Journal
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
Volume 715, Issue -, Pages -Publisher
ELSEVIER
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.136973
Keywords
Microfibres; Biomonitoring; Moss; Atmospheric deposition
Categories
Funding
- Irish Environmental Protection Agency [2016-CCRP-MS.43]
- Environmental Protection Agency Ireland (EPA) [2016-CCRP-MS.43] Funding Source: Environmental Protection Agency Ireland (EPA)
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Microplastics, which are plastic particles < 5 mm, have been found throughout the environment. However, few studies have focused on their transport via atmospheric deposition. Bryophytes have been used as biomonitors for the atmospheric deposition of trace elements, persistent organic pollutants and particulate matter, and may potentially be used to monitor the atmospheric deposition of microplastics or anthropogenic microfibres (ml). Hylocomium splendens was collected from three lake catchments, which are remote from anthropogenic disturbance and emissions sources. Anthropogenic mf were observed in all moss samples; the average number was 24 mf g(-1) dry weight (range: 15-30 mf g(-1)) across the three study sites. The average length of mf was 1.02 mm (range: 0.83-120 mm). Plastic mf were identified using five rigorous visual criteria; 27% of the observed mf passed four criteria and 13% passed all five, suggesting at most a quarter of the mf may be plastic. Annual average atmospheric deposition of anthropogenic mf across the three lake catchments was estimated at similar to 47,700 mf m(-2) (similar to 12,000 plastic mf m(-2)), based on a moss biomass of 2 kg dry weight m(-2) . These preliminary findings suggest that moss may be a useful biomonitor for the atmospheric deposition of mf (and microplastics). (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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