Microplastics distribution in river side bars: The combined effects of water level and wind intensity

GARELLO, NICOLÁS A.; BLETTLER, MARTÍN C.M.; ESPÍNOLA, LUIS A.; RODRIGUES, STEPHANE; RIMONDINO, GUIDO N.; WANTZEN, KARL M.; RABUFFETTI, ANA PIA; GIRARD, PIERRE; MALANCA, FABIO E.

THE SCIENCE OF TOTAL ENVIRONMENT

Elsevier

Año: 2023 vol. 897 p. 165406 - 165406

0048-9697

ivers are the main pathway for microplastics (MP) transport toward the ocean. However, the understanding of the processes involved in the deposition and mobilization of MP in rivers, specifically in sediment side bars (SB), remains very limited. The objectives of this study were: (i) to examine the effect of hydrometric fluctuations and wind intensity on the distribution of microplastics (MP < 5 mm) in the SB of large river (the Paraná River), (ii) to determine the characteristics of MP to infer their origin and fate, and (iii) to discuss potential similarities or differences between MP suspended in the water column and MP found in sediment. The SB and water column were sampled during the autumn, winter, and spring of 2018, and the summer of 2019 at different river discharges and wind intensities. >90 % of the MP items found were fiber of polyethylene terephthalate (PET; FT-IR analysis), the most common MP color was blue, and most were in the 0.5–2 mm size range. The concentration/com