Journal
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
Volume 29, Issue 32, Pages 48453-48464Publisher
SPRINGER HEIDELBERG
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-18284-7
Keywords
Microplastics; Sediment; Characteristics; Distribution; Yangtze River
Categories
Funding
- Science and Technology Department of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region [2018D04013]
- National Natural Science Foundation of China [41907140]
- Natural Science Foundation of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region [2018D01A38]
- West Light Foundation of Chinese Academy of Sciences [2018-XBQNXZ-B-01]
- High-level Talents Introduction Project in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region
Ask authors/readers for more resources
This study investigated the concentrations of microplastic particles in sediment samples collected from the Yangtze River and its major tributaries. The study found that the abundance of microplastic particles varied in different locations, with small particles being predominant. The shape of microplastic particles also differed between upstream and downstream samples.
Microplastics (MPs) pervade the environment and increasingly threaten both natural ecosystems and human health. In this study, we investigated MP particle concentrations in sediment samples collected from 54 sites along the banks of the Yangtze River and its major tributaries and on lakeshores. The main polymer types found in the samples were polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS) and polyethylene (PE). MP particle abundance in the various types of locations was 35-51,968 particles/kg dry weight (d.w.) on the banks of the main river, 52-1463 particles/kg (d.w.) on the banks of tributaries and 2574-23,685 particles/kg (d.w.) on lakeshores. Correlation between MP abundance and mean annual runoff of each upstream tributary was significant, which suggests that increased runoff brings more microplastic waste to streambank sediments. The most common shape of MP particles in all upstream samples was flake, and in downstream samples it was foam. Small microplastic particles (< 0.50 mm) were predominant at all sites in this study, and the minimum particle size in samples from the Yangtze river banks was 0.065 mm. Average abundance of MP particles on the shores of the source lake was 9069 particles/kg around the inlet but only 866 particles/kg around the outlet; the difference was due to interception associated with sedimentation and precipitation in the lake. Our study represents the large-scale study of MPs contamination in sediment along the Yangtze River and provides important data regarding the accumulation and distribution of MPs in shoreline sediments of the upper, middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, main tributaries and lakes in China.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available