Microbial Menaces on Microplastics: A Spatiotemporal Study in the Schuylkill River Watershed
Abstract:
Rivers are sources of freshwater habitats for organisms, and conduits for transfer of natural and anthropogenic materials from land to sea. The societal and ecological services of rivers are threatened by numerous contaminants, of which microplastics (MP) are among the most pervasive. However, the ecological risks of MP, especially in urban rivers and downstream systems, are little understood due to critical knowledge gaps on MP concentrations and contributions in propagating harmful microbes.
We propose to establish a monitoring program in the Schuylkill River Watershed (SRW) to address gaps on MP risks. Conducting research in an urbanized river is scientifically and societally optimal for: 1) studying sites with high MP loads, 2) identifying and better understanding the risks due to high MP loads, and 3) maximizing benefits to communities reliant on these waterways through education and risk assessments.
Our proposal addresses several gaps, including: the spatiotemporal distribution of MP in the SRW; the potential for MP to harbor and transport harmful microbes and genes (e.g., methylmercury and microcystin producers, carriers of antibiotic resistance genes); and modeling potential MP risks based on their propagation of harmful microbes and genes in rivers and estuaries.
Our work advances goals of Pennsylvania (PA) Sea Grant’s strategic plan. By quantifying MP and their associated harmful microbes and ecological risk, we identify impacts of emerging contaminants and potential ways of mitigation and maintain resilient coastal systems. Actively engaging community members in the MP collection-to analysis pipeline educates communities that can sustain the study and protection of PA’s waterways.
