River discharge as a source of land-based plastic pollution in the Northwest Pacific Russia Nikolai V. Kozlovskii*, Anatolii N. Kachur, Pacific Geographical Instute of the Far Eastern Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Polluon Monitoring Regional Acvity Center of Northwest Pacific Acon Plan (NOWPAP POMRAC) *Contact e-mail: [email protected] Introduction Our survey of floating marine microplastics in the Northwest Pacific Russia was initiated in 2016. The first results of this survey indicate that coastal wa- ters adjoining to urban areas and major river estuar- ies are the hotspots of plastic contamination. We suggest that wastewater and river discharge provide considerable input of microplastics to the marine environment. Materials and methods Eight rivers discharging into the marine area of Northwest Pacific Russia were selected to assess the flux of microplastics into the coastal environ- ment. The samples were collected by neuston net (mesh size 0.1 mm) equipped with a mechanical flowmeter at depth 0-20 cm and by gasoline pump (capacity 15m 3 /hour) at depth below 20 cm in sum- mer and fall 2017. The samples were dried in the laboratory, natural organics removed using 30%H 2 O 2 and 0.05M Fe (II)SO 4 . After density separation and filtering plas- tic particles were extracted from the samples, meas- ured by size and weight and identified using FTIR and Raman spectroscopy. Fig. 1. The study area Results and discussion Combined neuston net and pump sampling was carried out in summer and autumn 2017 in eight rivers differing in hydrological parameters (table 1) Table 1. The sampled rivers The results of our survey show that Tumen River and Razdolna- ya/Suifen River are responsible for the transport of microplastics, however we failed to identify microplastic contamination in other selected rivers as of now. The highest concentrations were regis- tered in the Tumen River, reaching 1.3 - 6.8 p./m 3 and 0.5-3 p./m 3 (in samples collected by neuston net and by pump, corresponding- ly). In the Razdolnaya/Suifen River microplastic concentrations reached 0.37-0.48 p./m 3 (net sampling) and 0.3-0.35 p./m 3 (pump sampling). Evident seasonal fluctuations of microplastic content were registered in the Tumen River (fig. 2), with sharp reduction in mid-October related to mid-July. The composition of retrieved microplastics varies by river, sea- son, and sampling method. Summer neuston net samples in River Tumen show 49% presence of foam (EPS) and comparatively low ratio of foam in the autumn, whereas in River Razdolnaya fibers and fragments prevail both in summer and autumn (fig. 2 and 3). Due to high buoyancy, EPS is not registered below 20 cm, howev- er PE/PP films and fragments are observed below 20 cm.We meas- ured size of each plastic particle by the maximum length (Feret diameter). The microplastic size range begins with 0.1 mm which equals to the mesh size used in this study. Microplastics sized 1-5 mm is the most abundant fraction in both rivers, with overall ratio of 73% in the Tumen River (11% and 16% are 0.1-1 and 5-25 mm (mesoplastic) fractions, correspondingly) and 60% in the Razdolnaya/Suifen River (38% and 2% are 0.1–1mm fraction and mesoplastic, correspondingly). The human press may be the major reason of river contamination. In China, the Tumen River has 4 major tributaries with catchment area of 22,900 km 2 . Estimated population is 1.5 mln., with over 600,000 people working in agriculture. In DPRK, the Tumen River has 3 major tributaries, with catchment area of 10,000 km 2 and es- timated population of 0.5 mln. In Russia, the Tumen River catch- ment area is about 100 km 2 and estimated population is approxi- mately 1,000 people. River Razdolnaya/Suifen is also a trans- boundary river between China and Russia with overall population up to 0.5 mln people. Fig. 2. MP concentrations in Tumen River in sum- mer and fall 2017 *N—Net sampling,**P – Pump sampling Fig. 3. MP concentrations in Razdolnaya/Suifen River in summer and fall 2017 *N—Net sampling,**P – Pump sampling Rivers Length, km Drainage basin, km 2 Mean annual discharge, m 3 /s 1)Tumen 516 33,168 215 