Abundance and type of microplastics along an urban density gradient in the Allander Water and River Kelvin, Greater Glasgow, Scotland

Abstract

Microplastics have now been found in air, water, and soil, polluting a wide range of environments globally and presenting potential health threats to humans and other organisms. This study aimed to investigate the type and abundance of microplastics in two urban rivers in Glasgow, Scotland. Here we sampled sediments from the more suburban Allander Water and an urban reach of the River Kelvin, northwest and west of Glasgow’s city centre, respectively. Samples were sieved to separate size fractions, and microplastics were identified by both optical microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. We found that microplastics were present in sites along both rivers, with the type of microplastics varying from site to site. The outcome of this study provides useful information for local councils to design effective plastic waste management policy, as well as adds to the growing body of literature evidencing the widespread distribution of microplastic pollution.