Freshwater contamination with micro- and macroplastics

The oceans are full of our dumped plastic. Now it is found that freshwater lakes in subalpine locations are also contaminated with potentially hazardous plastics.

"The numbers of microplastic particles in sediment samples from Lake Garda were similar to those found in studies of marine beach sediments... From there they find their way into the food web...Next to mechanical impairments of swallowed plastics mistaken as food, many plastic-associated chemicals have been shown to be carcinogenic, endocrine-disrupting, or acutely toxic...Moreover, the polymers can adsorb toxic hydrophobic organic pollutants and transport these compounds to otherwise less polluted habitats. Along this line, plastic debris can act as vector for alien species and diseases."

Source:
 "Current Biolog (abstr.): Contamination of beach sediments of a subalpine lake with microplastic particles (pdf)

Images:
Lesser, Ury, Lake Garda with Monte Baldo