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Pervasive Microplastic Pollution Found in the Mohawk River, New York State
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Researchers surveyed 63 planktonic trawl samples and 64 sediment grab samples across 112 miles of the Mohawk River and Erie Canal, finding microplastics in every sample, with highest particle abundances downstream of major urban centers like Utica and Schenectady.
The Mohawk River is the second largest channelized waterbody in New York State and the largest tributary to the Hudson River. Among the emerging contaminants threatening the Mohawk River are microplastics, typically defined as plastic smaller than 5 millimeters, whether intentionally manufactured to be that size or resulting from the fragmentation and breakdown of larger plastic products. Microplastic particles represent a threat to the health of organisms living within the river and those that feed on them, including humans. The majority of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in New York State are not equipped to filter out small plastic particles, and combined sewer systems provide a direct means for plastic waste to enter waterways during heavy precipitation events. Microplastic particles can also be introduced directly to the river in runoff and from tributaries. The main goal of this project was to quantify the microplastic load in the Mohawk River as a starting point for assessing the level of environmental risk represented by microplastic pollution. Planktonic samples were collected using a manta trawl with a 333-micron net towed on average 1.7 km upstream by a rigid inflatable boat. Sediment grab samples were collected from the channel bottom with a 6-inch Ekman grab sampler. Raman spectroscopy and SEM/EDX were used to identify and characterize particles. Microplastic particles were found in all of the 63 planktonic samples and 64 sediment grab samples collected in the Mohawk River and Erie Canal between Rome and Cohoes, New York, in 2016. Both abundance (number of particles) and proportions of particle types (fragment, foam, pellet/bead, film, fiber) varied in planktonic samples along the length of the channel, with the highest abundances found in samples taken downstream from Utica (512 and 521) and Schenectady (439). Microplastic abundance was generally lower in sediment grab samples, with fibers dominating the particle population. Variations in abundance in planktonic samples suggest that microplastics are being sequestered within the river, perhaps in wetland areas, while variations in proportions of plastic types likely reflect the influence of local inputs, such as surface runoff, combined sewer overflows, and WWTP effluent.
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Intensive Sampling for Microplastic Pollution in the Mohawk River, Eastern New York State
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Researchers collected planktonic and sediment samples along the Mohawk River and Erie Canal using manta trawls and Ekman grab samplers, using Raman spectroscopy to identify microplastics and even match paint fragments from canal locks found in river samples.
Microplastic Pollution in Tributaries of the Mohawk River, New York State
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Researchers found microplastics in nearly all 22 tributaries of the Mohawk River in New York — a source of municipal drinking water — and observed that storm events can dramatically spike microplastic loads, suggesting small streams and storm sewers are significant but overlooked pathways for plastic contamination of drinking water sources.
Elevated Microplastic Concentration in a Small Tributary Stream Under High-flow Conditions: Implications for the Mohawk River, New York
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Microplastic concentrations in a small New York tributary stream surged to 125 particles per cubic meter during high-flow conditions—roughly ten times the low-flow baseline—correlating with storm drain inflow and sewage leakage. This demonstrates that rainfall events dramatically amplify microplastic transport from urban infrastructure into waterways, with implications for downstream river and drinking water contamination.
Characterizing Microplastic Pollution in New York State Waterways
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Researchers investigating microplastic pollution in New York State waterways found that plastic fragments — not just the spherical microbeads from personal care products — were the dominant form of contamination. The findings highlight how diverse and widespread microplastic sources are, complicating efforts to reduce their entry into freshwater systems.
Microplastics Pollution in Rivers
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Rivers serve as both reservoirs and transport highways for microplastic pollution, carrying particles from inland sources to lakes and marine environments while exposing freshwater organisms to contamination along the way. River-borne microplastics directly threaten drinking water quality and aquatic biodiversity worldwide.
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