water where more microplastics were found in account 6298 microplastics by liter
(Oßmann et al. 2018). Also, Schymanski et al. (2018) found 117 microplastics by
liter in returnable plastic bottles, and Mason et al. (2018) estimated a concentration
of 932 and 1411 microplastics by liter in plastic bottles of brand Nestle Pure Life and
Gerolsteiner, respectively.
1.4.2 Type, Size, and Morphology of Microplastics
in Freshwater
With respect to microplastic sizes, they can be distributed into six different groups:
category 1 (0.5 mm), category 2 (0.5–1 mm), category 3 (1–2 mm), category
4 (2–3 mm), category 5 (3–4 mm), and category 6 (4–5 mm). Figure 1.9 shows
the size distribution of the samples both on the water surface and in sediments of the
samples collected at Wei River, China.
The most abundant microplastics were of category 1 in all samples including
water and sediment samples. Category 2 and category 3 were the second and third
most important, while samples belonging to group 4, 5, and 6 were insignificant.
Similar results have been obtained in other freshwater locations such as in Qinghai
Lake (China), Lake Garda (Italy), Three Gorges (China), Laurentian Great Lakes
(USA), and Taihu Lake (China) (Di and Wang 2018; Eriksen et al. 2013; Imhof et al.
2016; Su et al. 2016; Xiong et al. 2018). The most abundant fraction was the size
lower than 0.5 mm in all the mentioned locations, especially in water surface. Some
of them realized that the predominant fraction in sediments was 0.5–1 mm. In sum,
100
80
40
20
-20
0
60
%
<0.5mm 0.5-1mm 1-2mm 2-3mm 3-4mm 4-5mm >5mm
Surface water
Sediments
Fig. 1.9 Size distribution of the samples both on the water surface and in sediments of the samples
collected in Wei River, China. The data are expressed as a percentage of microplastics within each
size group (Source: Modified after Ding et al. (2019))
16
V. Godoy et al.
(Oßmann et al. 2018). Also, Schymanski et al. (2018) found 117 microplastics by
liter in returnable plastic bottles, and Mason et al. (2018) estimated a concentration
of 932 and 1411 microplastics by liter in plastic bottles of brand Nestle Pure Life and
Gerolsteiner, respectively.
1.4.2 Type, Size, and Morphology of Microplastics
in Freshwater
With respect to microplastic sizes, they can be distributed into six different groups:
category 1 (0.5 mm), category 2 (0.5–1 mm), category 3 (1–2 mm), category
4 (2–3 mm), category 5 (3–4 mm), and category 6 (4–5 mm). Figure 1.9 shows
the size distribution of the samples both on the water surface and in sediments of the
samples collected at Wei River, China.
The most abundant microplastics were of category 1 in all samples including
water and sediment samples. Category 2 and category 3 were the second and third
most important, while samples belonging to group 4, 5, and 6 were insignificant.
Similar results have been obtained in other freshwater locations such as in Qinghai
Lake (China), Lake Garda (Italy), Three Gorges (China), Laurentian Great Lakes
(USA), and Taihu Lake (China) (Di and Wang 2018; Eriksen et al. 2013; Imhof et al.
2016; Su et al. 2016; Xiong et al. 2018). The most abundant fraction was the size
lower than 0.5 mm in all the mentioned locations, especially in water surface. Some
of them realized that the predominant fraction in sediments was 0.5–1 mm. In sum,
100
80
40
20
-20
0
60
%
<0.5mm 0.5-1mm 1-2mm 2-3mm 3-4mm 4-5mm >5mm
Surface water
Sediments
Fig. 1.9 Size distribution of the samples both on the water surface and in sediments of the samples
collected in Wei River, China. The data are expressed as a percentage of microplastics within each
size group (Source: Modified after Ding et al. (2019))
16
V. Godoy et al.