Cited by 739Microplastics and Plastic PollutionPharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental ImpactsWaste Management and Recycling

Plastic Debris in 29 Great Lakes Tributaries: Relations to Watershed Attributes and Hydrology

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Baldwin, Austin K., Corsi, Steven R., Mason, Sherri A.·2016·Environmental Science & Technology

Abstract

Plastic debris is a growing contaminant of concern in freshwater environments, yet sources, transport, and fate remain unclear. This study characterized the quantity and morphology of floating micro- and macroplastics in 29 Great Lakes tributaries in six states under different land covers, wastewater effluent contributions, population densities, and hydrologic conditions. Tributaries were sampled three or four times each using a 333 μm mesh neuston net. Plastic particles were sorted by size, counted, and categorized as fibers/lines, pellets/beads, foams, films, and fragments. Plastics were found in all 107 samples, with a maximum concentration of 32 particles/m3 and a median of 1.9 particles/m3. Ninety-eight percent of sampled plastic particles were less than 4.75 mm in diameter and therefore considered microplastics. Fragments, films, foams, and pellets/beads were positively correlated with urban-related watershed attributes and were found at greater concentrations during runoff-event conditions. Fibers, the most frequently detected particle type, were not associated with urban-related watershed attributes, wastewater effluent contribution, or hydrologic condition. Results from this study add to the body of information currently available on microplastics in different environmental compartments, including unique contributions to quantify their occurrence and variability in rivers with a wide variety of different land-use characteristics while highlighting differences between surface samples from rivers compared with lakes.

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Registry

Crossref · 10.1021/acs.est.6b02917

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53 of 53 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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Authors
Baldwin, A. K., Corsi, S. R., & Mason, S. A.
Affiliations
  • United States Geological Survey (US)
  • SUNY Fredonia (US)
Corresponding author
Baldwin, Austin K.
Venue
Environmental Science & Technology
Published
2016-09-14
Volume
50
Issue
19
Pages
10377-10385
ISSN
  • 0013-936X (ISSN-L)
  • 1520-5851
OpenAlex
W2520014603
Cited by
739
References
53
Citations by year
2026: 43 · 2025: 74 · 2024: 112 · 2023: 81 · 2022: 90 · 2021: 104 · 2020: 110 · 2019: 56 · 2018: 42 · 2017: 23 · 2016: 2
FWCI
22.35
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Environmental Science & Technology (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (NA)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Waste Management and Disposal › Waste Management and Recycling
Keywords
plastic debris, microplastics, macroplastics, Great Lakes tributaries, catchment characteristics, urban land use, wastewater effluent, hydrology, runoff events, freshwater pollution, plastic fibers
MeSH terms
Environmental Monitoring, Plastics, Water Pollutants, Chemical, Rivers, Lakes, Hydrology

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