Prof. Katarzyna Stepanowska and Dr Marcin Biernaczyk from the West Pomeranian University of Technology (ZUT), together with researchers from around the world, have published the results of a study on microplastics in water bodies in the weekly Nature magazine.
Every year, around 14 million tonnes of plastic end up in the oceans. The latest research, conducted by scientists at the Szczecin university, confirms the scale of microplastic pollution in freshwater. In Poland, it has been found in every sampled lake. This is a huge threat to the environment. The research shows that freshwater bodies accumulate these pollutants at a rate comparable to, or even greater than, seas and oceans.
The researchers took samples from Lake Dąbie, among others. The research took place between 2019 and 2021. ZUT biologists conducted the research completely free of charge, using their own resources and exchanging equipment and knowledge with colleagues from Poland.
