Microplastics Rapidly Sink and Beach in a Whole-Lake Experiment

Abstract Although advances in oceanographic and limnological modeling have increased our understanding of microplastic transport and persistence, we require more knowledge to effectively protect biodiversity. We initiated a whole-lake experiment (the pELAstic project) to measure the real-world fate and transport of microplastics. We added microplastics to a boreal lake, simulating stormwater input, at loading concentrations predicted to achieve environmentally relevant concentrations. Here, we introduce our experiment and describe the particle budget from the first microplastic addition. We observed rapid transport of microplastics to different ecosystem compartments. Transport patterns could not be fully explained by initial particle size and density, highlighting how natural processes modify plastic fate in real-world systems. Microplastic fragments rapidly redistributed─exiting the water column and settling on the bottom and shorelines. A particle budget across the water column, bottom sediments, and beaches accounted for 77% of the polyethylene, 48% polystyrene, and >100% polyethylene terephthalate. “Missing” plastic was likely in the nearshore littoral. Our observations suggest that if we prevent further inputs to aquatic ecosystems, microplastics will quickly disappear from the water column─washing up on shorelines and settling on the bottom. Thus, understanding rates of microplastic deposition and burial is critical to forecast the legacy of microplastic pollution.

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Publication Details

Journal
Environmental Science & Technology
Published
2026-11-10
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6c09040
Primary Topic
Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
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article

Microplastics Rapidly Sink and Beach in a Whole-Lake Experiment

Jennifer Francoise Provencher, Stephanie D. Graves, Tony Robert Walker, Garth A. Covernton et al.
Environmental Science & Technology
Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
article

Microplastics Rapidly Sink and Beach in a Whole-Lake Experiment

Jennifer Francoise Provencher, Stephanie D. Graves, Tony Robert Walker, Garth A. Covernton, Mark L. Mallory, Mahmoud Omer, Rebecca C. Rooney, Bailey C. McMeans, Desiree Langenfeld, Ken M. Jeffries, Paul A. Helm, Francis Nuamah, Robertson Matthew, Rachel A. McNamee, Chelsea M. Rochman, Ludovic Hermabessière, Yael Lewis, Matthew J. Hoffman, Anna Christina Tyler, Madeleine H. Milne, Scott N. Higgins, Eden K. Hataley, Jihyun O. Kim, Timothy J. Hoellein, Keenan Munno, Diane M. Orihel, Michael J. Paterson, Susanne M. Brander, Barbara A. Katzenback, Michael D. Rennie, Cody Veneruzzo, Mira Ghosh, Rachel N. Cable, Dimple Roy, Hannah Vonberg, Brenda Li Ludena, Celia Konowe, Melissa Beth Duhaime, Emily Johnson, Jessica Wilson, Ashlyn Nance, J. Drew Thompson, Katie Massue-Monat, Natasha de Almeida Neves, Émilie C. Montreuil Strub
article en

Abstract

Abstract Although advances in oceanographic and limnological modeling have increased our understanding of microplastic transport and persistence, we require more knowledge to effectively protect biodiversity. We initiated a whole-lake experiment (the pELAstic project) to measure the real-world fate and transport of microplastics. We added microplastics to a boreal lake, simulating stormwater input, at loading concentrations predicted to achieve environmentally relevant concentrations. Here, we introduce our experiment and describe the particle budget from the first microplastic addition. We observed rapid transport of microplastics to different ecosystem compartments. Transport patterns could not be fully explained by initial particle size and density, highlighting how natural processes modify plastic fate in real-world systems. Microplastic fragments rapidly redistributed─exiting the water column and settling on the bottom and shorelines. A particle budget across the water column, bottom sediments, and beaches accounted for 77% of the polyethylene, 48% polystyrene, and >100% polyethylene terephthalate. “Missing” plastic was likely in the nearshore littoral. Our observations suggest that if we prevent further inputs to aquatic ecosystems, microplastics will quickly disappear from the water column─washing up on shorelines and settling on the bottom. Thus, understanding rates of microplastic deposition and burial is critical to forecast the legacy of microplastic pollution.

Environmental Science & Technology
Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (CA), Dalhousie University (CA), International Institute for Sustainable Development (CA), Environment and Climate Change Canada (CA), University of Waterloo (CA), Rochester Institute of Technology (US), University of Toronto (CA), Loyola University Chicago (US), Queen's University (CA), University of Michigan (US), Queens University (BD), National Research Council Canada (CA), IISD Experimental Lakes Area (CA), University of Manitoba (CA), Lakehead University (CA), Acadia University (CA)
Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
DOISourceOpenAlex
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