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Microplastics in Small Waterbodies and Tadpoles from Yangtze River Delta, China
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Microplastics were found in small waterbodies and in the guts of tadpoles collected across the Yangtze River Delta, China, with higher contamination in urban and agricultural areas. The study reveals that even small, isolated freshwater habitats and their amphibian residents are exposed to microplastic pollution.
Although microplastic (MP) pollution in freshwater systems is gaining attention, our knowledge of its distribution in small waterbodies is scarce. Small waterbodies are freshwater habitats to many species, including amphibians, that are vulnerable to MP pollution. This study analyzed the distribution and characteristics of MPs in 25 small waterbodies from the Yangtze River Delta, China. MPs were detected in surface water, sediment, and tadpoles with abundances ranging from 0.48 to 21.52 items L-1, 35.76 to 3185.33 items kg-1, and 0 to 2.73 items individual-1 (0 to 168.48 items g-1), respectively. The dominant shape and polymer of MPs in water and tadpole samples were polyester (PES) fibers, and polypropylene (PP) fibers and fragments were dominant in sediment samples. In addition, MPs were primarily <0.5 mm in length in all samples. Tadpole length was positively correlated to the number of MPs detected. The abundance, shape, and polymer distribution of MPs in tadpoles resembled that of water rather than sediment, suggesting that tadpoles likely take up MPs from the surrounding water. This study demonstrated that MPs are abundant in these small waterbodies and are ingested by resident tadpoles. This may suggest a pathway of MP entry into aquatic and terrestrial food webs.
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Researchers compiled microplastic data from 624 sampling sites across the Yangtze River Basin covering water, sediment, soil, and biota, revealing heterogeneous contamination patterns driven by local land use, population density, and wastewater infrastructure.
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