2)Tsukanovka 29 175 2.26 3)Narva 38 332 6.24 4)Barabashevka 68 576 9.10 5)Amba 63 330 4.98 6)Razdolnaya/Suifen 245 16,830 81.3 7)Partizanskaya 142 4,140 36.9 8)Kievka 105 3,120 29.8 Fig. 1. MP from Razdolnaya (left) and Tumen (right) rivers Fig. 4. Comparison of MP content in the Tumen River, tidal zone near its estuary, and on the beach near the estuary References: Tumen River: The Greater Tumen Initiative (GTI) Emma White, April 15, 2010 Resources of surface water in the USSR: hydrological studies . Vol. 18. The Far East. The Second Edition . / edited by A.P. Muranov. — L.: Gidrometeoizdat, 1970. — 592 P. Kozlovskii N.V., Kachur A.N. (2018) Report on microplastic pollution in the coastal water of the Peter the Great Gulf: content and distribution. The first stage of survey. POMRAC Technical Report N 13. – Vladivostok: PGI FEB RAS, 2018. – 44 p. Conclusion This work is the first step to assess impacts of land-based sources of microplastic contamination in the Russian part of Northwest Pacific Region. Two larger transboundary rivers were proven to transport considerable amounts of plastic frag- ments to the coastal marine area. The hazard of microplastic contamination was registered in the marine area quite recently and thorough survey of its impacts is required. Finding land- based sources of microplastics is an integral part of this pro- cess. This work will be continued focusing on more detailed seasonal assessment, and effluents will also be included in the research as a possible source of high fiber concentrations in the coastal water adjoining to urban areas. In addition, there is a need to address smaller particles in the water environment, in- cluding nanoplastics, due to their high availability to aquatic or- ganisms.
Welcome message from author
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
River discharge as a source of land-based plastic pollution in the Northwest Pacific Russia
Nikolai V. Kozlovskii*, Anatolii N. Kachur,
Pacific Geographical Institute of the Far Eastern Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences,
Pollution Monitoring Regional Activity Center of Northwest Pacific Action Plan (NOWPAP POMRAC)
*Contact e-mail: [email protected]
Introduction
Our survey of floating marine microplastics in the
Northwest Pacific Russia was initiated in 2016. The
first results of this survey indicate that coastal wa-
ters adjoining to urban areas and major river estuar-
ies are the hotspots of plastic contamination. We
suggest that wastewater and river discharge provide
considerable input of microplastics to the marine
environment.
Materials and methods
Eight rivers discharging into the marine area of
Northwest Pacific Russia were selected to assess
the flux of microplastics into the coastal environ-
ment. The samples were collected by neuston net
(mesh size 0.1 mm) equipped with a mechanical
flowmeter at depth 0-20 cm and by gasoline pump
(capacity 15m3/hour) at depth below 20 cm in sum-
mer and fall 2017.
The samples were dried in the laboratory, natural
organics removed using 30%H2O2 and 0.05M Fe
(II)SO4. After density separation and filtering plas-
tic particles were extracted from the samples, meas-
ured by size and weight and identified using FTIR
and Raman spectroscopy.
Fig. 1. The study area
Results and discussion Combined neuston net and pump sampling was carried out in
summer and autumn 2017 in eight rivers differing in hydrological parameters (table 1)
Table 1. The sampled rivers The results of our survey show that Tumen River and Razdolna-
ya/Suifen River are responsible for the transport of microplastics, however we failed to identify microplastic contamination in other selected rivers as of now. The highest concentrations were regis-tered in the Tumen River, reaching 1.3 - 6.8 p./m3 and 0.5-3 p./m3 (in samples collected by neuston net and by pump, corresponding-ly). In the Razdolnaya/Suifen River microplastic concentrations reached 0.37-0.48 p./m3 (net sampling) and 0.3-0.35 p./m3 (pump sampling). Evident seasonal fluctuations of microplastic content were registered in the Tumen River (fig. 2), with sharp reduction in mid-October related to mid-July.
