Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Identification of microplastics in conventional drinking water treatment plants in Tehran, Iran

Researchers identified microplastics in three conventional drinking water treatment plants in Tehran, Iran, finding that standard treatment processes do not fully eliminate particles down to 1 micron in size, raising concerns about microplastic exposure through tap water.

2021 Journal of Environmental Health Science and Engineering 49 citations
Article Tier 2

Qualitative and Quantitative Analyses of Microplastics in Tap Water Supply Network in Iran

Researchers analyzed tap water samples from the drinking water distribution system in Isfahan, Iran, and found microplastics present in all samples tested. The most common types were fibers made of polyethylene and polypropylene, with concentrations varying across different points in the distribution network. The study estimates human microplastic exposure from tap water consumption in the region and highlights the need for improved water treatment to address this emerging contaminant.

2024 Health Scope 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Tracking microplastics contamination in drinking water in Zahedan, Iran: From source to consumption taps

Researchers tracked microplastic contamination through the entire drinking water system in Zahedan, Iran, from raw water sources to household taps. While water treatment plants removed 64-75% of microplastics, tap water actually contained more microplastics than the treated water, likely due to contamination from pipes and plumbing. Children were estimated to consume more microplastics per body weight than adults, highlighting concerns about drinking water as a source of microplastic exposure.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 71 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification, Quantification, and Evaluation of Microplastics Removal Efficiency in a Water Treatment Plant (A Case Study in Iran)

Researchers investigated microplastic occurrence and removal efficiency across treatment stages of a drinking water treatment plant in Iran, finding an influent concentration of 1597.7 MPs/L with an overall removal efficiency of 83.7%, yet still discharging an estimated 2.25 x 10^11 MPs daily into the distribution system, with PP, PE, and PET as the dominant polymers.

2022 Air Soil and Water Research 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution and abundance of microplastics in urban and industrial wastewater treatment plants in Tabriz metropolis

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in two urban and five industrial wastewater treatment plants in Tabriz, Iran, a city of 1.6 million people. Urban treatment plants removed less than 10% of microplastics, while industrial plants showed somewhat better removal rates. The study found that existing wastewater treatment infrastructure is largely ineffective at filtering out microplastics, meaning significant quantities are being released into surface waters.

2025 Scientific Reports 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and Removal Efficiency of Microplastics in Four Drinking Water Treatment Plants in Zhengzhou, China

Researchers sampled four drinking water treatment plants in Zhengzhou, China, and found microplastics in raw water (13–25 particles per litre) with only partial removal — fibers and fragments dominated, and the treatment process actually shifted polymer composition, with PET becoming the most prevalent type in finished drinking water. The study is significant because it demonstrates that standard treatment cannot fully eliminate microplastics from tap water, meaning that people are regularly consuming microplastics from treated municipal supplies.

2023 Water 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring the microplastic pollution: Unveiling origins and varieties in coastal sediments and waters of the Bushehr Province, Persian Gulf, Iran

Researchers conducted a comprehensive survey of microplastic pollution in coastal sediments and waters along the Persian Gulf in Iran. They found microplastics at all sampling sites, with the highest concentrations near petrochemical facilities and urban centers, and fibers being the most common type. The study establishes baseline pollution data for the region and links contamination levels to specific human activities.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic removal across ten drinking water treatment facilities and distribution systems

Researchers characterized microplastic removal across ten drinking water treatment facilities and found that conventional municipal treatment achieved greater than 97.5% removal, primarily through granular media filtration or ultrafiltration. Untreated source waters contained between approximately 1,200 and 7,200 microplastic particles per liter, with polypropylene, polyethylene, and polyamide being the most common types. The findings provide valuable data on microplastic exposure through drinking water and the effectiveness of existing treatment processes.

2025 npj Clean Water 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of the performance of Tehran drinking water treatment plants in removing nanoplastics and microplastics

Researchers evaluated the microplastic and nanoplastic removal performance of three drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) in Tehran, Iran, with the novel inclusion of particles smaller than 1 µm, across both warm and cold seasons. The study assessed how seasonal variation affected influent particle concentrations and how effectively conventional treatment processes removed particles across this extended size range.

2022 SHILAP Revista de lepidopterología 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Removal in Water Treatment System: A Study of Baghdad’s Wastewater and Drinking Water Treatment Plants

Researchers analyzed microplastic levels at inlets and outlets of two drinking water plants and two wastewater plants in Baghdad, Iraq, characterizing particles by color, shape, size, and composition to assess treatment efficiency and identify residual contamination in treated water.

2025 IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science
Article Tier 2

Occurrence, characterization, and removal efficiency of microplastics in point-of-use drinking water systems: A case study in Dogonbadan, Iran

Researchers sampled inlet and outlet water from point-of-use drinking water systems in Iran and found that rather than removing microplastics, these systems actually increased average concentrations from 11.66 to 20 MPs/L, with polycarbonate and polypropylene as dominant polymer types.

2025 Journal of Food Composition and Analysis
Article Tier 2

Distribution and transport of microplastics in groundwater (Shiraz aquifer, southwest Iran)

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in groundwater from an alluvial aquifer in a semi-arid region of Iran. They identified microplastics in all sampled wells, with fibers and fragments being the most common shapes and polyethylene the dominant polymer type. The study demonstrates that groundwater, an important source of drinking water, is not immune to microplastic contamination and calls for more research on transport mechanisms in subsurface environments.

