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Where Is All the Plastic? How Microplastic Partitions across Environmental Compartments within a Large Pelagic
Chelsea M Rochman1, Desiree Langenfeld2,3, Rachel N Cable4
1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3B2, Canada.
Environmental Science & Technology
|May 11, 2025
Summary
Microplastics in aquatic ecosystems primarily settle to the bottom, with less dense and smaller particles persisting longer at the surface. Biofilm and surface microlayers are key, overlooked microplastic reservoirs.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Ecotoxicology
- Aquatic Ecology
Background:
- Microplastic transport and partitioning in aquatic environments remain poorly understood.
- Understanding microplastic fate is crucial for ecological risk assessment and monitoring.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate microplastic residence time and fate in aquatic ecosystems.
- To determine how microplastic properties (buoyancy, size) influence their distribution.
- To identify key environmental compartments for microplastic accumulation.
Main Methods:
- In-lake mesocosm experiments using microplastics of varying buoyancy (polyethylene, polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate) and size.
- Quantification of microplastics in surface water, water column, bottom detritus, and biota over 9 weeks.
- Assessment of microplastic residence time and final partitioning.
Main Results:
- Microplastics exhibited longer residence times at the surface compared to the water column.
- Less dense and smaller microplastic particles had the longest residence times.
- After 9 weeks, the majority of microplastics accumulated in bottom detritus, with minimal presence in biota (<0.01%).
- Surface water and biofilm represented significant microplastic reservoirs.
Conclusions:
- Microplastic accumulation is predominantly in bottom sediments, influenced by particle properties.
- Surface microlayers and biofilms are critical, often underestimated, microplastic sinks.
- Findings inform microplastic monitoring strategies and risk assessments in aquatic ecosystems.
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