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Microplastics Contamination in Canal Network: A Systematic and Bibliometric Analysis of Occurrence and Transport Dynamics Across Global Waterways
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Scientists reviewed 37 studies to see what's known about tiny plastic particles (microplastics) polluting canals, the human-made waterways that deliver drinking water and irrigate crops in many parts of the world. The review didn't test health effects directly, but it confirms these particles are widespread in water systems that feed into our food and water supply, highlighting a gap: we still need more research to understand how much of this plastic ends up in what we eat and drink, and what that means for our health.
This deposit contains the complete supporting data for the systematic review "Microplastics Contamination in Canal Network: A Systematic and Bibliometric Analysis of Occurrence and Transport Dynamics Across Global Waterways" (Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, manuscript CONHYD-D-26-00786). The review synthesises 37 peer-reviewed studies of microplastic occurrence in canals and other hydraulically managed conveyance channels, published between 2017 and 2025 and identified through a Scopus search executed on 1 January 2026. The deposit allows every count, proportion, and figure reported in the manuscript to be independently verified and reproduced. Contents Scopus search export (563 records, unfiltered, as retrieved) Study selection record: search strategy, eligibility criteria, canal definition, stage-by-stage PRISMA counts, and reasons for exclusion at full text Identifiers of the 37 included studies (author, year, title, source, DOI, Scopus EID, category) Extraction table: dominant morphology, size class, colour, and polymer for each study-matrix record, with abundance and units as originally reported Quality assessment: scoring rubric and item-level scores across five domains for all 37 studies Bibliometric input file (37 records, full Scopus metadata) Analysis notes: software versions, import settings, and the Biblioshiny panels used Figure source data: numerical values underlying each figure Notes on the data. The unit of analysis for composition results is the study-matrix record, defined as one combination of a single study and a single environmental matrix; the 37 studies yield 48 records. Records are counted as reporting a characteristic where the study identified either a single dominant category or explicitly reported no single dominant category. Denominators therefore differ between attributes: 46 for morphology, 39 for polymer, 34 for size class, and 30 for colour.
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Microplastics Contamination in Canal Network: A Systematic and Bibliometric Analysis of Occurrence and Transport Dynamics Across Global Waterways
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers reviewed 37 studies on tiny plastic particles (microplastics) found in canals, the human-made waterways that deliver water for drinking, farming, and other uses. The review found these particles are widespread in canal systems worldwide, which matters because canals often feed directly into our water supply, meaning this contamination could be a route by which microplastics end up in the water we drink. This paper doesn't test health effects directly, but it highlights canals as an understudied pathway worth watching as scientists work out what microplastic exposure means for our health.
Microplastics Contamination in Canal Network: A Systematic and Bibliometric Analysis of Occurrence and Transport Dynamics Across Global Waterways
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Scientists reviewed 37 studies on tiny plastic bits found in canals, the human-made waterways that move water for drinking, farming, and irrigation worldwide. The review found microplastics are widespread in these systems, meaning the water reaching our taps and crops may carry plastic contamination that current research hasn't fully mapped out yet.
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