Geologic and Land Use Controls on Microplastic Contamination in Missouri Karst Springs

Summary

Researchers investigated how karst geology and surrounding land use patterns control microplastic contamination in Missouri spring systems, finding that rapid groundwater flow through cave networks allows microplastics to bypass natural filtration and emerge in spring outputs. Karst aquifers, which supply drinking water to millions, are uniquely vulnerable to microplastic contamination because their conduit-dominated flow systems lack the filtering capacity of conventional porous-media aquifers.