Contamination des écosystèmes aquatiques continentaux par les micro-plastiques

International audienceMassive accumulation of plastic particles has been reported for marine ecosystems around the world,posing a risk to the biota. Freshwater ecosystems have received less attention despite the majority ofplastic litter being produced onshore and introduced into marine environments by rivers. Somestudies report not only the presence of microplastics in freshwater ecosystems, but show thatcontamination is as severe as in the oceans. In continental waters microplastics have been observedin both sediments (predominantly lakeshores but also riverbanks) and water samples (predominantlysurface water of lakes and rivers). This review highlights recent findings and discusses openquestions, focusing on the methodology of assessing this contaminant in freshwater ecosystems. Inthis context, method harmonization is needed in order to obtain comparable data from differentenvironmental compartments and sites. This includes sampling strategies (at spatial and temporal18 scales), sample treatment (taking into consideration high levels of organic matter and suspended19 solids) and reliable analytical methods to identify microplastics