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Riverbed depth-specific microplastics distribution and potential use as process marker.

Marco Pittroff1,2, Constantin Loui3, Sascha E Oswald3

  • 1Department Geotechnical Engineering, Federal Waterways Engineering and Research Institute (BAW), Kußmaulstraße 17, 76187, Karlsruhe, Germany. pittroff.marco@gmail.com.

Environmental Science and Pollution Research International
|July 4, 2024
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Microplastic particles (MPs) accumulate in riverbed sediments, with abundance varying by depth. Researchers suggest MPs could serve as tracers for riverbed sediment dynamics.

Keywords:
Freeze coreMicroplasticsNIR imagingSedimentSediment dynamicsTracerVertical distribution

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Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Geochemistry
  • Polymer Science

Background:

  • Riverbed sediments act as sinks for microplastic particles (MPs).
  • Understanding MP relocation and retention mechanisms within riverbeds is crucial.
  • Previous research has not extensively explored MP distribution at greater depths in riverbeds.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the depth-specific occurrence, distribution, abundance, type, and size of MPs in river sediments.
  • To analyze MP distribution down to 100 cm depth in riverbed cores.
  • To correlate MP distribution with sediment dynamics and retention processes.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of four sediment freeze cores from the Main River, Germany.
  • Detection of MPs (≥100 µm) using spectroscopy and thermoanalytical methods.
  • Quantification of MP abundance (MP/kg) and mass (mg/kg) across sediment depths.

Main Results:

  • MPs were detected throughout the sediment cores, with average concentrations of 21.7 MP/kg or 31.5 mg/kg.
  • Three distinct vertical abundance trends were observed: constant in top layers (0-30 cm), decreasing in middle layers (30-60 cm), and increasing in deep layers (60-100 cm).
  • Dominant polymer types included polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS); polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and PP were found in deeper layers, with earliest possible occurrence (EPO) dating back to 1954 and 1973. Smaller MPs (100-500 µm) increased with depth in shallow layers, while larger MPs (>1 mm) were found in deep layers.

Conclusions:

  • MP distribution in riverbeds is influenced by sediment dynamics and retention processes.
  • Microplastics can potentially be utilized as environmental process tracers for riverbed sediment dynamics.
  • This study provides a conceptual approach for using MPs to understand riverbed processes.