Microplastic Pollution in Freshwater Environment in China and Watershed Management Strategy

Subjects: Other Disciplines >> Synthetic discipline submitted time 2023-03-19 Cooperative journals: 《中国科学院院刊》

吴辰熙 潘响亮 施华宏 彭进平

Abstract： Microplastic pollution problems in freshwater environment have attracted growing attention from scholars at home and abroad. This work reviewed the research progress on microplastics in freshwater environment in China, analyzed the sources, environmental behavior and fate of microplastics in freshwater environment, and discussed the ecological environment effect of microplastic pollution. Studies showed that microplastic pollution is ubiquitously presented in rivers and lake in China. Microplastics have been detected with abundances up to 107 items/km2 in freshwater, which is higher than those reported from marine environment. Microplastics detected in the freshwater environment showed different shape, size, and color features, are made from different polymer types, and are able to carry other contaminants. These features partly reflect the source and experience of microplastics, and are related to their environmental behavior and ecological environment effect. Research has also demonstrated that microplastics are commonly presented in fishes and mollusks collected from freshwater environment, microplastic exposure is able to affect the health of individual organisms as well as alter the structure and function of ecosystem. Therefore, microplastics are considered as emerging contaminants. In view of the microplastic pollution status and problem in freshwater environment, microplastic pollution control strategies were proposed based on watershed management thought. It is suggested that China should further improve the relevant policies and regulations, strengthen the implementation of policies and regulations, so as to ensure the health of freshwater ecosystem and the sustainable use of freshwater resources.

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