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Storm events as key moments of microplastic contamination in aquatic ecosystems
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Researchers monitored microplastic concentrations in waterways before, during, and after storm events and found that storm-driven runoff caused major spikes in microplastic abundance, identifying storm events as key transport moments that standard monitoring programs typically miss.
Microplastic (MP) pollution is an emerging issue in aquatic sciences. Rain and storm events are responsible for the mobilization and transport of a range of pollutants in aquatic systems, yet to date no study has examined how microplastic abundance changes in waterways during such events. The aim of this study was to determine how microplastic concentrations changed over the course of the storm event in an urban estuary. Sampling was conducted at high frequency before, during, and after a storm event that caused flooding in the Cooks River estuary, Australia. Microplastic abundance increased during two days of heavy rain from 400 particles m before storm event to up to 17,383 particles m after the event. Variation in microplastic abundance was positively related to five-day average antecedent rainfall. The results highlight the importance of rain and storm events as key moments of microplastic contamination in aquatic systems. The results have implications for considering the maximum number of microplastics that aquatic life may be exposed to and the importance of strategies to manage stormwater to minimize the input of microplastics to aquatic ecosystems.
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Microplastic concentrations in stormwater runoff were compared between dry baseflow conditions and rainfall-driven storm events in an urban watershed, finding significantly higher microplastic loads during rainfall events. The results identify stormwater as a major episodic pathway delivering microplastics from urban landscapes to receiving waterways.
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Researchers sampled both microplastics and macroplastics at four sites along an urban river in Ontario, Canada during normal flow and storm conditions. The study found that storm events significantly influence plastic transport dynamics, with flow conditions affecting how much plastic pollution is retained in or flushed through urban river systems toward downstream water bodies.
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A study of an urban river system found that stormwater runoff is a major source of microplastic pollution, transporting particles from roads, buildings, and other urban surfaces directly into waterways during rain events. Stormwater contributed a significant fraction of the total microplastic load reaching the ocean, comparable to inputs from wastewater treatment plants. Better management of urban stormwater could meaningfully reduce microplastic pollution in rivers and coastal waters.
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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.