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Anthropogenic litter and microplastic in urban streams: Abundance, source, and fate
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This study quantified anthropogenic litter and microplastic in urban streams in the United States, measuring abundance, sources, and fate including contributions from wastewater treatment plant effluent. Results show that urban rivers are significant conduits for microplastic transport from land-based sources to downstream and ultimately marine environments.
The accumulation and ecological effects of anthropogenic litter (AL) and microplastic are well-documented in marine ecosystems, but these materials’ abundances in rivers is unknown. AL enters rivers from recreation, runoff, and illegal dumping. Microplastic fibers and pellets are abundant in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent which enters rivers. Our objectives were to: (1) quantify AL abundance and composition in urban streams, (2) measure AL flux, accumulation, and export, and (3) measure riverine microplastic concentration and analyze its bacterial communities. We collected AL from 5 urban streams and observed greater AL density in riparian habitats and greater mass in benthic habitats. We monitored AL flux and demonstrated that material type and hydrology mediate AL’s movement. Surface water samples collected upstream and downstream of 9 WWTPs revealed higher microplastic concentrations downstream at all but 2 streams. Analyzing 16S rRNA next-generation sequencing data demonstrated that microplastic selects for plastic-degrading, biofilm-forming, and pathogenic bacteria.
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Anthropogenic Litter in Urban Freshwater Ecosystems: Distribution and Microbial Interactions
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Researchers quantified anthropogenic litter in urban rivers and streams and found that microplastics dominated by mass and particle count compared to macroplastic items. The study highlights urban freshwater systems as major conduits for plastic pollution moving toward marine environments and documents distinct microbial communities on plastic surfaces.
A plastic storm: The role of stormwater in the microplastic load of an urban river system
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Stormwater systems in urban areas were found to be a significant source of microplastics entering river systems, transporting particles from roads, buildings, and other surfaces during rainfall events. A fine-resolution study measured the types and quantities of microplastics carried by stormwater in an urban catchment, finding concentrations comparable to inputs from wastewater treatment plants. Better capture and treatment of urban stormwater is needed to reduce this largely unregulated pathway for microplastics reaching rivers and the ocean.
Temporal/Spatial Trends and Concentrations of Microplastics in Streams Throughout the Central Illinois Watersheds
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This study measured microplastic concentrations across streams in a U.S. city, finding elevated levels downstream of wastewater treatment plants and in urban waterways. The results highlight urban wastewater discharge as a key pathway delivering microplastics from everyday activities — including laundry — into freshwater systems.
A plastic storm: The role of stormwater in the microplastic load of an urban river system
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A study of an urban river system found that stormwater runoff is a major source of microplastic pollution, transporting particles from roads, buildings, and other urban surfaces directly into waterways during rain events. Stormwater contributed a significant fraction of the total microplastic load reaching the ocean, comparable to inputs from wastewater treatment plants. Better management of urban stormwater could meaningfully reduce microplastic pollution in rivers and coastal waters.
Microplastic contamination in urban aquatic environments: Occurrence characteristics in urban streams and stormwater runoff from urban surfaces
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Researchers examined microplastic contamination in urban streams and stormwater runoff across different seasons and found that wastewater treatment plant discharges were a major source during dry weather. During rainy periods, stormwater runoff from roads and rooftops contributed additional microplastics, predominantly fibers and fragments. The study highlights that urban water systems receive microplastic pollution from multiple pathways year-round.
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