We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Source, fate, toxicity, and remediation of micro-plastic in wetlands: A critical review
Summary
Researchers reviewed how microplastics enter, accumulate in, and damage natural wetlands — ecosystems that filter water and support biodiversity — finding that while wetlands may actually trap plastic particles like a sink, the resulting contamination poses serious ecological risks that are still poorly understood.
Microplastics (MPs) are recognized as emerging contaminants due to their small size, hazardous nature, and widespread abundance in the environmental compartments. As the largest sink of MPs, oceans are currently the study's main focus. However, the question about MP particles applies to all environmental niches, including natural wetlands. Unfortunately, natural wetlands have been not explored much in comparison to the ocean and the terrestrial ecosystem for MP occurrence and its toxicity. Meanwhile, these natural wetlands offer important ecological services and have a high biodiversity, both of which could be compromised by the rising levels of MP contamination in such systems. However, due to limited research in natural wetlands possible ecological repercussions are still lacking. Even there are uncertainties about MPs in the wetlands regarding their distribution and fate. Since these wetlands have the potential to trap plastics and could act as a sink for MPs, it becomes essential to investigate the natural wetland for MP contamination and its possible toxicological risks in wetlands. This review summarised the source, potential sink and toxicological consequences of MPs in natural wetlands. The review also illustrated the advancements in the technologies aiming to remove plastic debris from the natural environment.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Recent advances towards micro(nano)plastics research in wetland ecosystems: A systematic review on sources, removal, and ecological impacts
Wetland ecosystems act as important sinks for micro- and nanoplastics, which were found to cause ecotoxicological effects on wetland plants, animals, and microbial communities, including shifts in microbial composition relevant to pollutant removal. Micro/nanoplastics exposure also affected conventional pollutant removal efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions from wetland systems.
From source to sink: Review and prospects of microplastics in wetland ecosystems
This review synthesizes sources, distribution pathways, migration, and fate of microplastics in wetland ecosystems, which occupy the boundary zone between aquatic and terrestrial environments. It identifies wetlands as both important sinks and potential secondary sources of microplastics and calls for more research on microplastic dynamics in these transitional habitats.
Non-negligible impact of microplastics on wetland ecosystems
This review examines microplastic pollution in wetland ecosystems, which sit between land and water and act as natural filters. Microplastics in wetlands come from sewage, agricultural runoff, and atmospheric deposition, with polyethylene and polypropylene fibers and fragments being the most common types found. The paper highlights that microplastics can harm wetland plants, animals, and microbes, and may even increase greenhouse gas emissions by serving as an unusual carbon source for soil microorganisms.
Migration characteristics of microplastics based on source-sink investigation in a typical urban wetland
Researchers investigated microplastic migration in a typical urban wetland by examining sources and sinks including surface water, sediment, and agricultural waste, revealing how wetlands serve as transitional systems channeling urban microplastic pollution into freshwater environments.
A review on microplastics pollution in coastal wetlands
Researchers reviewed existing studies on microplastic pollution in coastal wetlands — ecosystems like mangroves, salt marshes, and tidal flats — summarizing where microplastics accumulate, how they get there, and how they affect wildlife and ecosystem function. These habitats are especially vulnerable because they sit at the boundary between land and sea, trapping plastics carried by both rivers and ocean tides.