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The Importance of Plastic Debris as a Source of Microplastics in Richland Creek, North Carolina
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Researchers investigated how existing plastic debris in Richland Creek, North Carolina fragments and contributes to the standing microplastic load in freshwater, finding that in-stream debris is a major local source of secondary microplastics. In-situ fragmentation of larger plastic litter means that even waterways distant from industrial sources can generate their own microplastic contamination, extending the geographic reach of plastic pollution in drinking water sources.
The widespread use and subsequent release of plastic polymers to the environmen...
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Distribution of Microplastics in the Catawba River Basin
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Researchers mapped the distribution of microplastics across the Catawba River Basin in North and South Carolina, providing baseline data on plastic particle concentrations in an urban river system that supplies drinking water to millions of people in the southeastern United States.
A Reconnaissance of Microplastic Distribution in a Small Michigan Watershed
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A reconnaissance survey of microplastics in the Lake Macatawa watershed in Michigan found that storm sewer outfalls and wastewater treatment plant discharges were the primary local sources, with microplastics detected in beach sediments and downstream sites but at relatively low counts in upstream rural streams. This suggests that urban infrastructure—stormwater systems and wastewater effluent—is the dominant pathway delivering microplastics to freshwater systems in non-coastal US communities.
Movement of Microplastics in the Catawba River Basin
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Researchers tracked the movement and abundance of microplastics throughout the Catawba River Basin, identifying urban runoff, wastewater treatment plant effluent, and stormwater as primary contributors to microplastic loading in this major southeastern U.S. watershed. Rivers function as critical transport corridors that carry microplastics from inland population centers downstream into estuaries and ultimately coastal marine environments.
The Migration of Microplastics Between Freshwater and Saltwater Systems: a Coastal North Carolina Investigation from the Neuse River to the Atlantic Ocean
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This study tracked microplastic migration from the Neuse River through coastal North Carolina estuaries to the Atlantic Ocean, characterizing how freshwater-to-saltwater transitions affect particle transport and distribution. Tracing the full migration pathway from inland freshwater systems to open ocean helps quantify how terrestrial plastic pollution ultimately loads into marine environments where it can persist for decades.
Microplastic Concentration and Type in a Central Illinois Urban Stream
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Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in a small urban stream in central Illinois and found levels orders of magnitude higher than those in major rivers like the Chicago or Danube, with downstream concentrations reaching 2,000 particles per cubic meter. The findings suggest small urban waterways may be underestimated but significant pathways for funneling microplastics into larger water systems.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.