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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.
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 benthic 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 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 coatings. 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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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.
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Researchers found microplastics in all sediment samples from 48 tropical shallow lakes across a climatic gradient, with fibres dominating over fragments and polyester being the most common polymer, indicating widespread plastic contamination even in inland freshwater ecosystems.
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This French-language study reports the first assessment of microplastic contamination in Alpine and sub-Alpine lakes in France. The findings show that even remote mountain lakes have detectable microplastic pollution, suggesting that atmospheric deposition carries plastics to areas far from urban sources.
Lake sediments as microplastic sink: The case of three lakes from Northern and Central Poland
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Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in bottom sediments from three lakes in northern and central Poland with low surrounding human activity, finding between 4 and 21 microplastic particles per kilogram of wet sediment. These values were low compared to lakes in urbanized areas, suggesting anthropogenic pressure significantly drives sediment microplastic accumulation.
Microplastics in lakes and rivers: an issue of emerging significance to limnology
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Researchers found that microplastic concentrations in freshwater lakes and rivers can exceed those of living organisms like zooplankton, with sediment levels matching the most contaminated marine sites, establishing microplastics as a significant issue for limnology.
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.