Leaf Litter and Benthic Sediments Are Important Reservoirs of Microplastic Pollution in Rivers
Abstract
Rivers are a major pathway for microplastics to enter downstream waterbodies (e.g., lakes and oceans). However, the fate of microplastics within streams is not fully understood. To address this gap, we conducted a 28 day flow-through stream mesocosm experiment (length: 2 m, width: 0.4 m, and height: 0.3 m) with natural benthic communities under high- and low-flow conditions. Seven types of microplastics, varying in shape (fibers and fragments), size (0.1 to 1 mm), and density (0.88 to 1.38 g/cm 3 ), were introduced at the start of the experiment; a second pulse was added during a simulated storm event on day 16. We measured microplastic fate across three environmental compartments: water, sediment, and leaf litter. Microplastic concentrations in the water declined rapidly, with
Fields of Study & Subjects
Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
Marine Biology and Environmental Chemistry
Diatoms and Algae Research
Publication details
- Journal / source
- ACS ES&T Water
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Volume
- 6
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 1463–1472
- Publication date
- 6 February 2026
- Language
- EN