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Article

Transport and Deposition of Microplastics and Mesoplastics along the River Course: A Case Study of a Small River in Central Italy

by
Luca Gallitelli
1,
Giulia Cesarini
1,
Alessandra Cera
1,*,
Maria Sighicelli
2,
Francesca Lecce
2,
Patrizia Menegoni
2 and
Massimiliano Scalici
1
1
Department of Sciences, University of Roma Tre, Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146 Rome, Italy
2
ENEA, CR Casaccia, Via Anguillarese, 301, 00123 Rome, Italy
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Hydrology 2020, 7(4), 90; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology7040090
Submission received: 29 October 2020 / Revised: 13 November 2020 / Accepted: 16 November 2020 / Published: 18 November 2020
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Abstract

The release of plastics in freshwater is an increasing concern for ecosystem safety worldwide. There is a large knowledge gap on plastic pollution in Mediterranean freshwater, especially regarding surveys along entire river courses, partly due to the absence of guidelines for standardized monitoring of plastics. The present study analyzes the plastic distribution from source to mouth, also according to the River Continuum Concept, of the environmental matrices (water and sediments) and biota (caddisfly cases) of the Mediterranean River Mignone and their cause-effect relationship. The results of the water quality indices (Extended Biotic Index and Fluvial Functionality Index) were compared with the plastic concentrations observed in the water and sediments to explore what relationship there might be and to understand if the indices could be a proxy of the plastic pollution. Our results showed a significant prevalence of blue fibers, the concentration of which in water and sediment is positively associated. Plastic concentration at each site was not accurately detected by the water quality indices. These results may suggest that the factors considered by water quality indices are not able to detect the contamination of plastic pollution. It is mandatory to identify new tools for assessing the plastic impacts on river ecosystems.
Keywords: Mediterranean rivers; freshwater; grain size analysis; plastic; microplastic; mesoplastic; macroinvertebrates; case construction; Extended Biotic Index; monitoring; Fluvial Functionality Index Mediterranean rivers; freshwater; grain size analysis; plastic; microplastic; mesoplastic; macroinvertebrates; case construction; Extended Biotic Index; monitoring; Fluvial Functionality Index

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MDPI and ACS Style

Gallitelli, L.; Cesarini, G.; Cera, A.; Sighicelli, M.; Lecce, F.; Menegoni, P.; Scalici, M. Transport and Deposition of Microplastics and Mesoplastics along the River Course: A Case Study of a Small River in Central Italy. Hydrology 2020, 7, 90. https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology7040090

AMA Style

Gallitelli L, Cesarini G, Cera A, Sighicelli M, Lecce F, Menegoni P, Scalici M. Transport and Deposition of Microplastics and Mesoplastics along the River Course: A Case Study of a Small River in Central Italy. Hydrology. 2020; 7(4):90. https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology7040090

Chicago/Turabian Style

Gallitelli, Luca, Giulia Cesarini, Alessandra Cera, Maria Sighicelli, Francesca Lecce, Patrizia Menegoni, and Massimiliano Scalici. 2020. "Transport and Deposition of Microplastics and Mesoplastics along the River Course: A Case Study of a Small River in Central Italy" Hydrology 7, no. 4: 90. https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology7040090

APA Style

Gallitelli, L., Cesarini, G., Cera, A., Sighicelli, M., Lecce, F., Menegoni, P., & Scalici, M. (2020). Transport and Deposition of Microplastics and Mesoplastics along the River Course: A Case Study of a Small River in Central Italy. Hydrology, 7(4), 90. https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology7040090

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