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Microplastic ingestion by riverine macroinvertebrates.

Fredric M Windsor1, Rosie M Tilley2, Charles R Tyler3

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Microplastics are prevalent in river organisms, even upstream of wastewater treatment plants. Their presence in macroinvertebrates indicates a risk to freshwater food webs.

Keywords:
BiomonitoringInvertebratesPlasticPollutionRivers

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Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Ecotoxicology
  • Freshwater Ecology

Background:

  • Microplastics (MPs) are recognized marine pollutants, but less studied in freshwater ecosystems.
  • Freshwater environments are closer to potential sources of plastic pollution.
  • Wastewater Treatment Works (WwTWs) are potential point sources for MPs in rivers.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify microplastic presence in river organisms upstream and downstream of UK Wastewater Treatment Works (WwTWs).
  • To investigate the association of MP abundance with macroinvertebrate biomass, taxonomic family, feeding guild, and biological traits.
  • To determine the impact of WwTW discharges and river discharge on MP occurrence in macroinvertebrates.

Main Methods:

  • Sampling of macroinvertebrates (Baetidae, Heptageniidae, Hydropsychidae) upstream and downstream of five UK WwTWs.
  • Quantification of microplastic particles (MPs) in macroinvertebrate tissues.
  • Statistical analysis to assess relationships between MP abundance and environmental/biological factors.

Main Results:

  • Microplastics (MPs) were found in approximately 50% of macroinvertebrate samples across all sites.
  • MP concentrations reached up to 0.14 MP mg tissue-1.
  • MP abundance correlated with macroinvertebrate biomass and taxonomic family, but not feeding guild or biological traits.
  • No overall increase in MP ingestion downstream of WwTWs was observed, but abundance increased with higher effluent contribution to runoff and decreased with higher river discharge.

Conclusions:

  • Microplastics are ubiquitous in river macroinvertebrates, indicating widespread contamination.
  • MPs can enter freshwater food webs via detritivory and filter-feeding pathways.
  • Further research should focus on freshwater ecosystems to understand MP risks.