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Microplastic Concentrations in the Urban Blackstone River and Its Tributaries, Worcester County, Massachusetts
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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.
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