MACRO TO MICRO: ANTHROPOGENIC LITTER ACCUMULATION IN URBAN RESTORED FLOODPLAINS AND THEIR SUBSEQUENT TOPSOIL MICROPLASTIC POLLUTION

Plastics are pervasive anthropogenic pollutants found in ecosystems worldwide. Microplastics are considered to be particles made of plastic that range from 1 nm - 5 mm, while macroplastics refer to plastic pieces visible to the naked eye. These pollutants are deposited in our environments through atmospheric deposition, direct dumping, and leakage from flooded landfills ,and get deposited in our watersheds and riparian floodplains. Plastics and general litter become entrapped in debris dams in floodplains, contributing to long term storage and local degradation. We quantified macro and microplastics in 3 urban riparian floodplains in Charlotte, NC. Macroplastic analysis included tri-weekly sampling where all visible litter is collected and categorized by material type (Paper, Plastic, Glass, Metal, Other), weight (kg), volume (L), and count (item). Microplastics were sampled from the top 5 cm of the soil and quantified by individual count and polymer by FTIR. Understanding the relationship between litter deposition and its degradation into microplastics is imperative to creating policy and infrastructure designed to target the ongoing plastic pollution crisis.