Image description: The River Thames flowing beneath Tower Bridge. Photo by Pietro De Grandi on Unsplash

Researchers at the University of East London (UEL) have launched a study into microplastic pollution in the River Thames to inform environmental policy and water quality decisions. Led by Dr Ria Devereux of UEL’s Sustainability Research Institute, the project will gather data from Teddington to Southend, building on more than three years of monitoring work.

The study will assess how pollution levels are changing and what impact climate pressures may be having on the river system. The research team includes Dr Ravindra Jayaratne, a coastal engineer whose work has informed UK flood resilience and environmental standards. Both researchers note that microplastic pollution now features more often in debates over public health, water quality and climate resilience.

Policy and engagement

The project involves stakeholders including the Environment Agency, DEFRA, the Port of London Authority, water companies and environmental organisations. UEL plans to share findings with stakeholders and host a workshop at its Royal Docks Centre for Sustainability, bringing together regulators, environmental groups and policymakers.

Dr Devereux described the Thames as one of the world’s best-known urban rivers, yet said scientists are still uncovering the scale and complexity of microplastic pollution within it. The team says the findings should help policymakers understand where interventions may be needed most.

Exposure pathways

Earlier work has already established the scale of contamination. Royal Holloway researchers found around 94,000 microplastic particles per second flowing through some Thames sampling sites – a density higher than levels measured in rivers including the Rhine and Danube. Samples contained microbeads from cosmetics, glitter, synthetic fibres and fragments of degraded packaging. Additionally, this previous research also examined river fauna. Crabs were found to contain plastic, and microplastics were detected across several fish species, including a large share of the river’s European flounder population. The particles bio-accumulate in organisms’ tissues, raising questions about ecosystem health and the potential for plastics to enter food chains.

Environmental groups and river managers have additionally documented large accumulations of wet wipes on the foreshore, particularly near combined sewer overflow points where untreated wastewater is discharged during heavy rain. The wipes degrade into synthetic fibres over time, adding to the contamination load.

Storms and climate

The UEL project will examine how storm activity and changing environmental conditions influence microplastic levels across the river, drawing on environmental modelling expertise within the team. Researchers expect to study how microplastics move through the river system during wet weather events, when runoff and sewer overflows are at their highest.