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Distribution, sedimentary record, and persistence of microplastics in the Pearl River catchment, China
Summary
Researchers traced the sources, distribution, and persistence of microplastics throughout the Pearl River catchment in China, from the main river and its tributaries to the estuary. They found microplastics in all water and sediment samples, with polyethylene and polypropylene fragments dominating, and identified municipal wastewater as a major source. The study also examined sediment cores showing that microplastic deposition has increased over recent decades, reflecting the growth of plastic production and consumption.
Microplastics (MPs) in the environment have become an issue worldwide. However, data about MPs in freshwater systems are still limited so far. This study investigated sources, fate, and seasonal and spatial distribution of MPs in the main stream Pearl River and its tributaries, as well as in the Pearl River Estuary (PRE), China. MPs were widely detected in the river water, river bed sediment, and estuarine sediment, with abundances of 0.57 ± 0.71 items L, 685 ± 342 items kg dry weight (dw), and 258 ± 133 items kg dw, respectively. Sheet, fragmental, and fibrous polyethylene, polypropylene, and ethylene-propylene copolymers were predominant, suggesting that MPs in the Pearl River catchment be mainly derived from fragmentation of discarded plastic wastes. In addition, municipal wastewater was also an important MPs source, especially for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers. Polymers of higher density, such as PET and polyvinyl alcohol were relatively more abundant in the sediment than in the river water, especially in the estuarine sediment. Upward increase of the MP abundance was observed in the sedimentary core, probably indicating increasing release of plastic wastes due to growing production and uses of plastic products. On the other hand, percentage of finer MPs increased with increasing depth. The results revealed persistence and potential downward dispersion of the fine MPs. The MPs abundance was positively related with population density and gross domestic product, demonstrating impacts of human activities and economic development on the MPs contamination. Higher MPs abundance was detected in dry season than in wet season in the river water, suggesting dilution effect of precipitation. It's estimated that 15963 tons of MPs could be released annually into the PRE from the main stream Pearl River and its tributaries.
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