Abstract
Urbanised areas are known to cause plastic pollution, which consequently ends up in water sources. In this study, we measured microplastic concentrations in two lowland rivers flowing through two different cities. In both cases, the lowest downstream sites were located below local wastewater treatment plants. Samples were processed according to ricin oil separation and visual counting methods (considering abundance as well as shape, size, and colour groups). Microplastic concentrations in the surface water within the two studied rivers were found to be similar despite the differences in the cities they flow through. Mean microplastic abundance in the rivers was 10.83 MP/L in the Biała River and 10.29 MP/L in the Czarna Hańcza River. Regarding microplastic shapes, films were the dominant type (Biała River 47.8%, Czarna Hańcza River 51.9%), but higher proportions of less abundant plastic types such as fragments (Biała River 20.6%, Czarna Hańcza River 18.6%), foams (Biała River 12.1%, Czarna Hańcza River 14.2%), and fibres (Biała River 12.9%, Czarna Hańcza River 11.1%) were also found. The least common type of plastic was pellet (Biała River 6.6%, Czarna Hańcza River 4.2%), which was increasing significantly on stations situated downstream, behind the wastewater treatment plants. The results of our study show that city river systems are influenced by plastic waste, especially after precipitation and the snowmelt season. For small and medium urban rivers, hydrology does not play as important a role as it does for large rivers.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data Availability
The authors declare that data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article.
References
Allouzi, M. M. A., Tang, D. Y. Y., Chew, K. W., Rinklebe, J., Bolan, N., Allouzi, S. M. A., & Show, P. L. (2021). Micro (nano) plastic pollution: The ecological influence on soil-plant system and human health. Science of the Total Environment, 788, 147815. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147815
McCormick, A. R., Hoellein, T. J., London, M. G., Hittie, J., Scott, J. W., & Kelly, J. J. (2016). Microplastic in surface waters of urban rivers: concentration sources and associated bacterial assemblages. Ecosphere 7(11), https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.1556
Arias Andres, M.J. (2018). Microbial gene exchange on microplastic particles. PhD Thesis, University of Potsdam, Potsdam 94 pp.
Ašmonaitė, G., & Almroth, B. C. (2018). Effects of microplastics on organisms and impacts on the environment: Balancing the known and unknown. Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, 70 pp.
Barrows, A. P. W., Christiansen, K. S., Bode, E. T., & Hoellein, T. J. (2018). A watershed-scale, citizen science approach to quantifying microplastic concentration in a mixed land-use river. Water Research, 147, 382–392. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2018.10.013
Baldwin, A. K., Spanjer, A. R., Rosen, M. R., & Thom, T. (2020). Microplastics in Lake Mead national recreation area, USA: Occurrence and biological uptake. PLoS ONE, 15(5), e0228896. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0228896
Bergmann, M., Gutow, L., & Klages, M. (red.) (2015). Marine anthropogenic litter. Springer, 447 pp.
Bergmann, M., Mützel, S., Primpke, S., Tekman, M. B., Trachsel, J., & Gerdts, G. (2019). White and wonderful? Microplastics prevail in snow from the Alps to the Arctic. Science advances, 5(8), eaax1157. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aax1157
Blair, R. M., Waldron, S., Phoenix, V., & Gauchotte-Lindsay, C. (2018). Secondary microplastics were prevalent in sediment in a freshwater UK urban river. EarthArXiv. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-04678-1
Bordos, G., Urbanyi, B., Micsinai, A., Kriszt, B., Palotai, Z., Szabo, I., Hantosi, Z., & Szoboszlay, S. (2019). Identification of microplastics in fish ponds and natural freshwater environments of the Carpathian basin, Europe. Chemosphere, 216, 110–116. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.10.110
Carson, H. S., Nerheim, M. S., Carroll, K. A., & Eriksen, M. (2013). The plastic-associated microorganisms of the North Pacific Gyre. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 75, 126–132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2013.07.054
Cole, M., Lindeque, P., Fileman, E., Halsband, C., Goodhead, R., Moger, J., & Galloway, T. S. (2013). Microplastic ingestion by zooplankton. Environmental Science & Technology, 47(12), 6646–6655. https://doi.org/10.1021/es400663f
Cypull, E., Buetow, K. A., & Sheleski, E. J. (2021). Microplastic Pollution in the Minnesota Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. https://hdl.handle.net/11299/225364
Di, M., & Wang, J. (2018). Microplastics in surface waters and sediments of the three Gorges Reservoir. Science of the Total Environment, 616–617, 1620–1627. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.10.150
Ding, L., fan Mao, R., Guo, X., Yang, X., Zhang, Q., & Yang, C. (2019). Microplastics in surface waters and sediments of the Wei River, in the northwest of China. Science of the Total Environment, 667, 427–434. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.02.332
Driedger, A. G., Dürr, H. H., Mitchell, K., & Van Cappellen, P. (2015). Plastic debris in the Laurentian Great Lakes: A review. Journal of Great Lakes Research, 41(1), 9–19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jglr.2014.12.020
Dybkowska-Stefek D. (Ed.), 2016, Hydrological and hydraulic study of the Czarna Hańcza River in Suwałki. (In Polish)
Fleituch, T. (2016). Mikroplastik- koń trojański ekosystemów wodnych? Chrońmy Przyrodę Ojczystą, 72(1), 3–13.
