Microplastics and microfibers in urban runoff from a suburban catchment of Greater Paris

Environ Pollut. 2021 Oct 15:287:117352. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117352. Epub 2021 May 13.

Abstract

Microplastics (MPs) and microfibers (MFs) in stormwater have been poorly investigated. Data on their intra and inter rain events variability over time are still sparse. For the first time, the variability of microlitter concentrations in stormwater has been studied. MF and MP concentrations were investigated in stormwater runoff at the outlet of the suburban catchment at Sucy-en-Brie (a suburb of Paris, France), during four rain events. Median MF and MP concentrations were 1.9 and 29 items/L, with an interquartile range of 2.3 and 36 items/L, respectively (N = 18). A different pattern was observed between MFs and MPs. While no relationship or trends were observed for MFs, the highest MP concentrations were observed before the flow rate peak of the rain events. This could indicate a difference in the behaviour between MFs and MPs. We estimated the median MP mass concentration to be 56 μg/L with an interquartile range of 194 μg/L, whereas the mass concentration of macroplastics was estimated to be 31 μg/L with an interquartile range of 22 μg/L at the same sampling site, in a previous study. For this sampling site, MPs and macroplastics have the same order of magnitude. This study may have strong implications on microplastic assessment in urban waters.

Keywords: Microfiber; Microplastic; Stormwater runoff; Urban effluent.

MeSH terms

  • Environmental Monitoring
  • Microplastics*
  • Plastics
  • Rain
  • Water Movements
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical* / analysis

Substances

  • Microplastics
  • Plastics
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical