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Urban and Groundwater Microplastic Contamination: Sources, Distribution, Impacts, and Remediation Technologies
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This review addressed microplastic contamination in urban environments and groundwater systems, covering source pathways from roads and stormwater runoff, distribution through urban catchments, and potential impacts on drinking water aquifers. It highlighted groundwater as an understudied but critical exposure pathway.
The presence of microplastics (MPs) in urban environments and groundwater systems has garnered significant global attention due to the critical role groundwater plays as a primary freshwater source. This review paper aims to comprehensively examine the sources, distribution, movement, and environmental impact of MPs, particularly focusing on urban areas and groundwater contamination. Special emphasis is placed on MPs originating from landfill leachate and their distribution along Malaysia's beaches. The paper also discusses the movement patterns of MPs, providing mathematical models for their migration. The environmental and health impacts of MPs, including soil degradation, toxicity in agricultural crops, and heavy metal adsorption, are analyzed. Additionally, current remediation technologies such as reverse osmosis, microbial exploitation, and ozonation are evaluated, with recommendations for combining different methods to enhance MP removal effectiveness. The involvement of the general public, socio-economic sectors, tourism, and waste management companies is highlighted as crucial for addressing this pervasive issue.
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Groundwater in the age of plastic
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This review examines microplastic contamination of groundwater globally, synthesizing studies on occurrence, transport pathways through soil and aquifer matrices, and the emerging implications for drinking water safety and groundwater ecosystem health.
An Overview of Microplastic Contamination in Groundwater: Sources, Transport Pathways, and Environmental Implications
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This review examined microplastic contamination in groundwater systems, an area that has received less research attention compared to surface water. Researchers identified key sources and transport pathways for microplastics entering groundwater, including infiltration through soil and fractured rock, and highlighted the environmental implications for drinking water supplies.
Review of Current Issues and Management Strategies of Microplastics in Groundwater Environments
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This review synthesizes current knowledge on microplastic contamination in groundwater, identifying it as a substantially understudied environment compared to surface water and marine systems. The authors describe pathways by which microplastics enter aquifers and discuss management strategies for this largely invisible contamination route.
Understanding Microplastic Pollution in Groundwater: Pathways, Health Implications and Solutions
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This review examines how microplastics infiltrate groundwater systems through pathways including landfills, agricultural runoff, water treatment facilities, and aging plastic pipes. Researchers found that once in groundwater, microplastics can persist for long periods and degrade water quality while interacting with other subsurface contaminants. The study highlights that groundwater microplastic contamination is an underappreciated threat to one of humanity's most important freshwater sources.
Microplastics contamination of groundwater: Current evidence and future perspectives. A review
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This review examines the current evidence on microplastic contamination of groundwater, which supplies drinking water to over 2 billion people worldwide. Researchers found that microplastics can reach groundwater through atmospheric deposition, surface water interaction, urban infrastructure, and agricultural soils, though detection remains challenging. The study proposes a new "Hydrogeoplastic Model" framework and calls for improved detection methods to better characterize microplastic fate in aquifer 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.