2022 Water Research 84 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence of microplastics in raw and treated drinking water

Researchers analyzed raw and treated water from three water treatment plants and found microplastics in all samples, though treatment reduced particle counts by roughly 70 to 80 percent. The vast majority of detected particles were smaller than 10 micrometers, a size range often missed by other studies. The findings highlight that while water treatment removes most microplastics, very small particles can still pass through conventional filtration systems.

2018 The Science of The Total Environment 1073 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance, characteristics, fate, and removal of microplastics during municipal wastewater treatment plant in the west of Iran: the case of Kermanshah city

A three-month study of a conventional activated sludge wastewater treatment plant in Kermanshah, Iran found that while the facility removed about 64% of incoming microplastics, large quantities still passed through into the effluent — making the plant a net source of microplastic pollution to the aquatic environment. Fibers dominated incoming samples while fragments were more prevalent in the treated effluent, and polyethylene was the most common polymer detected throughout.

2023 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and removal of microplastics in three drinking water treatment plants and commercial bottled water brands in Jordan

Researchers found tiny plastic particles called microplastics in all drinking water sources they tested in Jordan, including tap water from treatment plants and bottled water from stores. While water treatment plants removed 65-81% of these plastic particles, they couldn't eliminate them completely, and bottled water actually contained slightly more microplastics than treated tap water. This matters because people are drinking these plastic particles every day, though scientists are still studying what long-term health effects this might have.

2026 Cleaner Water
Article Tier 2

Tracing microplastics from raw water to drinking water treatment plants in Busan, South Korea

Researchers traced microplastic contamination from raw water sources through drinking water treatment plants in Busan, South Korea. They found that while treatment processes removed a significant portion of microplastics, some particles still made it through to the finished drinking water. The study highlights the need for improved water treatment technologies to better address microplastic contamination in tap water.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 92 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in urban water systems, Tehran Metropolitan, Iran

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination across Tehran's urban water systems, including runoff, drinking water, groundwater, rivers, and wastewater effluent. They found microplastics present in all parts of the system, with residential and commercial runoff showing the highest concentrations. The study revealed that different land use types influenced the amount and characteristics of microplastic pollution, suggesting that urbanization patterns play a significant role in water contamination.

2024 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and nanoplastics contamination in raw and treated water

Researchers analyzed 189 samples of raw, tap, and bottled drinking water for micro- and nanoplastic contamination. They found plastic particles in every sample tested, with raw water sources containing the highest concentrations and treated tap water containing the lowest, though contamination was never fully eliminated. The study suggests that current water treatment processes reduce but do not completely remove plastic particles from drinking water.

2023 Water Science & Technology Water Supply 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Tracking microplastics in a drinking water supply system proximity to industrial facilities: Occurrence, source identification, and risk assessment

Researchers comprehensively investigated microplastic occurrence, sources, and health risks in a drinking water supply system near industrial facilities, finding that a granular activated carbon filter removed 93.39% of microplastics at the treatment plant. However, microplastic abundance increased during distribution, highlighting post-treatment contamination as a critical but underappreciated exposure pathway.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Contamination in Drinking Water Treatment Systems: A Case Study of Bedadung River Jember

Researchers traced microplastic contamination through the Bedadung River water treatment chain in Indonesia, from intake to consumer taps, at seven sampling points. MPs were present throughout the system, with concentrations declining through treatment stages but not reaching zero, indicating residual MP exposure in treated drinking water.

2025 Energy - Jurnal Ilmiah Ilmu-Ilmu Teknik
Article Tier 2

Performance of Conventional Drinking Water Treatment Plants in Removing Microplastics in East Java, Indonesia

This Indonesian study tested two conventional drinking water treatment plants in East Java for their ability to remove microplastics, finding that full multi-stage treatment achieved significant reduction but did not eliminate all particles. The results show that conventional water treatment partially protects consumers but may not prevent all microplastic ingestion through drinking water.

2023 Journal of Ecological Engineering 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Tracking Microplastics Contamination in Drinking Water Supply Chain in Haikou, China: From Source to Household Taps

Researchers tracked microplastic contamination throughout the entire drinking water supply chain in Haikou, China, from source water to household taps. They found that while water treatment reduced some microplastic content, treated water actually showed higher concentrations than raw water, suggesting contamination during the treatment process itself. The study provides a health risk assessment indicating that microplastic exposure through tap water warrants continued monitoring.

2024 Toxics 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Exposure to Nano- and Microplastic Contamination in Treated Water in Mahasarakham Province

This study measured nano- and microplastic contamination in treated drinking water in Mahasarakham Province, Thailand, assessing the extent to which water treatment effectively removes plastic particles. Both nano- and microplastics were detected in treated water, indicating incomplete removal by current treatment processes.

2024 Water Resources
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in sediments in the urban section of the Qara Su River, Iran

Researchers sampled 15 sites along the Qara Su River in Iran and found microplastics in all sediment samples, with fibers making up 53% of particles and 92% of pieces smaller than 5 millimeters — the first microplastic survey of this river and a sign that urban wastewater treatment is not removing these pollutants effectively.

2022 Applied Water Science 16 citations