Occurrence of microplastics in the headwaters of Yellow River on the Tibetan Plateau: Source analysis and ecological risk assessment

The widespread occurrence of Microplastics (MPs) has aroused increasing concerns. However, the fate of MPs in remote areas remains poorly understood. Here, the spatial distribution, potential sources, and environmental risks of MPs were analyzed in the headstream of the Yellow River on the eastern Tibetan Plateau. The average MP abundances are (464.3 ± 200.9) items /m³ and (63.6 ± 34.7) items /kg in the water and sediment, respectively, with both majority polymer is polypropylene (PP) (water: 28.7 %; sediment: 25.2 %). The structural equation modeling and conditional fragmentation model were used in this study to analyze the source and impact factors of riverine MPs. According to the models, MPs were influenced by water quality parameters and anthropogenic activities. Furthermore, the source analysis through MP characteristics and statistical analysis showed that the main sources of MPs include domestic sewage, plastic waste disposal, and the use of agricultural plastic film. Moreover, the differences in MP sources along the river were distinguished by the conditional fragmentation model. The potential ecological risks of MPs were evaluated, resulting in relatively medium-to-low levels. Our findings will serve as important references for improving the understanding of the plateau environmental impacts of MP distribution in the headwaters of large rivers.