Spatio-temporal distribution of microplastics in a Mediterranean river catchment: The importance of wastewater as an environmental pathway

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00216224%3A14310%2F21%3A00123000" target="_blank" >RIV/00216224:14310/21:00123000 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304389421014461?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" >https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304389421014461?via%3Dihub</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.126481" target="_blank" >10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.126481</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Spatio-temporal distribution of microplastics in a Mediterranean river catchment: The importance of wastewater as an environmental pathway

Original language description

Microplastics (MPs) are considered to be ubiquitous contaminants in freshwater ecosystems, yet their sources and pathways at the river catchment scale need to be better determined. This study assessed MP (55-5000 mu m) pollution in a Mediterranean river catchment (central Spain) and aimed to identify the importance of wastewater as an environmental pathway. We sampled treated and untreated wastewaters, and raw and digested sludge from five WWTPs during two seasons. River water and sediments were sampled at three locations with different anthropogenic influences during three seasons. On average, 93% (47-99%) of MPs were retained by WWTPs. Concentrations in river water and sediment ranged between 1 and 227 MPs/m3 and 0-2630 MPs/kg dw, respectively. Concentrations strongly depended upon land-use, with pollution levels increasing significantly downstream of urban and industrial areas. Seasonality influenced the observed MP concentrations strongly. During high flow periods, higher water but lower sediment concentrations were observed compared to low flow periods. We estimate that 1 x 1010 MPs are discharged into the catchment via treated and untreated wastewater annually, which constitutes up to 50% of the total MP catchment discharge. Thus, we conclude that the wastewater system represents a major environmental pathway for MPs into Mediterranean rivers with low dilution capacity.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

10511 - Environmental sciences (social aspects to be 5.7)

Project

—

Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2021

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Journal of Hazardous Materials

ISSN

0304-3894

e-ISSN

—

Volume of the periodical

420

Issue of the periodical within the volume

October 2021

Country of publishing house

NL - THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS

Number of pages

12

Pages from-to

1-12

UT code for WoS article

000696902900003

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85110091520