Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Enhancing microplastic removal and nitrogen mitigation in constructed wetlands: An earthworm-centric perspective

Researchers added earthworms to constructed wetlands and found they significantly improved the removal of biodegradable microplastics and nitrogen pollutants from wastewater. The earthworms reshaped their gut microbial communities in ways that boosted both plastic degradation and nitrogen cycling, increasing microplastic removal by 13.5 percent. The findings suggest that incorporating earthworms into wetland treatment systems could offer a natural, low-cost approach to improving water quality.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 18 citations
Article Tier 2

[Research Process on the Removal Characteristics and Ecological Response of Constructed Wetlands to Microplastics/Nanoplastics].

This Chinese-language review summarized how constructed wetlands remove microplastics and nanoplastics through plant-substrate-microorganism interactions, covering removal mechanisms, ecological effects, and treatment efficiency. The authors found wetlands to be a cost-effective ecological approach but noted significant knowledge gaps on long-term nanoplastic behavior.

2025 PubMed
Article Tier 2

Microplastics occurrence and fate in full-scale treatment wetlands

Researchers assessed microplastic occurrence and fate across full-scale treatment wetlands, finding that constructed wetlands effectively remove a significant proportion of MPs from wastewater but that removal efficiency varies with wetland design and MP characteristics.

2023 Water Research 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of macrophytes on micro – And nanoplastic retention and cycling in constructed wetlands

This study tested how the presence of aquatic plants (macrophytes) in constructed wetlands affects the capture and cycling of micro- and nanoplastics. Researchers found that planted wetlands were significantly better at intercepting nanoplastics and also improved nitrogen and phosphorus removal even when exposed to plastic particles. The findings suggest that including macrophytes in constructed wetland designs can enhance their ability to manage plastic pollution in water.

2023 Environmental Pollution 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of microplastics on the treatment performance of constructed wetlands: Based on substrate characteristics and microbial activities

Researchers found that polystyrene microplastic accumulation in constructed wetlands initially improved nitrogen removal efficiency but ultimately impaired treatment performance over a 370-day experiment, altering substrate characteristics and microbial community activities.

2022 Water Research 90 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics accumulation in lab-scale vertical flow constructed wetlands: impacts and fate

Researchers tested how polystyrene microplastics affect constructed wetlands, a nature-based system used to treat wastewater. They found that while the wetlands still removed most pollutants effectively, nitrogen removal decreased by up to 5% in the presence of microplastics, and the particles accumulated mainly in the upper layers of the wetland substrate. The study suggests that microplastics can alter the microbial communities responsible for breaking down nitrogen in these treatment systems.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Does parental exposure to nanoplastics modulate the response of Hediste diversicolor to other contaminants: A case study with arsenic

This study evaluated the effectiveness of constructed wetlands in removing microplastics from wastewater, finding removal efficiencies ranging from 49 to 99% depending on wetland design and particle size. Larger particles were more readily captured than smaller fibers.

2022 Environmental Research 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastics Disturb Nitrogen Removal in Constructed Wetlands: Responses of Microbes and Macrophytes

The impact of nanosized plastics on nitrogen removal in constructed wetlands was investigated by examining microbial community responses and denitrification processes. Nanoplastics disturbed biological nitrogen removal in the wetland system, with microorganisms showing altered community structure and reduced denitrification efficiency.

2020 Environmental Science & Technology 270 citations
Article Tier 2

Horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands as tertiary treatment: Can they be an efficient barrier for microplastics pollution?

Horizontal subsurface-flow constructed wetlands used as tertiary wastewater treatment removed 88% of microplastics from secondary effluent, contributing to an overall 98% reduction across the full treatment plant. Macroinvertebrates living in the wetland also ingested microplastics, suggesting biological uptake plays a role in plastic retention within the wetland ecosystem.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 155 citations
Article Tier 2

A review on the fate of micro and nano plastics (MNPs) and their implication in regulating nutrient cycling in constructed wetland systems

This review examines how micro- and nanoplastics interact with the biological, chemical, and physical processes in constructed wetlands, which are nature-based systems used to treat wastewater. Researchers found that these tiny plastics can interfere with nitrogen and phosphorus removal by affecting the microbial communities, plant health, and substrate chemistry within the wetlands. The study highlights that as microplastic levels increase in wastewater, their presence could reduce the overall treatment effectiveness of these green infrastructure systems.

