TRACING THE FATE OF MICROPLASTIC POLYMERS IN A FRESHWATER SYSTEM

Microplastic accumulation in freshwater is an understudied field and becoming increasingly important due to their prevalence and possible impacts. This research focuses on qualifying types of plastics in the immediate catchment of a freshwater reservoir and tracing their fate through the water column and sediment. The study site was a small reservoir of approximately 92 million gallons, primarily used for drinking water supply storage and recreational fishing. We conducted surveys of the immediate land surrounding the reservoir to determine the most abundant polymers to be single-use plastic bottle trash polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and fishing line made of nylon, polyethylene or polytetraflouroethylene (PTFE). We chose five locations within the reservoir and collected water column samples at three depths sediment samples. Suspected polymers were identified visually before qualification using attenuated total reflection through Fourrier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). This allowed for comparison of the external source polymers with water column and sediment distribution of those same polymers. This research serves to inform on the fate of common plastics as they migrate into freshwater sources.