We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Microplastic pollution in the Yangtze River: Characterization, influencing factors, and scenario-based predictions using machine learning method
AI summary Read the abstract
Microplastic pollution in the Yangtze River was characterized across multiple sampling sites, documenting spatial patterns in particle abundance, polymer types, and size distributions. As one of the world's largest rivers, the Yangtze's microplastic burden has major implications for plastic delivery to the Pacific Ocean.
Microplastic (MP) pollution in the Yangtze River has emerged as a major environmental concern, because MPs are frequently detected and pose serious threats to ecosystems. Understanding the characteristics of MPs is essential for assessing their environmental behavior and associated risks. This paper investigated the current status of MP pollution in the Yangtze River, including the abundance, shape, polymer type, and color. It also explored key geographic and anthropogenic factors (such as road length, precipitation, mismanaged plastic waste, forest volume, cropland area, and altitude) that influence MPs abundance, along with their spatial influence radii. Based on these factors, machine learning models were developed to predict MP abundance under various scenarios, where input factors were increased or decreased by 50 %. The results revealed higher MPs concentrations in downstream areas of the river, with polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) as the most common polymer types, white/transparent as the predominant color, and fibers as the dominant shape. Among the models developed, the Random Forest model demonstrated the best performance, achieving an R² value of 0.712 and an MSE value of 90.8. Scenario-based predictions identified precipitation as the most influential factor, with decreased precipitation leading to a significant rise in MPs concentrations. Enhanced waste management, lower road density, and greater biodiversity were linked to reduced MP concentrations. These findings highlight the need for targeted management strategies to mitigate MP pollution, particularly during dry seasons.
More Papers Like This
Microplastic pollution in the Yangtze River Basin: Heterogeneity of abundances and characteristics in different environments
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers compiled microplastic data from 624 sampling sites across the Yangtze River Basin covering water, sediment, soil, and biota, revealing heterogeneous contamination patterns driven by local land use, population density, and wastewater infrastructure.
Environmental fate of microplastics in the world's third-largest river: Basin-wide investigation and microplastic community analysis
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers conducted a basin-wide investigation of microplastics throughout the entire Yangtze River system, sampling water, sediment, and soil. The study found microplastics in all samples with abundance increasing from upstream to downstream, driven by both geographical and human factors, with major cities at the middle and lower reaches identified as key pollution nodes.
Are we underestimating the driving factors and potential risks of freshwater microplastics from in situ and in silico perspective?
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers combined field sampling with machine learning predictions to assess microplastic contamination in rivers of China's Yangtze River Delta, incorporating land use, hydrology, and particle properties. The study found that conventional assessments may underestimate risk by overlooking smaller particle sizes and high-density polymers, and that textile manufacturing effluents are a major underrecognized source.
Small microplastic particles dominate Yangtze River particulate pollution
AI summary Read the abstract
Annual field monitoring of microplastic fluxes in the Yangtze River estuary found that small particles dominated the plastic load and that abundance was spatially and temporally heterogeneous, providing the first systematic estimate of the river's annual plastic contribution to the ocean.
Microplastic abundance, distribution, and composition in the surface water and sediments of the Yangtze River along Chongqing City, China
AI summary Read the abstract
Microplastics were found throughout surface water and sediments of the Yangtze River in Chongqing, with abundances up to 204 particles per liter in water and 583 per kilogram in sediment, dominated by small fibers under 0.7 mm. The prevalence of fine fiber microplastics in one of China's most important waterways signals widespread contamination with implications for drinking water quality and aquatic ecosystem health.
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.