We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Changes in distribution and types of plastic debris in urban river shores, Ulaanbaatar city, Mongolia
Summary
Researchers surveyed plastic debris along the Tuul River shoreline in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, finding that microplastics comprised 63% of debris by count, with polystyrene foam dominating micro- and meso-sized fractions (99% and 72% respectively) and fiber and foam abundance increasing from upstream to downstream, reflecting urbanization patterns.
Plastic waste can be transferred to the river by wind, flood, and unexpected artificial disposal, which gives a negative impact on the environment and human health. Rivers collect plastic wastes from their watersheds according to geographical factors. Therefore, characterization of plastic distribution and composition with respect to land-uses can be understandable for fate of plastic wastes. Plastic debris surveyed from the main (Tuul river) and tributary river shores in Ulaanbaatar (UB) city, Mongolia from the upperstream to downstream to understand behavior and control of plastic waste along the major river in the urbanized city. Sampling areas are divided into the apartment and housing/ger (traditional yurt) area, industrial and agricultural areas. The composition of collected plastics along the Tuul river in the UB city was composed of 63% micro, 15% of meso, 18% of macro, and 5% of mega-sized plastics on the number basis. Foam and films were dominant in the material-based fractions. Especially, polystyrene foams occupied 99% of micro and 72% of meso-sized plastic fractions, whereas the film type makes up 55% of macro and 77% of mega-sized plastics. From the viewpoint of sampling location, foam and fiber types of microplastic were less in the upperstream of Tuul River, but higher amounts of foam and fibers were found at downstream of the river. Polystyrene foams transported easily with river flow and wind coupling with their degradation process because of their least density and smaller sizes. Although films were abundant in housing/ger areas, foams distributed everywhere along the rivers. Conversely, industrial areas released the least number of plastic wastes. Plastic waste distribution along branch tributaries was different from the Tuul River shore. Macro and Mega plastics tended to distribute along the shore of tributaries connecting to Tuul river. The size distribution may vary according to catchment area and types of land-uses. Also see: https://micro2022.sciencesconf.org/426761/document
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Behavior and distribution of polystyrene foams on the shore of Tuul River in Mongolia
Polystyrene foam debris accumulated along the Tuul River shore in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, with micro-sized foam being the most abundant form and older fragments showing higher surface oxidation. Foam plastics are a major contributor to microplastic pollution in inland water systems, particularly in urban areas.
Dynamics of plastic debris and its density change between river compartments in the Tuul River system, Mongolia
Researchers investigated the migration dynamics and aging of plastic debris between floodplain, surface water, and sediment compartments of the Tuul River in Mongolia. The study characterized plastic occurrence by abundance, size, shape, polymer type, and photodegradation across river compartments to understand how plastic properties change during transport.
The microplastic dynamics between river surface water and sediment compartments
Researchers monitored plastic distribution in surface water and bottom sediment along the urban Tuul River in Mongolia in August 2022 and 2023 at nine sampling sites, using a plankton net for water sampling and measuring river flow rates to determine plastic fluxes. They found strong compositional similarities between water and sediment compartments in dominant plastic types — polyethylene and polypropylene films and fragments — and observed that severe flooding in July 2023 dramatically increased plastic loads in surface water by 1.5 to 539 items per cubic meter compared to the prior year.
Microplastic pollution differences in freshwater river according to stream order: Insights from spatial distribution, annual load, and ecological assessment
Researchers compared microplastic pollution levels in a freshwater river across different land-use zones, finding higher concentrations near urban and agricultural areas than in forested regions. Fiber-type microplastics were predominant across all sampling locations.
Distribution and composition of plastic debris along the river shore in the Selenga River basin in Mongolia
Researchers surveyed plastic debris along 12 sites in the Selenga River basin in Mongolia, documenting the distribution and composition of plastic litter in a river system that drains into Lake Baikal and contributes to its contamination.