Gawande, A., Zamare, G., Renge, V. C., Tayde, S., & Bharsakale, G. (2012). An overview on waste plastic utilization in asphalting of roads. Journal of Engineering Research and Studies, 3(2), 01–05.
Ghosh, G. C., Akter, S. M., Islam, R. M., Habib, A., Chakraborty, T. K., Zaman, S., & Wahid, M. A. (2021). Microplastics contamination in commercial marine fish from the Bay of Bengal. Regional Studies in Marine Science, 44, 101728. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2021.101728
Gibovic, D., & Bikfalvi, A. (2021). Incentives for Plastic Recycling: How to Engage Citizens in Active Collection. Empirical Evidence from Spain. Recycling, 6(2), 29. https://doi.org/10.3390/recycling6020029
Górniak A. 2000. Klimat województwa podlaskiego. Instytut Meteorologii i Gospodarki Wodnej, 1–115.
Graca, B., Szewc, K., Zakrzewska, D., Dołęga, A., & Szczerbowska-Boruchowska, M. (2017). Sources and fate of microplastics in marine and beach sediments of the Southern Baltic Sea - a preliminary study. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 24(8), 7650–7661. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-8419-5
Harrison J.P. 2012. The Spectroscopic Detection and Bacterial Colonisation of Synthetic Microplastics in Coastal Marine Sediments. University of Sheffield, 1–152
Kataoka, T., Nihei, Y., Kudou, K., & Hinata, H. (2019). Assessment of the sources and inflow processes of microplastics in the river environments of Japan. Environmental Pollution, 244, 958–965. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2018.10.111
Kay, P., Hiscoe, R., Moberley, I., Bajic, L., & McKenna, N. (2018). Wastewater treatment plants as a source of microplastics in river catchments. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 25(20), 20264–20267. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-2070-7
Kalčíková, G. (2020). Aquatic vascular plants–A forgotten piece of nature in microplastic research. Environmental Pollution, 262, 114354. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114354
Klein, S., Worch, E., & Knepper, T. P. (2015). Occurrence and spatial distribution of microplastics in river shore sediments of the Rhine-Main area in Germany. Environmental Science & Technology, 49(10), 6070–6076. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5b00492
Lahens, L., Strady, E., Kieu-Le, T. C., Dris, R., Boukerma, K., Rinnert, E., & Tassin, B. (2018). Macroplastic and microplastic contamination assessment of a tropical river (Saigon River, Vietnam) transversed by a developing megacity. Environmental Pollution, 236, 661–671. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2018.02.005
Lehner, R., Weder, C., Petri-Fink, A., & Rothen-Rutishauser, B. (2019). Emergence of nanoplastic in the environment and possible impact on human health. Environmental Science & Technology, 53(4), 1748–1765. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.8b05512
Leslie, H. A., Brandsma, S. H., Velzen, M. J. M., & Vethaak, A. D. (2017). Microplastics en route: Field measurements in the Dutch river delta and Amsterdam canals, wastewater treatment plants, North Sea sediments and biota. Environment International, 101, 133–142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2017.01.018
Loppi, S., Roblin, B., Paoli, L., & Aherne, J. (2021). Accumulation of airborne microplastics in lichens from a landfill dumping site (Italy). Scientific Reports, 11(1), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-84251-4
Magnuson, K., Eliasson, K., Fråne, A., Haikonen, K., Hultén, J., Olshammar, M., & Voisin, A. (2016). Swedish sources and pathways for microplastics to the marine environment. A review of existing data. IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute. Rapport, C183, 1–87.
