This study presents a snapshot at what plastics, and plastics-associated chemicals, are making it into U.S. rivers. We sampled plastics in four U.S. rivers at varying seasonal conditions - from dry, low-flow to peak runoff to the river rise just after rainfall - to try to understand the differences between what plastics and chemicals are present in each of those conditions. Do storms flush storm drains in Philly and flood rivers with post-consumer goods? Are there more tire particles per cup of river water in Los Angeles?
In one of the biggest studies of its kind, we present our finding on tens of thousands of plastics particles and compounds that we identified in our rigorous laboratory analysis, and try to suggest how future technology development efforts for sensor and plastics collectors might be better focused and better sited in a river.