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Review: Microplastic contamination in the Guandu River basin: The water supply reservoir of Rio de Janeiro metropolitan region (Southeastern Brazil) — R0/PR3
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Scientists tested the water supply for Rio de Janeiro's metro area and found tiny plastic bits (microplastics) throughout the river system, with more contamination in areas surrounded by cities and less in more rural, upstream spots. This matters because this water eventually reaches people's taps, and while research is still ongoing about health effects, we do know these plastic particles, along with the everyday chemicals and plastics that end up in rivers from urban runoff, are making their way into drinking water sources that millions of people depend on.
The present study aimed to elucidate the extent of microplastic (MP) contamination in the Guandu River basin. Samples were collected from surface waters using a Manta trawl at 11 sites in two seasonal periods. MPs abundance was 6.1 ± 4.9 particles m−3 in the cold-dry season, and 2.3 ± 1.1 particles m−3 in the warm-rainy season. Four shapes and 12 colors were identified, indicating a high degree of particle diversity. Fragments were the most common, followed by fibers. The frequent colors were black, blue and transparent. Eleven plastic polymers were identified using micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis; the dominant ones were polyethylene and polypropylene. Artificial cellulose particles (including the semisynthetic polymer rayon) were also detected in high relative abundance. No significant difference in MP abundance was found between seasons and limnic conditions. There was a significant trend toward higher abundance of MPs near areas with greater urban influence and lower abundance in reservoirs surrounded by less urbanized areas (upstream river). Therefore, MPs appeared to be influenced by land use and occupation, with higher abundance in more urbanized areas, suggesting an urban–rural effect.
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Decision: Microplastic contamination in the Guandu River basin: The water supply reservoir of Rio de Janeiro metropolitan region (Southeastern Brazil) — R1/PR10
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Scientists found tiny plastic particles (microplastics) in the river that supplies drinking water to millions of people in the Rio de Janeiro area, with more pollution showing up near cities than in less developed areas upstream. This matters because this waterway is a major water source for the region, and while the study didn't test drinking water directly, it shows that everyday human activity is contaminating the water supply with plastic fragments and fibers, raising questions about what might end up in our tap water.
Review: Microplastic contamination in the Guandu River basin: The water supply reservoir of Rio de Janeiro metropolitan region (Southeastern Brazil) — R1/PR7
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Researchers found microplastic concentrations of 6.1 ± 4.9 particles/m³ in the cold-dry season and 2.3 ± 1.1 particles/m³ in the warm-rainy season in the Guandu River basin of Rio de Janeiro, with polyethylene and polypropylene dominating and higher abundance linked to greater urban land use.
Review: Microplastic contamination in the Guandu River basin: The water supply reservoir of Rio de Janeiro metropolitan region (Southeastern Brazil) — R1/PR8
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Researchers found microplastic contamination throughout the Guandu River basin in Brazil, which supplies water to the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan region, with abundance averaging 6.1 particles/m3 in the cold-dry season and 2.3 particles/m3 in the warm-rainy season, dominated by fragments and fibers across 11 identified polymer types.
Microplastic contamination in the Guandu River basin: The water supply reservoir of Rio de Janeiro metropolitan region (Southeastern Brazil)
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Researchers characterised the extent and distribution of microplastic contamination throughout the Guandu River basin in Brazil, which supplies drinking water to a major urban area, quantifying MP concentrations and identifying dominant polymer types and morphologies to assess risks to the water supply.
Understanding Microplastic Pollution in Riverbed Sediments: Special Emphasis on a Medium-Sized City in the State of São Paulo, Brazil
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Sediment samples from an urban stream in Rio Claro, Brazil showed microplastic concentrations up to 18,000 units per kilogram — among the highest reported in Brazil — with fibers and tire wear particles as the dominant types, driven by untreated sewage and stormwater runoff. The extreme pollution levels in a mid-sized city highlight that microplastic contamination is not confined to megacities, posing risks to water quality in smaller urban centers.
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