Microplastic characteristics in stormwater pond water

Microplastics (MPs), or plastic particles that are less than 5 mm in diameter, are an emerging threat to aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems because of their potential toxicity and their resistance to degradation. In urban watersheds, stormwater runoff is a major carrier of MPs to downstream water bodies, which often drains into green infrastructure such as stormwater ponds (SWPs). The existing evidence indicates that SWPs may be effective at reducing the export loads of MPs from urban areas. However, the effectiveness of SWPs in retaining MPs and the controls on their accumulation in SWPs remain understudied. To investigate MP occurrence and factors controlling MP distribution in the SWP water column, we collected water samples from five stormwater ponds with different land uses in their catchment area. Water samples were collected from the water column near the pond outlet for every month from February 2023 to December 2023. Microplastics were extracted from the samples and characterized using laser direct infrared imaging spectroscopy. Results and findings from the analysis of this data are reported in Controls on microplastic accumulation in stormwater pond water (pending submission, DOI: TBD).