Occurrence and Characteristics of Microplastics in the Dasha River of Jiaozuo City

To investigate the distribution and pollution characteristics of microplastics in China's aquatic environments, this study focused on the Dasha River in Jiaozuo City. Microplastic abundance and morphological features were analyzed using stereomicroscopy, while polymer composition was determined through Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The results showed that microplastic abundance in the Dasha River ranged from 1.05 to 8.5 n/L, with an average concentration of 4.91 n/L. The majority of microplastics, representing 72.9% of the total, had a particle size below 1 mm, Fiber-shaped particles were most dominant at 62.7%, In terms of color, white microplastics were most prevalent, comprising 34% of the observed particles. Polyethylene terephthalate was the predominant polymer type, making up 31.7% of the identified compositions. Comparative analysis revealed distinct spatial variations in microplastic abundance between the Dasha River and other aquatic systems, with contamination levels classified as moderate to low on a global scale.