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Are Aquatic Invertebrates Retaining Microplastics in the Ottawa and Rideau Rivers?
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Researchers investigated whether aquatic invertebrates in the Ottawa and Rideau Rivers in Canada are retaining microplastics in their tissues. They found microplastics in the majority of invertebrates sampled, with fibers being the predominant type. The study extends freshwater microplastic research to Canadian urban rivers and highlights invertebrates as sentinels of local microplastic contamination.
Microplastics are microscopic sized plastics. Microplastics are produced directly for cleaning and cosmetic products, and indirectly through the physical and chemical breakdown of larger plastic materials. These plastic particles can take thousands of years to fully decompose, and thus ultimately may end up in our waterways. Microplastics have been reported in the Ottawa and Rideau Rivers but little information exists on if these microplastics are being ingested by animals in these rivers. 150 invertebrates of classes Malacostraca and Bivalvia were collected from the Rideau River and 150 invertebrates of classes Malacostraca and Insecta from the Ottawa River. Nearly every single individual had microplastics in them, however there was no significant difference (p-value = 0.2641) in the number of invertebrates with microplastics in the Ottawa River versus the Rideau River. Microplastic concentrations were, however, significantly related to taxon (p-value = 2.67e-13) and weight (p-value < 2.2e-16).
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All water and sediment samples collected from the Ottawa River contained microplastics, with concentrations in nearshore samples higher than in mid-river trawl samples. The study provides baseline contamination data for a major Canadian river and highlights urban rivers as significant sources of microplastics flowing toward marine systems.
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Researchers found microplastics in water, sediment, and aquatic invertebrate species throughout a small urban river in northwest Spain, including inside the body cases of caddisfly larvae. The study confirms that microplastic contamination reaches even the headwaters of urban rivers and enters freshwater invertebrates, with potential to move up the food chain.
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A broad survey of freshwater benthic macroinvertebrates across multiple rivers found that microplastic accumulation was widespread regardless of local urban development levels, suggesting that factors beyond proximity to urban areas—such as river hydrology and upstream sources—drive MP exposure in freshwater invertebrates.
Distinct microplastic patterns in the sediment and biota of an urban stream
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Researchers found distinct microplastic contamination patterns between sediments and aquatic biota in an urban stream, with sediments accumulating more particles while biota showed selective uptake based on particle size and shape, highlighting the complex dynamics of microplastic distribution in urban freshwater systems.
Microparticles in Wild and Caged Biota, Sediments, and Water Relative to Large Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Discharges
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Researchers examined microplastic levels in fish, water, and sediment upstream and downstream of two large wastewater treatment plants along the Grand River in Ontario, Canada. Despite expectations, they did not find consistently higher microplastic levels in organisms living near wastewater outfalls compared to upstream sites. The findings suggest that microplastic contamination in rivers may come from many widespread sources rather than being dominated by wastewater discharge.
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