The composition of retrieved microplastics varies by river, sea-son, and sampling method. Summer neuston net samples in River Tumen show 49% presence of foam (EPS) and comparatively low ratio of foam in the autumn, whereas in River Razdolnaya fibers and fragments prevail both in summer and autumn (fig. 2 and 3). Due to high buoyancy, EPS is not registered below 20 cm, howev-er PE/PP films and fragments are observed below 20 cm.We meas-ured size of each plastic particle by the maximum length (Feret diameter).
The microplastic size range begins with 0.1 mm which equals to the mesh size used in this study. Microplastics sized 1-5 mm is the most abundant fraction in both rivers, with overall ratio of 73% in the Tumen River (11% and 16% are 0.1-1 and 5-25 mm (mesoplastic) fractions, correspondingly) and 60% in the Razdolnaya/Suifen River (38% and 2% are 0.1–1mm fraction and mesoplastic, correspondingly).
The human press may be the major reason of river contamination. In China, the Tumen River has 4 major tributaries with catchment area of 22,900 km2. Estimated population is 1.5 mln., with over 600,000 people working in agriculture. In DPRK, the Tumen River has 3 major tributaries, with catchment area of 10,000 km2 and es-timated population of 0.5 mln. In Russia, the Tumen River catch-ment area is about 100 km2 and estimated population is approxi-mately 1,000 people. River Razdolnaya/Suifen is also a trans-boundary river between China and Russia with overall population up to 0.5 mln people.
Fig. 2. MP concentrations in Tumen River in sum-mer and fall 2017
*N—Net sampling,**P – Pump sampling
Fig. 3. MP concentrations in Razdolnaya/Suifen River in summer and fall 2017
*N—Net sampling,**P – Pump sampling
Rivers Length,
km
Drainage basin,
km2
Mean annual
discharge, m3/s
1)Tumen 516 33,168 215 2)Tsukanovka 29 175 2.26 3)Narva 38 332 6.24 4)Barabashevka 68 576 9.10 5)Amba 63 330 4.98
6)Razdolnaya/Suifen 245 16,830 81.3
7)Partizanskaya 142 4,140 36.9 8)Kievka 105 3,120 29.8
Fig. 1. MP from Razdolnaya (left) and Tumen
(right) rivers
Fig. 4. Comparison of MP content in the Tumen River, tidal
zone near its estuary, and on the beach near the estuary
References: Tumen River: The Greater Tumen Initiative (GTI) Emma White, April 15, 2010
Resources of surface water in the USSR: hydrological studies . Vol. 18. The Far East. The Second Edition . / edited by A.P. Muranov. — L.: Gidrometeoizdat,
1970. — 592 P.
Kozlovskii N.V., Kachur A.N. (2018) Report on microplastic pollution in the coastal water of the Peter the Great Gulf: content and distribution. The first
stage of survey. POMRAC Technical Report N 13. – Vladivostok: PGI FEB RAS, 2018. – 44 p.
Conclusion
This work is the first step to assess impacts of land-based
sources of microplastic contamination in the Russian part of
Northwest Pacific Region. Two larger transboundary rivers
were proven to transport considerable amounts of plastic frag-
ments to the coastal marine area. The hazard of microplastic
contamination was registered in the marine area quite recently
and thorough survey of its impacts is required. Finding land-
based sources of microplastics is an integral part of this pro-
cess. This work will be continued focusing on more detailed
seasonal assessment, and effluents will also be included in the
research as a possible source of high fiber concentrations in the
coastal water adjoining to urban areas. In addition, there is a
need to address smaller particles in the water environment, in-
cluding nanoplastics, due to their high availability to aquatic or-
ganisms.
Related Documents
