Southeast Michigan wastewater treatment plants as potential sources of microplastic pollution in the Rouge River and Huron River

<p>Plastic pollution is a global issue affecting the health and stability of freshwater and marine environments. Microplastics can be introduced into waterways from a variety of sources, such as agricultural runoff, anthropogenic litter, and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). To determine whether WWTPs are a source of microplastics to the Lower Rouge and Huron Rivers, we measured microplastic load upstream and downstream of two Southeast Michigan wastewater treatment plants: the Ann Arbor Wastewater Treatment Plant and Ypsilanti Community Utilities Authority (YCUA). Results from this study indicated that YCUA, which discharges into a small stream with limited watershed inputs, is a significant source of microplastic pollution. The Ann Arbor WWTP, which discharges into the much larger Huron River, was not a detectable source. Instead, the positive relationship between river discharge and microplastic load suggests that watershed sources may be more important to total microplastic load, especially in larger rivers.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MS)

Level thesis:degree_level

Open Access Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Biology

Year dc:date.available

2021

Author dc:creator

• Troost, Jennifer

Contributors dc:contributor

• Kristin Judd, Biology
• Steven Francoeur, Biology
• Daniel Clemans, Biology

• freshwater
• Huron
• Microplastics
• Rouge
• treatment
• Wastewater
• Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://commons.emich.edu/theses/1119

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:commons.emich.edu:theses-2526