Sources Affecting Microplastic Contamination in Mountain Lakes in Tatra National Park

Piotr Kiełtyk, Kamil Karaban, Agnieszka Poniatowska, Angelika Bryska, Tomasz Runka, Zuzanna Sambor, Piotr Radomski, Tomasz Zwijacz-Kozica and Anita Kaliszewicz ()
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Piotr Kiełtyk: Institute of Biological Sciences, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw, Wóycickiego 1/3, 01-938 Warsaw, Poland
Kamil Karaban: Institute of Biological Sciences, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw, Wóycickiego 1/3, 01-938 Warsaw, Poland
Agnieszka Poniatowska: Faculty of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw, Wóycickiego 1/3, 01-938 Warsaw, Poland
Angelika Bryska: Faculty of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw, Wóycickiego 1/3, 01-938 Warsaw, Poland
Tomasz Runka: Faculty of Technical Physics, Institute of Materials Research and Quantum Engineering, Poznan University of Technology, Piotrowo 3, 60-965 Poznań, Poland
Zuzanna Sambor: Faculty of Technical Physics, Institute of Materials Research and Quantum Engineering, Poznan University of Technology, Piotrowo 3, 60-965 Poznań, Poland
Piotr Radomski: Faculty of Technical Physics, Institute of Materials Research and Quantum Engineering, Poznan University of Technology, Piotrowo 3, 60-965 Poznań, Poland
Tomasz Zwijacz-Kozica: Tatra National Park, Kuźnice 1, 34-500 Zakopane, Poland
Anita Kaliszewicz: Institute of Biological Sciences, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw, Wóycickiego 1/3, 01-938 Warsaw, Poland

Resources, 2024, vol. 13, issue 11, 1-18

Abstract: The global atmospheric transport of microplastics (MPs) plays a crucial role in the contamination of remote, especially higher-elevation, environments. Precipitation is considered the main source of MP pollution. Meanwhile, plastic waste generated from, for example, tourism activities can be a local source of MP pollution. In this study, we specify which of the mentioned sources of MP, global or local, have a higher impact on the pollution level in the high-elevation oligotrophic lakes of Tatra National Park in Poland. Due to its unique natural value, it is listed by UNESCO as an international biosphere reserve and meets the criteria for Natura 2000 areas. We comprehensively analyzed the morphometric and anthropogenic features of 11 lakes in terms of the contamination level, color, shape, and polymer type of the MPs found in the surface waters. MP fibers were found to be present in all studied lakes, with contamination ranging from 25 to 179 items/m 3 . Polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and natural or semi-natural cellulose fibers—black or red in color with a length of 0.2–1.0 mm—predominated, which corresponds with other studies conducted on remote mountain ecosystems. We did not find any correlation of the number of MPs with local anthropogenic pressure characteristics. In turn, the significant correlation with lake area, coastline length, lake volume, and catchment area indicated airborne sources, including global transport of MPs to the lakes with reduced water outflow.

Keywords: polymers; Raman spectroscopy; global atmospheric transport; Carpathian Mountains (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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