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Risk assessment of microplastics in China's largest freshwater lake for Siberian cranes
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Researchers assessed microplastic pollution in Poyang Lake, the world's largest wintering site for Siberian Cranes, and modelled the exposure risk to these endangered birds. Using an exposure risk model and non-carcinogenic risk assessment, they identified MP-contaminated food sources as a meaningful threat to crane populations.
Abstract Despite increasing attention to the status of microplastic (MP) pollution in wetland systems, a systematic assessment of the risk of microplastics to endangered species is still lacking. In this study, we assessed the status of microplastic pollution in Poyang Lake, the world's largest wintering area for the Siberian Crane (Leucogeranus Leucogeranus), and investigated the extent to which microplastics affect the Siberian Crane using an exposure risk model, a non-carcinogenic health risk assessment methodology, and a potential ecological risk assessment model. The number of Siberian Cranes wintering at Poyang Lake was approximately (3058 ± 79) per year over the last two decades, and exposure to microplastics varied spatially, with the water column being the main source of risk (> 95%), suggesting the need for improved water treatment processes. At the maximum microplastic concentration detected, the hazard quotient was less than 0.6. Among the microplastic polymers harmful to the Siberian crane, polystyrene (PS) was the main stressor, accounting for 71.5% of the total, and was identified as a priority for prevention and control. This paper can provide a scientific basis for the prevention and control of microplastic pollution in China, and promote the progress of water treatment engineering management and planning.
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Researchers found microplastics in surface water, sediment, and the droppings of migratory birds at a Chinese wetland lake, raising concerns about how birds can transport microplastics across long distances. The study suggests that migratory birds may be spreading plastic contamination between distant habitats.
From particle tracking modelling to species impact forecasting: a framework for microplastic exposure risk quantification in the largest freshwater lake of China
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Using a hydrodynamic model coupled with particle tracking, researchers simulated microplastic transport, distribution, and impact zones in Poyang Lake, China's largest freshwater lake. The model revealed seasonal variation in MP accumulation hotspots driven by water level fluctuations, and predicted high-risk zones for aquatic organisms.
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Sediments and microplastic samples were collected from the Siberian Crane Reserve at Poyang Lake in China to assess microplastic contamination in a critical wetland habitat. The study provides data on microplastic abundance, morphology, and polymer composition in this ecologically sensitive freshwater ecosystem.
The occurrence and risks of microplastic pollutants to wintering Whooper Swans (Cygnus cygnus) in Swan Lake, North China
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Researchers conducted the first investigation of microplastic contamination in the feces of migratory Whooper Swans at their wintering grounds in northern China, finding microplastics in nearly 77% of fecal samples. The composition of microplastics in the feces overlapped with those found in surrounding water and sediment, suggesting the swans could serve as reliable bioindicators of environmental pollution. While overall ecological risk was assessed as low, the presence of high-toxicity polymers like polyacrylonitrile and polyurethane in specific areas was noted as a concern.
Co-exposure of microplastics with heavy metals increases environmental pressure in the endangered and rare wildlife reserve: A case study of the zhalong wetland red-crowned crane nature reserve, northeast China
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Researchers studied how microplastics and heavy metals interact in the Zhalong Wetland, a nature reserve for endangered red-crowned cranes in northeast China. They found that microplastics in the wetland carried elevated levels of heavy metals on their surfaces, creating a combined contamination risk greater than either pollutant alone. The study raises concerns about the compounded environmental pressures facing protected wildlife areas from multiple pollutant types.
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