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Field Monitoring of Microplastics in Urban Runoff: Treatment Efficiency of Biofilters
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Rainwater running off city streets carries tiny plastic particles (microplastics) into our waterways, and this study tested whether special filter systems called biofilters can catch them. The good news: these filters work, and researchers found a simpler, cheaper way to track how well they're working by counting all particles instead of doing expensive, detailed plastic analysis every time. This matters because microplastics in our water supply are an emerging health concern, and having practical tools to monitor and improve pollution filters could help reduce our exposure to them over time.
> 0.75 for individual fractions) indicates that all particle counts may serve as a practical surrogate for estimating MP occurrence and biofilter treatment in urban runoff. Quality assurance and quality control results further demonstrate that automated samplers can be effectively used for stormwater MP monitoring when appropriate blanks are collected and best practices are applied.
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Field monitoring of microplastics in biofilter media: insights into media characteristics and design
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Rain gardens and other "biofilters" used to clean street runoff before it reaches rivers and oceans can trap huge amounts of tiny plastic bits — sometimes over 1,000 particles per gram of soil-like material — mostly by physically straining them out through small gaps between soil particles. This matters because it shows these systems, which cities already use widely, are quietly working as a defense against microplastic pollution in our waterways, and the study found simple design tweaks (using material with more tiny pores) could make them even better at catching plastic before it spreads further into the environment and food chain.
Investigate microplatics removal using a stormwater bioretention device and develop an image analysis approach to quantify microplastics
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Researchers evaluated whether a stormwater bioretention device — a filter system that captures runoff — can remove microplastics from urban stormwater, and developed an image analysis method to count and measure those particles. The full results are restricted to university members, but the work addresses a key gap in understanding how green infrastructure can intercept microplastic pollution before it reaches waterways.
Small-Size Microplastics in Urban Stormwater Runoff are Efficiently Trapped in a Bioretention Cell
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Researchers conducted a two-year field study showing that bioretention cells, a type of green stormwater infrastructure, effectively captured microplastics as small as 25 micrometers from urban runoff. The system retained over 80 percent of small microplastics, with fibers and fragments being the most commonly trapped types. The findings suggest that existing urban green infrastructure can serve double duty as a practical tool for reducing microplastic pollution in waterways.
Microplastics: The Occurrence in Stormwater Runoff and the Effectiveness of Bioretention Systems for Removal
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Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in stormwater runoff and tested the removal efficiency of bioretention systems including green roofs, bioswales, and bioretention cells, finding that these green infrastructure systems can significantly reduce microplastic loads before they reach surface waters. The study provides baseline data on stormwater as a microplastic transport pathway and evaluates a nature-based treatment solution.
Microplastics in Urban Stormwater: Sampling and Separation Method
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Researchers developed and tested sampling and separation methods for detecting microplastics in urban stormwater runoff, an important but understudied pathway for plastic contamination of surface waters. The study helps establish standardized protocols for monitoring microplastics in stormwater systems.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.