Title
A Study on the Proper Sampling Method for Microplastic Distributions in the Surface Freshwater: From Case Studies in Japan and Indonesia
Author
Yasuhiro ISHIBASHI, Hiroaki TSUTSUMI, Koji ARIZONO
Journal
The degree of Doctor of Philosophy Graduate School of Environmental & Symbiotic Sciences Prefectural University of Kumamoto September 2021
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are recently considered anthropogenic pollutants. However,
studies on MPs have been primarily conducted in the marine environment. Many
pollutants materials, including MPs, from land, are released through the point/nonpoint
sources and adversely affect the marine environment. Therefore, the freshwater
environment plays an essential role in the fate of MPs.
One of the arguments to describe the MPs distributions is which sampling method
should be employed. Naturally generated MPs quantity differences, which are caused
by different net sizes, have been reported by many researchers, but how much
qualitative MPs distribution is overlooked in large mesh size is still insufficient.
Notably, verifying the validity of the sampling method in the freshwater environment
is more limited than the marine environment. Therefore, the present study carefully
determined the validities of the samplings with 100, 355 μm meshes and the Bulk water
sampling method in five perspectives: MPs sources, abundances, features, river
characteristics, and weather conditions. The final goal is to provide support in the
selection of a proper mesh size to establish future study plans, which evaluate MPs
pollution in the freshwater environment.
Full Article
Instrument
NRS-5100
Keywords
Microplastics, Freshwater, Surface water, Volume-reduced sampling method, Bulk water sampling method, Numerical and mass abundances, Microplastics sources, Microplastics Features, River characteristics, Weather conditions