Plastic debris in lakes and reservoirs

Plastic debris is thought to be widespread in freshwater ecosystems globally1. However, a lack of comprehensive and comparable data makes rigorous assessment of its distribution challenging2,3. Here we present a standardized cross-national survey that assesses the abundance and type of plastic debris (>250 μm) in freshwater ecosystems. We sample surface waters of 38 lakes and reservoirs, distributed across gradients of geographical position and limnological attributes, with the aim to identify factors associated with an increased observation of plastics. We find plastic debris in all studied lakes and reservoirs, suggesting that these ecosystems play a key role in the plastic-pollution cycle. Our results indicate that two types of lakes are particularly vulnerable to plastic contamination: lakes and reservoirs in densely populated and urbanized areas and large lakes and reservoirs with elevated deposition areas, long water-retention times and high levels of anthropogenic influence. Plastic concentrations vary widely among lakes; in the most polluted, concentrations reach or even exceed those reported in the subtropical oceanic gyres, marine areas collecting large amounts of debris4. Our findings highlight the importance of including lakes and reservoirs when addressing plastic pollution, in the context of pollution management and for the continued provision of lake ecosystem services.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Nava, Veronica, Chandra, Sudeep, Aherne, Julian, Alfonso, María B., Antão-Geraldes, Ana M., Attermeyer, Katrin, Bao, Roberto, Bartrons, Mireia, Berger, Stella A., Biernaczyk, Marcin, Bissen, Raphael, Brookes, Justin D., Brown, David, Cañedo-Argüelles, Miguel, Canle, Moisés, Capelli, Camilla, Carballeira, Rafael, Cereijo, José Luis, Chawchai, Sakonvan, Christensen, Søren T., Christoffersen, Kirsten S., de Eyto, Elvira, Delgado, Jorge, Dornan, Tyler N, Doubek, Jonathan P., Dusaucy, Julia, Erina, Oxana, Ersoy, Zeynep, Feuchtmayr, Heidrun, Frezzotti, Maria Luce, Galafassi, Silvia, Gateuille, David, Gonçalves, Vitor, Grossart, Hans-Peter, Hamilton, David P., Harris, Ted D., Kangur, Külli, Kankılıç, Gökben Başaran, Kessler, Rebecca, Kiel, Christine, Krynak, Edward M, Leiva-Presa, Àngels, Lepori, Fabio, Matias, Miguel G., Matsuzaki, Shin-Ichiro S., McElarney, Yvonne, Messyasz, Beata, Mitchell, Mark, Mlambo, Musa C., Motitsoe, Samuel N., Nandini, Sarma, Orlandi, Valentina, Owens, Caroline, Özkundakci, Deniz, Pinnow, Solvig, Pociecha, Agnieszka, Raposeiro, Pedro Miguel, Rõõm, Eva-Ingrid, Rotta, Federica, Salmaso, Nico, Sarma, S. S. S., Sartirana, Davide, Scordo, Facundo, Sibomana, Claver, Siewert, Daniel, Stepanowska, Katarzyna, Tavşanoğlu, Ülkü Nihan, Tereshina, Maria, Thompson, James, Tolotti, Monica, Valois, Amanda, Verburg, Piet, Welsh, Brittany, Wesolek, Brian, Weyhenmeyer, Gesa A., Wu, Naicheng, Zawisza, Edyta, Zink, Lauren, Leoni, Barbara
Other Authors:	0000-0002-2770-1937
Format:	artículo biblioteca
Language:	English
Published:	Nature Publishing Group 2023-07
Subjects:	Plastic debris, Plastic pollution, Freshwater ecosystems, Lakes, http://metadata.un.org/sdg/6, Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all,
Online Access:	http://hdl.handle.net/10261/331658 https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85164541176
Tags:	Add Tag No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!