Microplastic pollution in sophisticated urban river systems: Combined influence of land-use types and physicochemical characteristics. (15th October 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, Ting; Wang, Jialin; Lei, Qi; Zhao, Yaning; Wang, Liqing; Wang, Xianyun; Zhang, Wei
• Is Part Of: Environmental pollution. Volume 287(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-10-15
• Subjects: Microplastics -- Urban river system -- Land-use types -- Distribution pattern; 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.2021.117604
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-7491

Abstract

Abstract: In the past decades, research on water pollution microplastics (MPs) has intensified tremendously. However, the relationship between MPs and environmental factors in urban river networks is under researched. Our study selected 65 sampling sites from a sophisticated urban river network system in Shanghai Municipality, China. Here, the combined influence of land-use types, river width, and water quality parameters to explore MPs distribution patterns. We found that MPs abundance ranged from 0.7 to 24.3 items/L, and the spatial difference in abundance was significant at a limited number of sampling sites. Fibrous MPs were the most abundant MPs in the river system. 72.7% of MPs <3 mm. Of the ten polymers detected, polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate were predominant. In addition, cotton fiber was the main non-plastic component found in the samples. Moreover, land-use types showed no significant impact on MPs in the buffer zone of the sampling sites. However, point source pollution may cause an abnormal increase in MPs abundance. Through redundant analysis, we found that the phytoplankton abundance (e.g., chlorophyll- a ) was influenced by MPs shape, while the river width influence MPs size. Construction activities were identified as the leading point source of pollution for the abnormal increase in local MPs pollution. Our results will inform on MPs distribution patterns in the super-metropolis river system. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Land-use types do not impact microplastics (MPs) distribution in rivers. MPs size distribution significantly correlates with river width. MPs shape influences the chlorophyll- a content in the water column. Point-source pollution abnormally increases MPs abundance. Abstract : Land-use types have no significant impact on 'MPs community', however, the later one was strongly linked to the river width and the phytoplankton abundance.