Nizzetto,
Luca Nizzetto,
Luca Nizzetto,
Luca Nizzetto,
Luca Nizzetto,
Luca Nizzetto,
Luca Nizzetto,
Luca Nizzetto,
Paula E. Redondo‐Hasselerharm,
Andreu Rico,
Andreu Rico,
Luca Nizzetto,
Rachel Hurley,
Luca Nizzetto,
Rachel Hurley,
Rachel Hurley,
Luca Nizzetto,
Luca Nizzetto,
Theresa Schell,
Andreu Rico,
Andreu Rico,
Paula E. Redondo‐Hasselerharm,
Andreu Rico,
Luca Nizzetto,
Luca Nizzetto,
Luca Nizzetto,
Paula E. Redondo‐Hasselerharm,
Paula E. Redondo‐Hasselerharm,
Rachel Hurley,
Rachel Hurley,
Luca Nizzetto,
Luca Nizzetto,
Luca Nizzetto,
Andreu Rico,
Marco Vighi
Rachel Hurley,
Marco Vighi
Summary
Researchers conducted the largest microplastic monitoring study in the Amazon River, sampling 40 sites across 1,500 kilometers. Microplastics were found everywhere, with urban streams near cities showing concentrations up to 1,000 times higher than the main river. This study confirms that even remote freshwater ecosystems like the Amazon are contaminated with microplastics, which could affect the fish and water that local communities depend on.
Study Type
Environmental
Microplastics (MPs) are one of the most widespread contaminants worldwide, yet their risks for freshwater ecosystems have seldom been investigated. In this study, we performed a large monitoring campaign to assess the presence and risks of MPs in Amazonian freshwater ecosystems. We investigated MP pollution in 40 samples collected along 1500 km in the Brazilian Amazon, including the Amazon River, three major tributaries, and several streams next to the most important urban areas. MPs in the 55-5000 µm size range were characterized (size, shape, color) by microscopy and identified (polymer composition) by infrared spectroscopy. Ecotoxicological risks were assessed using chronic Species Sensitivity Distributions for effects triggered by food dilution and tissue translocation using data alignment methods that correct for polydispersity of environmental MPs and bioaccessibility. This study shows that MPs are ubiquitous contaminants in Amazonian freshwater ecosystems, with measured concentrations (55-5000 µm) ranging between 5 and 152 MPs/m<sup>3</sup> in the Amazon River and its main tributaries, and between 23 and 74,550 MPs/m<sup>3</sup> in urban streams. The calculated Hazardous Concentration for the 5% of species (HC<sub>5</sub>) derived from the SSDs for the entire MP range (1-5000 µm) were 1.6 × 10<sup>7</sup> MPs/m<sup>3</sup> (95% CI: 1.2 × 10<sup>6</sup> - 4.0 × 10<sup>8</sup>) for food dilution, and 1.8 × 10<sup>7</sup> MPs/m<sup>3</sup> (95% CI: 1.5 × 10<sup>6</sup> - 4.3 × 10<sup>8</sup>) for translocation. Rescaled exposure concentrations (1-5000 µm) in the Amazon River and tributaries ranged between 6.0 × 10<sup>3</sup> and 1.8 × 10<sup>5</sup> MPs/m<sup>3</sup>, and were significantly lower than the calculated HC<sub>5</sub> values. Rescaled concentrations in urban streams ranged between 1.7 × 10<sup>5</sup> and 5.7 × 10<sup>8</sup> MPs/m<sup>3</sup>, and exceeded both calculated HC<sub>5</sub> values in 20% of the locations. This study shows that ecological impacts by MP contamination are not likely to happen in the Amazon River and its major tributaries. However, risks for freshwater organisms may be expected in near densely populated areas, such as the cities of Manaus or Belem, which have limited wastewater treatment facilities.