MICROPLASTIC POLLUTION IN THE MOHAWK AND HUDSON RIVERS, NEW YORK

Microplastics is a general term used to describe plastic particles <5 mm in diameter. These plastics, primarily polyurethane (PE), are being used in the personal care product industry as a replacement for natural exfoliants and abrasives such as crushed shells from walnuts or oysters. Wastewater treatment processes may not remove the smallest PE particles from the effluent, creating a large potential source of pollutants being released directly into the waterways. There is growing evidence that these particles can be ingested by microorganisms and incorporated into the food chain. Samples were collected from 16 sites along the Mohawk River and Hudson River in the capital region of eastern upstate New York. Eleven sites were located in the Mohawk valley between Cohoes and Utica. The other four sites were located along the Hudson River between Kinderhook and Troy. River water containing suspended sediment was bailed out of the river channel either near the shoreline or from a floating dock. For each sample, a total of 150 to 250 gallons of water was collected and poured into a stack of sieves. The sieves included 2 mm, 1 mm, 0.500 mm, 0.250 mm, 0.125 mm and 0.063 mm screens. The samples from the 2 mm and 1 mm screens were discarded, and the remaining samples have undergone microscope examination for particle identification. Preliminary results show microplastics are present in very low concentrations in the suspended sediment load, but further analysis will provide a better idea as to the abundance of this pollution in local waterways.