Occurrence and characteristics of microplastics in the Haihe River: An investigation of a seagoing river flowing through a megacity in northern China. (July 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liu, Yang; Zhang, JiaoDi; Cai, ChuanYang; He, Yong; Chen, LiYuan; Xiong, Xiong; Huang, HuiJing; Tao, Shu; Liu, WenXin
• Is Part Of: Environmental pollution. Volume 262(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-07
• Subjects: Microplastics -- Occurrence -- Characteristics -- Main stream of the Haihe river -- Northern China; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Environmental Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Effets physiologiques -- Périodiques; Pollution; Pollution -- Environmental aspects; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 363.73
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114261
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-7491

Abstract

Abstract: Freshwater systems serve as important sources and transportation routes for marine microplastic pollution, and inadequate attention has been paid to this situation. Data on microplastic pollution of typical seagoing rivers in northern China are lacking. In the current study, we investigated the distribution and characteristics of microplastics in the main stream of the Haihe River, which flows through a metropolis with a high population density and level of industrialization and then flows into the Bohai Sea. The microplastic samples were collected by manta trawls with pore sizes of 333 μm, and the microplastic concentrations ranged from 0.69 to 74.95 items/m 3 . Fibers dominated in the surface water of the Haihe River; their shapes that were categorized as fibers, film, foam, fragments, and spheres, and contributed 17.4–86.7% of the total microplastics studied. The size distribution of the microplastics was concentrated in a range of 100–1000 μm, with 54.7% of the total sizes corresponding to the 333-μm trawl. Micro-Fourier transform infrared (μ-FT-IR) spectra showed that the main components were polyethylene, poly(ethylene-propylene) copolymer, and polypropylene. Scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) measurements revealed scratches, micropores, and cracks on the surfaces of the microplastics due to mechanical friction, chemical oxidation and degradation processes. The results of this study confirmed the high abundance and high diversity of microplastics in an urban river and indicated appreciable impacts from point-source inputs on the microplastic pollution, such as effluents from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: A high abundance of MPs was found in the main stream of the Haihe River. The dominant size range of MPs collected by trawl fell within 100–1000 μm. PE, EPC, PA, and PP served as the main polymer types of MPs in the Haihe River. Effluents from WWTPs and industries were important sources of MPs in the Haihe River. Abstract : Microplastics with high abundance and diverse shapes and components were found in the urban river and in neighboring point sources, especially from wastewater treatment plants, which served as an important source of microplastics into the surface water.