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Article ? AI-assigned paper type based on the abstract. Classification may not be perfect — flag errors using the feedback button. Tier 2 ? Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence. Environmental Sources Human Health Effects Sign in to save

Microplastics in the Tidal Freshwater Potomac

2019
Benjamin Rhoades, Han Gia Nguyen, Evan Wigode, Daniel M. Sklarew, Gregory D. Foster

Summary

This study measured microplastic contamination in the tidal freshwater Potomac River, finding widespread pollution in an undersampled region. The results add to growing evidence that microplastics are ubiquitous in U.S. freshwater systems and highlight the need for expanded monitoring.

Study Type Environmental

Microplastics (MPs) are pieces of plastic between 0.33mm and 5mm and represent a near ubiquitous type of pollution and have been found in almost all bodies of water sampled. MPs represent both an ecological and a public health threat, as vectors of toxic chemicals. Only one peer-reviewed paper quantifies the microplastics issue in the Chesapeake Bay region, with no published findings regarding microplastics in tidal freshwater Potomac River. Yonkos et al. (2015) considers population density of a watersheds in the Bay region as a factor influencing MP concentrations. This study investigates MPs in the Potomac River basin and the impact of land development on MP concentrations.

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