OCORRÊNCIA E VARIABILIDADE DE MICROPLÁSTICOS EM RIO URBANO

Abstract

Most studies on microplastic pollution in freshwater systems have focused on large rivers and lakes, underestimated characterization small rivers and urban streams. We analyzed the variation of microplastic abundance, in days of normal flow, in an urban stream that drains commercial and residential areas. For the collections, we used a 68 μm mesh net, digestion with the association of the WPO and KOH method and visual analysis.All collections contained microplastics with concentrations ranging from 1.1 - 11.3 items.L-1

. The most abundant types were transparent filaments and black fragments. Microplastic concentrations were significantly correlated with the absence of rain. Our data show that small urban water bodies can transport 5,75x1011 items.year-1

, even with sewage and solid waste collection services implanted in the hydrographic basin. These microplastic concentrations are equal to or even greater than large rivers that drain industrial areas, therefore, small rivers and urban streams can be an important means of transporting microplastics to the sea.