Microplastic occurrence and distribution in sediment from streams of the Niagara Peninsula, Ontario

Session: Poster Session

Martina Tepavcevic, Brock University, [email protected]
Michael Pisaric, Brock University, [email protected]

Abstract

Plastics are ubiquitous in aquatic and terrestrial environments throughout the world. There are numerous pathways for plastics to reach natural systems, where they can become fragmented and converted into microplastics (<5mm).  In natural systems, plastics and microplastics may persist and degrade ecosystem health for potentially thousands of years. The Niagara Region (Ontario, Canada) has abundant freshwater resources, which may harbour a substantial amount of microplastics.  In fact, previous studies from the Niagara Region, confirm that municipal and freshwater systems do in fact harbour a substantial amount of microplastics.  While studies of microplastic occurrence have occurred for Lakes Ontario and Erie, the magnitude of microplastic occurrence in smaller stream systems is less understood.  The potential role that stream sediments have as a sink for microplastics has not been quantified. This study aims to address gaps in microplastic contamination research by exploring the occurrence of microplastics in stream sediment in the Niagara Region. The Niagara Region has 202 watersheds of varying sizes, which drain into Lakes Ontario and Erie, and the Niagara River. This study will provide insights into the pathways and fate of microplastics in smaller stream systems in the Niagara Region.

Twitter handle of presenter
@MartinaTepavce1