The impact of building uses on microplastic pollution and its implications for environmental education

Rivers are major sources of marine microplastics. To investigate the influence of building use on river microplastic pollution, this study focused on the Chongqing section of the main stream of the Yangtze River. Surface water and sediment microplastic samples were collected and analyzed alongside building use data to explore the relationship between microplastic abundance and building use at different spatial scales. The results showed that: (1) The abundance of microplastics in surface water and sediment in the Chongqing section of the Yangtze River exhibited an inverse distribution pattern. In the upper reaches, the central urban area of Chongqing showed significantly higher microplastic levels in surface water (6,811 ± 3,101 n/m ³) compared to the lower reaches, confirming the direct input effect of high-intensity human activities. The accumulation of microplastics in sediment was greater in the northeastern section of Chongqing compared to the lower reaches (89.6 ± 69 vs. 45.4 ± 28 n/kg), indicating a hydrodynamic-driven sedimentation lag effect. (2) The influence of building use on microplastic abundance in surface water was significantly scale-dependent. Industrial buildings within a 2 km buffer zone explained up to 61.16% of the observed variance, suggesting cross-medium migration through atmospheric sedimentation and sewage pipe network. (3) Compared to land use types, building uses dominate the abundance distribution of microplastics in surface water at larger buffer radius (1-2 km), indicating that high-intensity human activities have a greater impact on spatial differentiation of microplastic pollution. It is recommended to implement hierarchical control measures along the Chongqing section of the Yangtze River. A 2-km ecological buffer zone is set up in industrial agglomeration areas to strictly supervise wastewater discharge from plastic products enterprises. Rainwater bioretention facilities are built within 1 km of densely populated areas to intercept microplastics from domestic sources, such as laundry fibers. This study explores the mechanism by which building use affects river microplastic pollution, providing valuable insights for microplastics control in large river basins worldwide.