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Comprehensive review of the co-transport of microplastics and suspended sediments in aquatic environments: macroscopic transport and microscopic mechanisms
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Researchers reviewed how microplastics and suspended sediments interact and travel together through rivers, lakes, and coastal waters, identifying water flow conditions, particle density, and plastic shape as key factors governing their joint migration and deposition. Understanding these co-transport dynamics is essential for predicting where microplastics accumulate and assessing their ecological risks.
In recent years, the distribution and transport of microplastics (MPs) in aquatic environments have garnered significant research interest due to their interactions with sediments, which directly influence their migration pathways, deposition patterns, and ecological risks. This study reviews research on the co-migration of suspended sediments (SS) and MPs based on publications from the Web of Science and Engineering Village databases spanning 2011–2025. A co-occurrence network analysis of keywords was conducted using CiteSpace, and the literature was visualized accordingly. The study also investigates the distribution of MPs in sediments within Chinese waters as a case study. The spatiotemporal distribution of MPs is influenced by hydrological conditions (e.g., flow and runoff intensity) and MP properties (e.g., density, shape, polymer type). This paper provides a systematic overview of key physical processes in sedimentary environments, including MP aggregation, settling, burial, and resuspension. Hydrographic conditions, particle concentration, and material properties are identified as the primary factors governing their co-migration. At the microscopic level, interactions between MPs and SS are mainly controlled by van der Waals forces, electrostatic interactions, and covalent bonding. The co-migration of MPs and SS involves multi-mechanistic coupling governed by physical, chemical, and biological processes. This study offers a scientific basis for assessing pollution risks and developing effective management strategies.
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Researchers examined how sedimentary processes in rivers control where microplastics are deposited and how long they remain buried. They reviewed existing work on water-sediment exchange of microplastic particles and identified key gaps in understanding deposition dynamics. The study highlights that rivers serve as major pathways for transporting microplastics from land to oceans, and that sediment processes play a critical role in determining their fate.
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This review pulls together existing research on how water flow moves tiny plastic particles through rivers, from the surface down into riverbeds, revealing that scientists still don't fully understand or can accurately predict where microplastics end up. That matters because knowing how these particles travel and accumulate in our water systems is a critical first step toward understanding our exposure risk and protecting drinking water sources, but the science needs more solid modeling before we can reliably track where microplastic pollution goes.
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