River Thames’ plastic pollution: London river contains one of the highest levels of microplastics of all UK waterways
The research, carried out by Bangor University and Friends of the Earth, has prompted calls for routine monitoring of all UK waters to detect the pollutants. Researchers used a flourescence lighting system to identify microplastics per litre of water tested. The most polluted river was the River Tame in Greater Manchester, which presented more than 1000 pieces of microplastic per litre of water. In London, the Thames contained 84.1 pieces per litre.
Waterways studied and microplastics per litre
• River Thames, London (84.1)
• Chester reedbed (7.6)
• Ullswater, Lake District (29.5)
• River Irwell, Salford, Greater Manchester (84.8)
• River Tame, Tameside, Greater Manchester (>1,000)
• River Blackwater, Essex (15.1)
• Falls of Dochart, Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park (3.3)
• Loch Lomond, Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park (2.4)
• Afon Cegin – river; North Wales (76.9)
• Llyn Cefni – reservoir; Anglesey, Wales (43.2 )
Dr Christian Dunn, from Bangor University, said: “It was more than a little startling to discover microplastics were present in even the most remote sites we tested, and quite depressing they were there in some of our country’s most iconic locations." He added the findings should encourage people to start taking the threat of microplastics more seriously.
Posted by admin
on Mar 7 2019. Filed under No Plastic.
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