Microplastics in the Baltic Sea region lakes-standardized insights reveal urban shoreline as key driver.

ABSTRACT: Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous in aquatic environments and closely tied to human activities, yet linking measured concentrations to urban pressures remains challenging. Methodological inconsistencies inflate variance, obscure spatial patterns, and hinder comparability. We therefore implemented fully harmonized sampling and FTIR-verified analysis across ten lakes in Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland, with all field and laboratory work performed by the same team. In parallel, we calculated an urbanization index to relate MP concentrations to shoreline development and urban influences. This design enabled comparisons of MPs in surface waters and sediments with ranges of 0.67-7.68 particles L⁻¹ (water) and 0.09-3.90 particles g⁻¹ dw (sediments). Polyethylene and polypropy

SUBMITTER: Babkiewicz E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12675769 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature