Abstract：
The St. Lawrence River, one of the world\'s largest estuaries, drains >25 % of the world\'s freshwater reserves and is affected by various anthropogenic effluents. Although previous studies reported micro- and nanoplastics contamination in the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence (EGSL), this study provides a first evaluation of macroplastic pollution along the north and south shores of the EGSL. Plastic debris categorization was performed according to the OSPAR protocol completed by polymer identification using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The EGSL appeared ubiquitously contaminated by plastic debris, dominated by single-use plastics primarily made of polypropylene (28 %), polyethylene (25 %) and polystyrene (17 %). The EGSL shores exhibited a mean contamination level of 0.17 ± 0.11 items/m2 and distance to Montreal significantly influenced the distribution of plastic debris. This study provides an essential baseline for implementing local waste reduction and management actions in the St. Lawrence watershed to reduce plastic pollution.
摘要：
圣劳伦斯河,世界上最大的河口之一,排水>25%的世界淡水储量，并受到各种人为废水的影响。尽管先前的研究报道了河口和圣劳伦斯湾（EGSL）的微米和纳米塑料污染，这项研究首次评估了EGSL南北海岸的大型塑料污染。根据OSPAR方案进行塑料碎片分类，该方案通过使用傅立叶变换红外光谱进行聚合物鉴定来完成。EGSL似乎普遍被塑料碎片污染，主要由聚丙烯制成的一次性塑料(28%)占主导地位，聚乙烯(25%)和聚苯乙烯(17%)。EGSL海岸的平均污染水平为0.17±0.11项目/m2，到蒙特利尔的距离显着影响了塑料碎片的分布。这项研究为在圣劳伦斯流域实施当地废物减少和管理行动以减少塑料污染提供了必要的基线。
