Microplastic pollution of worldwide lakes.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Ecotoxicology
• Freshwater Ecology

Background:

• Microplastic (MP) pollution, recognized in oceans since the 1970s, is a recent focus in lakes, with the first study in 2011.
• Lakes act as potential accumulators of MPs, originating from terrestrial and inland water sources, impacting biodiversity, ecology, and economy.
• Freshwater ecosystem contamination is a rising topic, yet methodological diversity in research presents challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review MP contamination in 98 global lakes.
• To identify theoretical MP sources and estimate pollution levels in lake compartments.
• To report predominant MP size classes, polymer types, and suggest consensus-building recommendations.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing studies on microplastic contamination in 98 lakes worldwide.
• Analysis of theoretical sources and pollution estimates in various lake compartments.
• Identification of predominant microplastic size classes and polymer types.

Main Results:

• Microplastic pollution has been documented in 98 lakes globally, with increasing research focus on urbanized lakes.
• Lakes are significant accumulators of microplastics, with diverse pollution levels across different environmental compartments.
• Predominant microplastic types and sizes vary, highlighting the need for standardized analysis.

Conclusions:

• Standardizing sampling, analysis, and reporting methods is crucial for comparable microplastic research in lakes.
• Establishing scientific consensus will accelerate knowledge sharing and reduce the reproducibility crisis in microplastic research.
• Recommendations are provided to facilitate decision-making by public authorities regarding microplastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems.