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20 resultsShowing papers similar to Microplastic pollution in aquatic environments: a meta-analysis of influencing factors and methodological recommendations
ClearData Sheet 1_Microplastic pollution in aquatic environments: a meta-analysis of influencing factors and methodological recommendations.csv
This meta-analysis of over 60 European studies examined what factors influence microplastic concentrations in rivers and seas. The findings show that population density, proximity to wastewater plants, and sampling methods all affect measured levels, helping researchers better understand the true scale of microplastic contamination in the water that eventually reaches our taps and food supply.
[Occurrence Characteristics of Microplastics in Aquatic Environments and Their Environmental Ecological Risk Assessment].
This meta-analysis pools data from studies worldwide to map where microplastics are found in rivers, lakes, and oceans, and assesses their ecological risks. Understanding how widespread microplastics are in water sources matters because contaminated water is one of the main ways people are exposed to these particles.
Effects of environmental and anthropogenic factors on the distribution and abundance of microplastics in freshwater ecosystems
Researchers reviewed nearly 6,500 articles to identify the environmental and human factors driving microplastic distribution in freshwater ecosystems worldwide. They found that both natural factors like water flow and temperature, and human activities like urbanization and agriculture, significantly influence where microplastics accumulate in rivers and lakes. The study provides a framework for predicting microplastic pollution hotspots and prioritizing monitoring efforts in freshwater systems.
Microplastics in the riverine environment: Meta-analysis and quality criteria for developing robust field sampling procedures
This meta-analysis reviews how microplastics are sampled in rivers and finds that current methods are inconsistent, making it hard to compare results across studies. Better standardized sampling approaches are needed to accurately measure how much microplastic pollution flows through rivers that supply drinking water to communities.
Microplastics in water: occurrence, detection, and impacts – a comprehensive review of multiple studies
This comprehensive review synthesized current knowledge on microplastic occurrence, detection methods, and impacts across marine, freshwater, and remote aquatic ecosystems. Researchers highlighted that microplastic concentrations are particularly high in urban rivers, transported through runoff, atmospheric deposition, and river input. The review identifies critical research gaps including the need for standardized detection methods and more studies on chronic human exposure through contaminated seafood and drinking water.
Systematic Meta-analysis of Microplastic Concentrations in Aqueous Ecosystems
This meta-analysis compiles data on microplastic concentrations measured across different water environments worldwide. The findings help establish baseline levels of microplastic contamination in the aquatic systems that supply our drinking water and seafood, providing important context for understanding how much microplastic exposure humans may face through these sources.
Microplastics in freshwater: A global review of factors affecting spatial and temporal variations
This global review analyzed 75 studies to identify the spatial and temporal factors that influence freshwater microplastic distribution. Researchers found that higher microplastic concentrations are consistently associated with urban land cover, high population density, and wastewater treatment plant effluent, while precipitation increases and higher water flow decreases local concentrations. The study calls for more standardized spatial analytical methods to improve comparability across studies.
Occurrence of microplastic pollution in rivers globally: Driving factors of distribution and ecological risk assessment
Researchers constructed a global dataset of microplastic pollution across 862 river water and 445 sediment samples, identifying population density, GDP, and plastic waste generation as key driving factors of riverine microplastic distribution and ecological risk.
What You Net Depends on if You Grab: A Meta-analysis of Sampling Method’s Impact on Measured Aquatic Microplastic Concentration
This meta-analysis of 121 studies finds that the method used to collect water samples significantly affects how much microplastic pollution is measured. Net, pump, and grab sampling methods produce systematically different concentration readings, meaning past estimates of microplastic levels in drinking water sources may be inaccurate depending on how they were collected.
Meta-analysis on microplastics monitoring in global water resource recovery facilities: An emphasis on overlooked factors
This meta-analysis pools data from water treatment facilities worldwide to assess how effectively they remove microplastics from wastewater. The findings reveal significant variation in removal rates depending on region and treatment methods, meaning the amount of microplastics that pass through into rivers and drinking water sources depends heavily on where you live.
