Microplastic pollution in Chinese urban rivers: The influence of urban factors

Microplastics are being widely discussed as an emerging global environmental contaminant. Microplastic pollution usually originates from land-based sources, which then mainly transported through hydrological and atmospheric pathways accumulated in terrestrial, freshwater marine ecosystems. Urban environments represent a condensed area of human activities (including the production use plastic materials), urban rivers may therefore be key transporter microplastic pollution. Understanding abundances is potentially important finding effective means reducing fluvial discharge. This study quantified surface waters along Fenghua River, Ningbo, coastal megacity East China. was distributed unevenly river, with concentrations ranging 300 n/m3 to 4000 (0.3 – 4.0 n/L). Average concenterations were 1620.16 ± 878.22 (1.62 0.88 n/L) summer (43 sampling points) 1696.08 983.52 (1.70 0.98 winter (17 points). The most common shapes, sizes, colors types polymers fiber, <0.5mm, transparent polypropylene, respectively. Using multidimensional scaling analysis, distribution patterns related seasonal factors levels urbanization. No clear relationships found, implications for site selection when studying microplastics challenges attributing sources rivers.