Journal
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
Volume 124, Issue 1, Pages 245-251Publisher
PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.07.028
Keywords
Microplastic; Microfibers; Plastic; River pollution; Freshwater systems; WWTP
Funding
- University of Exeter Impact Award
- 11th Hour Racing and SurfSweets Organic Candy Company
- Natural Environment Research Council [NE/L007010/1] Funding Source: researchfish
- NERC [NE/L007010/1] Funding Source: UKRI
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Aquatic environments are sinks for anthropogenic contamination, whether chemical or solid pollutants. Microfibers shed from clothing and other textiles contribute to this problem. These can be plastic or non-plastic origin. Our aim was to investigate the presence and distribution of both types of anthropogenic microfibers along the length of the Hudson River, USA. Surface grab samples were collected and filtered through a 0.45 mu m filter paper. Abundance of fibers was determined after subtraction of potential contamination. 233 microfibers were recorded in 142 samples, averaging 0.98 microfibers L-1. Subsequent micro-FTIR showed half of the fibers were plastic while the other half were non-plastic, but of anthropogenic origin. There was no relationship between fiber abundance, wastewater treatment plant location or population density. Extrapolating from this data, and using available hydrographic data, 34.4% of the Hudson River's watershed drainage area contributes an average 300 million anthropogenic microfibers into the Atlantic Ocean per day.
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