Inputs from land-based sources have gained less attention but are supposed to be high, especially via the Danube River System ( Lebreton et al., 2012). Beside eutrophication, the vulnerable ecosystems of this continental water face an increasing threat of plastic litter pollution ( Topcu et al., 2013). As the main tributary (input of 6444 m 3 s −1 at mean flow) and major nutrient pathway, the Danube directly affects the Black Sea ( BSC, 2009). Featuring the world's most international river basin (19 countries, 800.000 km 2, 81 million people), the Danube is a special case study regarding conservation and management issues ( Sommerwerk et al., 2009). Here, the average river width is 350 m and the discharge at mean flow is 1930 m 3 s −1. All sampling sites were situated within the “Danube Alluvial Zone National Park” which preserves the last remaining major wetlands environment in central Europe ( ). The study was conducted in a free flowing stretch of the Austrian Danube between Vienna and Bratislava. ![]() All sacrificed individuals were handled according to applicable regulations and used for comprehensive analysis ( Lechner et al., 2013b). The whole study was embedded in a scientific project that highlights larval dispersal and the conservation of riverine fish populations. To our knowledge, this is the first report on plastic transport in a large river. Finally we give a rough estimate of the input of plastic litter via the River Danube into the Black Sea. Adverse health effects may arise when small fish confuse plastic particles with food items (zooplankton, fish eggs) and ingest them ( Carpenter et al., 1972). In a second step we compare plastic abundance and plastic mass in the river with those of ichthyoplankton (drifting fish larvae and juveniles). The main aim of the study was to categorize and to quantify drifting plastic items. In this article, we present results from a two-year (2010, 2012) survey on plastic litter transport in Europe's second largest river, the Danube. Realistic estimations of the plastic flow from rivers to oceans are very important in helping to raise the awareness of the sources of plastic debris and ultimately to drive measures to reduce it. ![]() Nevertheless, quantifications of plastic loads in rivers found in primary literature are minimal ( Moore et al., 2011). A significant portion of the terrestrial plastic is transported to the seas by rivers. Marine plastics originate from ship or land-based sources ( Coe and Rogers, 1997) with the latter to be of greater relevance ( Andrady, 2011). Although accumulation of plastic in the ocean is prevalent, there is scarce data on plastic inputs in the oceans ( Law et al., 2010). Marine systems are sinks for pre- and post-consumer plastic and the multifaceted negative impacts of plastic pollution on wildlife (reviewed in Cole et al., 2011 Derraik, 2002 Oehlmann et al., 2009) as well as several aspects of debris composition, distribution and abundance have been described here (reviewed in Ryan et al., 2009). The annual global production of the organic polymer has rapidly increased from 1.7 to 280 million tonnes within the last 60 years ( Plastics Europe, 2012) resulting in the accumulation of plastic litter in virtually all habitats ( Browne et al., 2011). This way, you’ll get to tick off cities like Amsterdam and Cologne, as well as tiny wine-growing towns like Bamberg and Rudesheim, before continuing on to Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest.Plastic, the lightweight and long-lived material, has become a serious environmental hazard ( Thompson et al., 2009). You can also combine your Danube cruise with a journey along the Main on our two-week-long European Icons itinerary. Or you can venture even further east, with a cruise past Serbia’s Iron Gates – a gorge packed with jaw-dropping sights. Plus, there’s the chance to visit age-old wine towns in Austria’s Wachau Valley, like Durnstein and Melk. And follow in the musical footsteps of Mozart in Vienna’s coffee and opera houses. ![]() ![]() On a week-long Danube River cruise, you can go from Budapest’s baths to Bratislava’s bars. Plus, there are modern-day marvels, too, like Linz’s all-glass Ars Electronica Center and the Lentos Art Museum. Along its banks, you’ll see some of the grand dames of European architecture – from the neo-Gothic spires of the Hungarian Parliament Building, to the soaring towers of Regensburg Cathedral. In fact, the Danube passes through 10 countries – including Austria, Hungary, Serbia and Slovakia – which is more than any other river on the planet. Take a look at the Danube River on a map and you’ll see it slices through the very heart of Europe, flowing from the Black Forest in the west to the Black Sea in the east. If you want a river cruise with lots of variety, you can’t do much better than the Danube.
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