Tiny bits of plastic — called microplastics—are turning up in lakes, rivers, and even the food we eat. They’re not just litter; they can mess with hormones and carry toxic hitchhikers like heavy metals and antibiotic residues. As these particles pass through the food chain, they pile up —sometimes ending up in us.
A recent study in North Central Appalachia zoomed in on this problem. Scientists are mapping out where these microplastics come from and how much pollution is building up in local freshwater systems. The goal? To better protect our rivers and streams—and the people, animals, and ecosystems that depend on them.
When Isabella Tuzzio, a biology undergrad at West Virginia University, set out to examine fish from Appalachian streams, she didn’t expect every single one to carry a hidden pollutant. But that’s exactly what she found.
In her groundbreaking study — the first of its kind in the region — Tuzzio analyzed 55 juvenile northern hogsucker fish from seven streams flowing through the Cheat, Monongahela, and Ohio River watersheds. Inside every fish? Microplastics. Tiny fragments are less than 5 millimeters wide— some no bigger than a grain of sand. On average, each fish had swallowed around 40 pieces.
Using remote sensing to monitor plastic debris in rivers and lakes
Big Sandy Creek in Preston County turned out to be the worst hotspot for microplastics. But it wasn’t just tiny bits of plastic showing up—there were high levels of E. coli, too. The common link? Farmland nearby.
According to researcher Isabella Tuzzio, runoff from agricultural areas may be washing both bacteria and plastic particles into local streams.
And here’s the kicker: small fish swallow the plastic bits, then bigger fish eat those smaller ones. Step by step, the plastic builds up along the food chain—reaching dangerously high levels. It’s not just bad for fish. It circles right back to us.
When Tuzzio and her team examined fish from Appalachian streams, they uncovered an unsettling trend: a majority of the plastic pieces inside the fish weren’t bottle caps or wrappers—but fine threads. Nearly 96% of what they found were fibers, likely shed from synthetic clothing and everyday items, now drifting silently through our waterways.
Microplastics are more ubiquitous than science had known
And here’s the thing—it’s not just a saltwater story. For years, most research on microplastics has focused on oceans and seafood. But Brent Murry, an aquatic ecologist, points out we’ve barely scratched the surface when it comes to freshwater.
“Microplastics have been identified in animals around the globe,” he explains. “But we’re still learning just how far they’ve spread—especially in places like Appalachia.”
Researchers now want to study more types of fish and find out if rain or particles falling from the air might also be spreading microplastics through the environment.
These particles aren’t just drifting through water—they’re infiltrating food chains. That spells trouble not only for freshwater life but potentially for us, too.
In a world where plastics are everywhere, even the fish are telling us it’s time to pay attention.
Journal Reference:
- Isabella M. Tuzzio, Brent Murry, and Caroline C. Arantes. Widespread Microplastic Pollution in Central Appalachian Streams: Implications for Freshwater Ecosystem Sustainability. Sustainability. DOI: 10.3390/su17072926
