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Ground Water
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Short evidence note providing the first documentation that microplastics are present in karst groundwater systems, expanding known contamination pathways beyond surface water to underground drinking water sources. The finding has implications for human exposure through groundwater-sourced drinking water.
Abstract Article impact statement: Plastics present a serious worldwide environmental problem. This article provides evidence that microplastics are present in karst groundwater.
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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.
Groundwater: An Endangered Invisible Resource. Microplastic Pollution in Underground Karst Systems, from Surface Watercourses to Cave Waters
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This study traced microplastic pollution through underground karst systems, from surface watercourses into cave waters and aquifers, finding that even these concealed environments are contaminated despite being a major global drinking water source. The discovery that microplastics infiltrate karst groundwater suggests that a significant fraction of the world's population consuming groundwater may face previously unrecognized microplastic ingestion exposure.
(Micro-)Plastics in Saturated and Unsaturated Groundwater Bodies: First Evidence of Presence in Groundwater Fauna and Habitats
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Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in three Italian groundwater systems, including karst caves and an alluvial aquifer, providing early evidence that microplastics are present in underground water habitats. The study also found that groundwater-dwelling invertebrates had ingested microplastic particles, raising concerns about pollution impacts on these fragile and largely unstudied ecosystems.
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Researchers studied microplastic particle occurrence and distribution in karst and alluvial aquifer systems, investigating how these subsurface environments serve as sinks or conduits for plastic pollution. The study contributed data on groundwater microplastic contamination in geologically distinct aquifer types.
Microplastic pollution in vulnerable karst environments: case study from the Slovenian classical karst region
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Researchers sampled karst springs, caves, and other habitats in Slovenia's classical karst region and detected microplastics across multiple sites, including springs used for drinking water, raising concerns about plastic contamination of these ecologically sensitive and hydrologically connected underground environments.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.