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Effect of cascade damming on microplastics transport in rivers: A large-scale investigation in Wujiang River, Southwest China
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Researchers investigated how cascade damming on the Wujiang River in China affects microplastic transport, finding that dams intercept microplastics and reduce their downstream flux, with midstream areas showing the highest concentrations.
Rivers are the important channels for transporting microplastics into the ocean from land. Prosperous dam construction changed the connectivity of rivers, thereby reducing the flux of microplastics to the ocean. However, this process currently lacks verification for the large-scale watersheds. In this study, we investigated the Wujiang River in China to evaluate the interception of cascade dams on microplastics. The results showed that: 1) The midstream exhibits a high abundance of microplastics (606.6-1046.2 items·kg) while the upstream and downstream reach exhibits relatively low pollution levels. The small-sized microplastics of 0-0.5 mm are easily migrated into downstream while the large-sized microplastics of 0.5-5 mm tend to deposit. 2) Ten kinds of plastic materials were found, in which polyethylene and polypropylene, originated from the developed tourism and fishery, account for 74.2% in all samples. 3) The earliest microplastics were found in the sediments of 1962. The abundance of microplastics in the sediments in seven reservoirs increased over time, impling the contribution of increasing human activities. 4) Positive correlations between the abundance of microplastics in sediments and local gross domestic product (GDP) (n = 33, R = 0.89, p < 0.05) and negative correlations between microplastics abundance and reservoir basin area (n = 33, R = 0.42, p < 0.05) revealed that GDP and watershed area are the key factors that control the distribution of microplastics. Our results help to understand the migration of microplastics between terrestrial and marine ecosystems.
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Researchers analyzed microplastic distribution in sediments of the Wujiang River basin in southwest China, finding that cascade dams trap and accumulate microplastics in reservoir sediments, with dam density and upstream land use significantly influencing local microplastic abundance and composition.
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Researchers used a laboratory flow flume to study how a submerged dam intercepts PVC and polystyrene microplastics, finding that the dam captured most particles but that un-intercepted particles changed their transport behavior downstream. The study quantified interception rates and identified factors influencing dam performance as a passive microplastic barrier in river management.
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Researchers mapped how the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River alters the distribution and flow of microplastic pollution. They found that the reservoir acts as a significant trap for microplastics, accumulating them in sediment and the fluctuation zone along its banks, while reducing the downstream flux. The study suggests that large dams fundamentally change how microplastic pollution moves through major river systems.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.