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

Kód výsledku v 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>

Výsledek na webu

<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>

Jazyk výsledku

angličtina

Název v původním jazyce

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

Popis výsledku v původním jazyce

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.

Název v anglickém jazyce

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

Popis výsledku anglicky

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.

Druh

J_imp - Článek v periodiku v databázi Web of Science

CEP obor

—

OECD FORD obor

10511 - Environmental sciences (social aspects to be 5.7)

Projekt

—

Návaznosti

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Rok uplatnění

2021

Kód důvěrnosti údajů

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

Název periodika

Journal of Hazardous Materials

ISSN

0304-3894

e-ISSN

—

Svazek periodika

420

Číslo periodika v rámci svazku

October 2021

Stát vydavatele periodika

NL - Nizozemsko

Počet stran výsledku

12

Strana od-do

1-12

Kód UT WoS článku

000696902900003

EID výsledku v databázi Scopus

2-s2.0-85110091520