Mai, L., Sun, X. F., Xia, L. L., Bao, L. J., Liu, L. Y., & Zeng, E. Y. (2020). Global riverine plastic outflows. Environmental Science & Technology, 54(16), 10049–10056. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c02273
Mani, T., Frehland, S., Kalberer, A., & Burkhardt-Holm, P. (2019). Using castor oil to separate microplastics from four different environmental matrices. Analytical Methods, 11(13), 1788–1794. https://doi.org/10.1039/C8AY02559B
Mani, T., Hauk, A., Walter, U., & Burkhardt-Holm, P. (2016). Microplastics profile along the Rhine River. Scientific Reports, 5, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep17988
RE McNeish LH Kim HA Barrett SA Mason JJ Kelly TJ Hoellein 2018 Microplastic in riverine fish is connected to species traits Scientific Reports 8https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-29980-9
Meng, Y., Kelly, F. J., & Wright, S. L. (2020). Advances and challenges of microplastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems: A UK perspective. Environmental Pollution, 256, 113445. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113445
Miller, R. Z., Watts, A. J., Winslow, B. O., Galloway, T. S., & Barrows, A. P. (2017). Mountains to the sea: River study of plastic and non-plastic microfiber pollution in the northeast USA. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 124(1), 245–251. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.07.028
Mintenig, S. M., Int-Veen, I., Löder, M. G., Primpke, S., & Gerdts, G. (2017). Identification of microplastic in effluents of waste water treatment plants using focal plane array-based micro-Fourier-transform infrared imaging. Water Research, 108, 365–372. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2016.11.015
Möhlenkamp, P., Purser, A., & Thomsen, L. (2018). Plastic microbeads from cosmetic products: An experimental study of their hydrodynamic behaviour, vertical transport and resuspension in phytoplankton and sediment aggregates. Elem SciAnth, 6(1), 61. https://doi.org/10.1525/elementa.317
Nel, H. A., Dalu, T., & Wasserman, R. J. (2018). Sinks and sources: Assessing microplastic abundance in river sediment and deposit feeders in an Austral temperate urban river system. Science of the Total Environment, 612, 950–956. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.08.298
Pan, Z., Sun, Y., Liu, Q., Lin, C., Sun, X., He, Q., & Lin, H. (2020). Riverine microplastic pollution matters: A case study in the Zhangjiang River of Southeastern China. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 159, 111516. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111516
Parthasarathy, A., Tyler, A. C., Hoffman, M. J., Savka, M. A., & Hudson, A. O. (2019). Is Plastic Pollution in Aquatic and Terrestrial Environments a Driver for the Transmission of Pathogens and the Evolution of Antibiotic Resistance? Environmental Science & Technology, 53(4), 1744–1745. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.8b07287
Peng, G., Xu, P., Zhu, B., Bai, M., & Li, D. (2018). Microplastics in freshwater river sediments in Shanghai, China: A case study of risk assessment in mega-cities. Environmental Pollution, 234, 448–456. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2017.11.034
Połeć, M., Aleksander-Kwaterczak, U., Wątor, K., & Kmiecik, E. (2018). The occurrence of microplastics in freshwater systems–preliminary results from Krakow (Poland). Geology, Geophysics and Environment, 44(4), 391–400. https://doi.org/10.7494/geol.2018.44.4.391
Rodrigues, M. O., Abrantes, N., Gonçalves, F. J. M., Nogueira, H., Marques, J. C., & Gonçalves, A. M. M. (2018). Spatial and temporal distribution of microplastics in water and sediments of a freshwater system (Antua River, Portugal). Science of the Total Environment, 633, 1549–1559. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.03.233
Said, L., & Heard, M. J. (2020). Variation in the presence and abundance of anthropogenic microfibers in the Cumberland River in Nashville, TN, USA. Environmental Science & Pollution Research, 27(9). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-08091-x
