Distribution, Abundance, and Spatial Variability of Microplastic Pollution in Surface Waters of Lake Superior
Abstract
Plastic pollution in oceans and lakes has been a concern for more than three decades, and largely through the breakdown of large plastics, microplastic pollution has been of real concern for over 20 years. Most research has focused on marine settings but freshwater systems are equally vulnerable to microplastic pollution. The Laurentian Great Lakes system has been the subject of little microplastic research and Lake Superior has received even less focus than the other four lakes. The objective of this study is to fill that knowledge gap and determine the abundance and spatial distribution, spatial variability, and polymer identities of microplastic pollution in the surface waters of Lake Superior. In 2014, 94 double net samples were collected from the surface waters of Lake Superior and preserved. These samples comprise the most comprehensive surface water survey of any of the Great Lakes to date, and the first to employ double neuston net trawls. Since there is not yet a standardized sampling method, a comparison of side-by-side samples will indicate whether single net surveys are sufficient and could be used as the standard sampling method. A total of 187 samples was processed using wet peroxide oxidation and analyzed using a dissecting microscope. A sampling of all plastic particles collected were also analyzed using FTIR spectrometry to determine polymer identity. Abundances calculated throughout Lake Superior show wide variability, ranging between 4,000 to more than…
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