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Recherche de fragments de plastique dans les sédiments profonds du Léman
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This exploratory study searched for microplastic fragments in deep sediment cores from Lake Geneva, finding plastic particles at multiple depths. The detection of plastics in deep lake sediments confirms that microplastic contamination has penetrated one of Europe's largest freshwater lakes throughout its entire water column.
A growing number of studies focusing on microplastics (plastic particles smaller than 5 mm) show this issue affects all environmental matrices and compartments, and suspicions grow as to their toxicity. In this context, the Commission Internationale pour la Protection des Eaux du Léman (CIPEL) has mandated EPFL's Central Environmental Laboratory (GR-CEL) for an exploratory study on twelve sediment samples from Lake Geneva. Samples have been sieved in 3 size classes (> 300 μm, > 1 mm, > 5 mm), plastic particles have been visually identified, extracted, counted and weighted, and the chemical composition of a part of them has been identified through infrared (FT-IR ATR) spectroscopy. Plastic particles have been found in all samples, most of them coming from the degradation and fragmentation of larger objects and especially plastic bags or packaging. Most of the analysed particles showed to be made of PET, PE and PVC. These exploratory results suggest further similar analysis on other samples would be appropriate, on a larger scale as well as on smaller size fractions.
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Recherche de fragments de plastique dans les sédiments benthiques du Léman
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French researchers searched for plastic fragments in bottom sediments from twelve sites in Lake Geneva, finding plastic particles in every sample. Most particles were PET fragments from the breakdown of bags and coatings, demonstrating that even well-monitored inland lakes accumulate microplastic pollution in their sediments.
Plastic pollution in Swiss surface waters: nature and concentrations, interaction with pollutants
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Researchers surveyed microplastic pollution in Swiss surface waters including multiple lakes and rivers. The study confirmed the presence of microplastics in Swiss freshwater environments and investigated interactions between microplastics and chemical pollutants, expanding the data on freshwater microplastic contamination beyond the initial findings from Lake Geneva.
Pollution due to plastics and microplastics in Lake Geneva and in the Mediterranean Sea
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Researchers synthesized available data on plastic and microplastic pollution in Lake Geneva and the Mediterranean Sea, finding that both systems are significantly contaminated and that lake environments have received far less scientific attention than marine systems. The study calls for standardized sampling protocols to enable meaningful comparisons between freshwater and marine microplastic contamination levels.
Pollution due to Plastics and Microplastics in Lake Geneva
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Lake Geneva was found to be contaminated with diverse microplastic particles including primary pellets and secondary fragments, with floating microplastics confirmed to adsorb polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The study highlights both the widespread presence of microplastics in freshwater environments and the need for improved beach sampling methodologies.
Microplastics prevail at all ocean depths of the HAUSGARTEN observatory (Arctic)
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Researchers deployed large-volume water pumps at four depths from the sea surface to near the seafloor at five stations in the Arctic HAUSGARTEN observatory, finding microplastics at all depths across all stations. The results confirm that microplastic contamination extends throughout the entire water column in even remote Arctic deep-sea environments.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.