Microplastics, defined as synthetic polymeric materials less than 5 mm in diameter, are a class of contaminants of concern in surface waters.  Microplastics are exceptionally persistent, and enormous amounts are present in the natural environment; these nonpolar polymers adsorb hydrophobic water contaminants, and the ecological health consequences are not well understood.  The accumulating research proves the ubiquitous and persistent nature of synthetic polymers in surface waters.  We set out to investigate the extent of microplastics in the local watershed, alongside traditional water quality parameters.  Salt Creek is a low-gradient stream in Northwest Indiana which ultimately discharges into the southern tip of Lake Michigan.  While water quality monitoring has taken place in this watershed for decades, the gathering and analysis of data have lacked a beneficial, systematic protocol.  The current water quality study in Salt Creek, which is part of an EPA Environmental Education project, is investigating the detection of plastic microfibers as an additional component of water quality assessment.  To understand and measure the extent of local microplastics pollution, water, sediment and macroinvertebrate samples have been collected and processed.  Sediment samples have been taken from the banks of the creek, while larval blackflies (Insect: Diptera) and caddisflies (Insecta: Trichoptera) have been collected above and below a wastewater treatment discharge into Salt Creek. For the assessment of microplastics in the creek water, filters from the traditional total suspended solids (TSS) water quality parameter have been further processed and analyzed.  Microplastics and microfibers have been identified in most of the processed samples using a stereomicroscope.  For the confirmation of synthetic microplastic pieces and for analysis of the smaller synthetic materials, samples were analyzed using infrared and/or Raman spectroscopy. This data will be presented in context with traditional water quality parameters.<br/>

Integrating microplastics data into water quality monitoring protocol

254th National Meeting (2017)

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