Sekudewicz, I., Dąbrowska, A. M., & Syczewski, M. D. (2021). Microplastic pollution in surface water and sediments in the urban section of the Vistula River (Poland). Science of the Total Environment, 762, 143111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143111
Simon-Sánchez, L., Grelaud, M., Garcia-Orellana, J., & Ziveri, P. (2019). River Deltas as hotspots of microplastic accumulation: The case study of the Ebro River (NW Mediterranean). Science of the Total Environment, 687, 1186–1196. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.06.168
Tamminga, M., & Fischer, E. K. (2020). Microplastics in a deep, dimictic lake of the North German Plain with special regard to vertical distribution patterns. Environmental Pollution, 267, 115507. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115507
Tibbetts, J., Krause, S., Lynch, I., & Sambrook, S. G. (2018). Abundance, distribution, and drivers of microplastic contamination in urban river environments. Water, 10(11), 1597. https://doi.org/10.3390/w10111597
Tyszewski S. & Kardel I. (Ed.), 2009, Hydrographic study of the Biała river valley with guidelines for recreational development and small retention elements, as well as hydrological works necessary to draw up hydrological documentation. (In Polish)
Wang, J., Peng, J., Tan, Z., Gao, Y., Zhan, Z., Chen, Q., & Cai, L. (2017). Microplastics in the surface sediments from the Beijiang River littoral zone: Composition, abundance, surface textures and interaction with heavy metals. Chemosphere, 171, 248–258. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.12.074
Watt, E., Picard, M., Maldonado, B., Abdelwahab, M. A., Mielewski, D. F., Drzal, L. T., & Mohanty, A. K. (2021). Ocean plastics: Environmental implications and potential routes for mitigation–a perspective. RSC Advances, 11(35), 21447–21462. https://doi.org/10.1039/D1RA00353D
Woodall, C., Sanchez-Vidal, A., Canals, M., Paterson, G., Coppock, R., Sleight, V., Calafat, A., Rogers, A., & Bhavani, E. (2014). Narayanaswamy and Richard C. Thompson: The deep sea is a major sink for microplastic debris. Royal Society, 4, 2054–5703. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.140317
Xu, Y., Chan, F. K. S., He, J., Johnson, M., Gibbins, C., Kay, P., & Zhu, Y. G. (2020). A critical review of microplastic pollution in urban freshwater environments and legislative progress in China: Recommendations and insights. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 1–44.https://doi.org/10.1080/10643389.2020.1801308
Yan, M., Nie, H., Xu, K., He, Y., Hu, Y., Huang, Y., & Wang, J. (2019). Microplastic abundance, distribution and composition in the Pearl River along Guangzhou city and Pearl River estuary, China. Chemosphere, 217, 879–886. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.11.093
Yang, L., Zhang, Y., Kang, S., Wang, Z., & Wu, C. (2021). Microplastics in freshwater sediment: A review on methods, occurrence, and sources. Science of the Total Environment, 754, 141948. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141948
Zbyszewski, M., & Corcoran, P. L. (2011). Distribution and degradation of fresh water plastic particles along the beaches of Lake Huron, Canada. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution, 220, 365–372. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-011-0760-6
Zhao, S., Zhu, L., Wang, T., & Li, D. (2014). Suspended microplastics in the surface water of the Yangtze Estuary System, China: First observations on occurrence, distribution. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 86, 562–568. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.06.032
Zima, P., Wielgat, P., & Cysewski, A. (2017). The study of water pollution of the lower Vistula River by plastic particles. International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference: SGEM, 17, 729–736. https://doi.org/10.5593/sgem2017/31/s12.092
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Pol, W., Żmijewska, A., Stasińska, E. et al. SPATIAL–TEMPORAL DISTRIBUTION OF MICROPLASTICS IN LOWLAND RIVERS FLOWING THROUGH TWO CITIES (NE POLAND). Water Air Soil Pollut 233, 140 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-022-05608-7
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-022-05608-7