Abundance, Distribution and Drivers of Microplastic Contaminant in Urban River Environments
Researchers surveyed microplastic distribution in urban river environments and identified key drivers of accumulation hotspots, finding that land use, hydrology, and infrastructure factors concentrated microplastics at predictable locations that could inform targeted management interventions.
Microplastics in freshwater systems: A review of the emerging threats, identification of knowledge gaps and prioritisation of research needs
This review synthesizes the growing body of research on microplastic contamination in freshwater rivers, lakes, and sediments, which has received far less attention than marine environments. Researchers found that freshwater microplastic concentrations can rival or exceed those reported in ocean studies, particularly near urban and industrial areas. The study identifies critical knowledge gaps including the lack of standardized sampling methods and limited understanding of how microplastics affect freshwater organisms and ecosystems.
Microplastics pollution in the rivers of a metropolitan city and its estimated dependency on surrounding developed land
Researchers surveyed microplastic pollution in four rivers across Hong Kong and found that rivers in urbanized areas had significantly higher concentrations of plastic particles than the rural river. The most polluted river contained over 53 plastic particles per liter of water, and contamination levels correlated with the proportion of developed land in surrounding areas. The study suggests that urban development and population density are key drivers of microplastic pollution in city waterways.
Distribution of microplastics in soil and freshwater environments: Global analysis and framework for transport modeling
Researchers analyzed microplastic concentrations reported across 196 studies from 49 countries and found that levels in soils, sediments, and surface water can vary by up to eight orders of magnitude. The study suggests that inland sources like urban stormwater carry concentrations up to 100 times higher than rivers transporting microplastics to coastal areas, and that only 20% of studies captured particles below 20 micrometers, meaning actual contamination may be significantly underestimated.
Using Data-Driven Methods and Aging Information to Quantitatively Identify Microplastic Environmental Sources and Establish a Comprehensive Discrimination Index
This meta-analysis uses data-driven methods to trace microplastics back to their environmental sources. Understanding where microplastics come from is a critical step toward reducing exposure, as it helps identify which industries, products, and practices contribute most to the contamination people encounter in daily life.
The never-ending story of dangerous ubiquitous particles: A meta-analysis of microplastics
This meta-analysis of 93 studies and 1,542 data points found that microplastic contamination is pervasive across marine, freshwater, and estuarine environments, with fibers (42%) and fragments (37%) dominating globally. The type of environment was the strongest predictor of microplastic prevalence, underscoring that freshwater and estuarine systems deserve more research attention alongside marine settings.
Analysis, prevalence and impact of microplastics in freshwater and estuarine environments: an evidence review
This systematic review summarized the existing research on microplastics in freshwater rivers, lakes, and estuaries. It found that current microplastic levels in most freshwater environments are below the concentrations that cause lethal harm to aquatic life, but the highest-pollution sites may already pose risks for subtler health effects on fish and other organisms. The review also highlighted that different sampling methods produce very different results, making it hard to compare studies.
Variance and precision of microplastic sampling in urban rivers
Researchers assessed the variance and precision of microplastic sampling methods in urban rivers, finding that high spatial and temporal variability in microplastic concentrations requires carefully designed sampling strategies to obtain representative measurements and reliable data for river microplastic assessments.
Assessment of Micro-Plastic Contamination in Urban River Systems: A Case Study Using UK Catchment Data
This systematic review examines microplastic contamination in urban rivers across the UK, finding that wastewater treatment plants, stormwater runoff, and industrial discharge are the main sources. The research matters for human health because urban rivers supply drinking water and recreational areas, and microplastic pollution in these waterways increases the risk of human exposure.
Quantitative assessment on the distribution patterns of microplastics in global inland waters
Researchers compiled data from over 5,000 observations across 301 published studies to map microplastic levels in freshwater bodies worldwide, finding concentrations ranging from near zero to 4.3 million particles per cubic meter. Human development, farming activity, and water runoff were the strongest predictors of contamination, with China and parts of Asia showing particularly high levels.