Is it Raining Plastic? Microplastics in Lakes of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness : Tracing the Sources of Microplastics Pollution

Abstract

Microplastics are plastic particles < 5 mm that are known to have detrimental effects on the natural environment. Microplastics have been extensively studied at locations of high human impact, but their abundance and distribution in wilderness areas remains largely unknown. The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) is the most visited wilderness area in the United States, and we predicted its lakes would be contaminated with microplastics in proportion to their use by recreational canoeists.