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River–Groundwater Interaction and Recharge Effects on Microplastics Contamination of Groundwater in Confined Alluvial Aquifers
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This study assessed how microplastic fibers affect the burrowing behavior and sediment processing of the polychaete Nereis diversicolor, finding that fiber concentrations above 0.1% dry weight significantly impaired locomotion and cast production. Impairment of bioturbation by polychaetes could disrupt sediment nutrient cycling.
Literature provides only a few examples of contamination of groundwater with microplastics, mainly investigated using a chemical approach. Little importance is given to the hydrogeological processes able to affect the contamination, such as river–groundwater interactions. This study was carried out with two aims. The first aim is the formulation of a method with a high result-to-cost ratio, based on the hydrogeological aspects of the investigated area. Microplastics were extracted from samples through filtration and successively counted and characterized morphologically through analysis of optical microscopy images. The second aim is to evaluate the presence of microplastics in some portions of an alluvial aquifer using this methodology. Microplastics in groundwater showed a higher circularity and Feret diameter than those found in surface waters, indicating that in porous aquifers the transport is likely more influenced by the microplastics’ shape than by their size. The aquifer recharge did not modify the microplastics’ characteristics in groundwater, whereas in surface water the flood wave promoted the resuspension of microplastics with lower circularity. These findings provide new pieces of evidence on the presence and transport of microplastics in both groundwater and surface waters, underlining how the hydrogeological characteristics of the area can be one of the main drivers of microplastics’ contamination.
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This study investigated how microplastics in freshwater sediments affect Tubifex worms, which are important bioturbators that mix and aerate sediment. Researchers found that microplastic contamination altered the worms' burrowing behavior and disrupted biogeochemical processes at the sediment-water interface. The findings suggest that microplastic pollution could impair fundamental ecosystem functions by affecting the organisms that maintain healthy sediment environments.
Distribution of microplastics in river sediments and consequences on bioturbation associated ecosystem processes
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This thesis investigates the distribution of microplastics in freshwater river sediments and their effects on bioturbation processes that drive nutrient cycling, finding that microplastics disrupt the ecosystem functions performed by sediment-dwelling organisms. The work addresses a gap in standardized sampling methods and demonstrates that microplastic contamination can impair river ecosystem health beyond direct toxicity to individual organisms.
Changes in particle mixing by benthic infauna induced by microplastics: implications for nitrogen cycling in marine sediments
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Researchers found that increasing polypropylene microplastic concentrations impaired deep-burrowing behaviour of the marine worm Macroclymenella stewartensis but not the bivalve Macomona liliana, with microplastics also modifying interspecific relationships and thereby disrupting particle mixing and nutrient cycling processes in marine sediments.
Microplastic Contamination in Freshwater Environments: A Review, Focusing on Interactions with Sediments and Benthic Organisms
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This review focuses on microplastic contamination in freshwater sediments and the interactions between microplastics, sediment particles, and benthic organisms, synthesizing evidence on how sediment properties influence microplastic accumulation and how benthic fauna are exposed and affected.
Downsizing plastics, upsizing impact: How microplastic particle size affects Chironomus riparius bioturbation activity
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This study tested how different sizes of polyethylene microplastics affect the burrowing behavior of freshwater midge larvae, which play an important role in mixing and aerating lake and river sediments. Smaller microplastics were ingested more readily and disrupted the larvae's sediment-mixing activity more than larger particles. Since these organisms are critical for healthy freshwater ecosystems, the findings suggest that small microplastics could disrupt nutrient cycling in lakes and rivers.
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