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. 2023 Apr;30(16):46368-46382.
doi: 10.1007/s11356-023-25635-z. Epub 2023 Jan 31.

Microplastic surface retention and mobility on hiking trails

Nicola Ann Forster  1 , Susan Caroline Wilson  2 , Matthew Kevin Tighe  2
Affiliations

Microplastic surface retention and mobility on hiking trails

Nicola Ann Forster et al. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2023 Apr.

Abstract

Hiking and trail running are a source of microplastic (MP) pollution on recreational trails in wilderness and conservation areas; however, the fate of MPs deposited on trails is poorly understood as MP mobility on such surfaces has not yet been examined. In this study, we simulated heavy rainfall (100 mm/h) on trail surfaces with existing MP pollution (in situ MPs) and spiked with 99 ± 2 rubber MPs (100-940 μm). Runoff was collected for 15 min and spiked and in situ MPs were quantified. Hydrological, erosional and microplastic responses were evaluated in relation to slope, bulk density, soil moisture and surface condition indicators, including amounts and types of surface cover and soil physical attributes. The MPs were largely immobile, with 85-100% of spiked MPs retained on trail surfaces. In situ MPs were detected in the trail runoff, with the majority being polyurethane, polypropylene and polyester. Microplastic movement was primarily influenced by hydrological effects, and analysis indicated the main explanatory variable was total runoff volume, followed by soil slaking. Trail sections with at least 15% herbaceous cover or a layer of loose alluvium had higher MP retention. Areas of resource accrual may be preferentially enriched, suggesting MPs from outdoor recreation may be concentrated on and adjacent to recreational trails. Microplastics deposited on trails may have long term implications for biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in wilderness and conservation areas, particularly around the trail corridor.

Keywords: Erosion; Landscape function analysis; Microplastic movement; Rainfall simulation; Soil surface.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Walking and running trail in Dumaresq Dam Reserve, located near Armidale, NSW, Australia. Black markers represent plot locations. Map modified from AllTrails (AllTrails 2022). Inset is map showing location of Armidale within the state of New South Wales
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Single-lane walking and running trail at Dumaresq Dam Reserve
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Example of trail surfaces with a small and b moderate amounts of deposited material
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Conditional inference tree for the percent spiked MPs (MP) in trail runoff, showing the significance of explanatory variables at each tree split (with p-value), critical variable partitioning into groups and resulting spiked MPs (%) at each node. Soil surface indicators are tabulated below each terminal node. Different lowercase letters denote statistically different groups
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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