MICROPLASTIC POLLUTION IN URBAN
WATERSHEDS
1Rutgers Center for Urban Environmental Sustainability (CUES) ; 2Rutgers Department of
Biochemistry and Microbiology; 3Rutgers Environmental & Occupational Health Science
Institute (EOHSI); 4NY/NJ Baykeeper; 5Rutger Graduate Program in Biochemistry &
Microbiology
9th Annual Sustainable Raritan River ConferenceRutgers New Brunswick
June 9, 2017
B. Ravit1, K. Cooper2, B. Buckley3, S. Meola4, G. Moreno5, D. Jones1, A.
Hsieh1
Center for Urban Environmental Sustainability
Sample Collection & Analysis
Center for Urban Environmental Sustainability
Some Caveats – A snapshot in Time
• One dry weather sampling event per location
• One wet weather sampling event in 5 locations
• Difficulty separating samples manually
• Possible breakdown of original plastic materials into new
shapes/configurations
Center for Urban Environmental Sustainability
0.E+00
1.E+06
2.E+06
3.E+06
4.E+06
5.E+06
6.E+06
7.E+06
8.E+06
Raritan River Microplastic (Dry)
Upstream Downstream
Location Collection Microplastic Type Total
Fragmen
t Pellet Line Film Foam
Bridgewater Dry 6 0 1 0 0 7
Piscataway Dry 0 8 9 23 0 40
New Brunswick Dry 7 1 6 0 0 14
Edison Dry 13 1 39 11 5 69
Sayreville Dry 8 0 2 5 34 49
Total Recovered 34 10 57 39 39 179
% Total Recovered 19% 6% 32% 22% 22%
Location Microplastic Sizes Total
0.3-.99mm 1-4.75mm
>
4.75mm
Bridgewater Raritan 2 4 1 7
Piscataway - Raritan 16 15 9 40
New Brunswick -
Raritan 5 9 0 14
Edison - Raritan 17 22 30 69
Sayreville - Raritan 7 30 12 49
Total Recovered 47 80 52 179
% Total Recovered 26.26% 44.69% 29.05%