2023 Journal of Environmental Management 15 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Recent advances towards micro(nano)plastics research in wetland ecosystems: A systematic review on sources, removal, and ecological impacts

Wetland ecosystems act as important sinks for micro- and nanoplastics, which were found to cause ecotoxicological effects on wetland plants, animals, and microbial communities, including shifts in microbial composition relevant to pollutant removal. Micro/nanoplastics exposure also affected conventional pollutant removal efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions from wetland systems.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 50 citations
Article Tier 2

Fate and removal of microplastics in unplanted lab-scale vertical flow constructed wetlands

Laboratory-scale unplanted vertical flow constructed wetlands were shown to remove microplastics from wastewater, with removal efficiency influenced by particle size, shape, and flow rate, highlighting constructed wetlands as a nature-based option for microplastic mitigation.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 86 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Identification in Domestic Wastewater-Treating Constructed Wetlands and Its Potential Usage in a Circular Economy

Researchers identified and characterized microplastics in constructed wetlands used for treating domestic wastewater, finding MP accumulation in the substrate and plants and assessing how well these nature-based treatment systems retain plastic particles before effluent is discharged.

2025 Processes
Article Tier 2

The fate of microplastics/nanoplastics (MPs/NPs) in constructed wetlands: Addressing methodological gaps and experimental challenges from lab-scale to full-scale

This review examines the effectiveness of constructed wetlands for removing micro- and nanoplastics from water, comparing laboratory and full-scale results. Researchers found that while constructed wetlands show promising removal capabilities, the unique physical and chemical properties of plastic particles mean that lab-scale efficiencies may differ significantly from real-world performance, highlighting the need for more field-scale studies.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Unveiling the microplastic perturbation on surface flow constructed wetlands with macrophytes of different life forms: Responses of nitrogen removal and sensory quality

Polystyrene microplastics initially boosted nitrogen removal in constructed wetlands used for water treatment, but over time they reduced removal efficiency by 25-34% and harmed the beneficial bacteria responsible for cleaning the water. This means microplastic contamination could undermine natural water treatment systems that communities rely on for clean water.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 42 citations
Article Tier 2

Plant Based Application for Microplastic Removal in Constructed Wetlands: A Mini Review

This mini-review examines how wetland plants in constructed wetlands capture and degrade microplastics through physical entrapment, root-zone interactions, and microbial activity, assessing operational factors that determine removal efficiency.

2025 NIPES Journal of Science and Technology Research
Article Tier 2

Effect of microplastics on ecosystem functioning: Microbial nitrogen removal mediated by benthic invertebrates

Researchers investigated how polyethylene microplastics affect nitrogen removal in freshwater sediments where chironomid larvae and microorganisms coexist. They found that while microplastics and larvae each individually promoted nitrogen removal by boosting denitrifying bacteria, combining them together produced less benefit than expected. The study suggests that rising microplastic concentrations may disrupt the natural nitrogen cycling that benthic invertebrates help maintain in freshwater ecosystems.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 139 citations
Article Tier 2

Retention of microplastics by interspersed lagoons in both natural and constructed wetlands

Researchers used laboratory wetland models to test how well constructed wetlands with interspersed lagoons and aquatic vegetation can capture microplastic particles from water. Combining vegetated patches with a lagoon achieved microplastic retention rates of up to 99%, suggesting that nature-based wetland designs could be an effective low-cost strategy for filtering microplastics out of wastewater and rivers before they reach the ocean.

2023 Journal of Water Process Engineering 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Nitrogen metabolic responses of non-rhizosphere and rhizosphere microbial communities in constructed wetlands under nanoplastics disturbance

Researchers compared how microbial communities in plant root zones versus non-root zones of constructed wetlands respond to nanoplastic contamination. They found that nanoplastics reduced beneficial nitrogen-processing bacteria near roots by nearly 18%, while non-root microbes showed greater adaptability, even using nanoplastics as a carbon source. The findings suggest that constructed wetlands, which are important for water treatment, may have their nitrogen-removal capabilities impaired by nanoplastic pollution.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 35 citations
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Machine learning-enabled meta-analysis reveals the effect of microplastics on nitrogen removal performance in constructed wetlands and its potential mechanisms

This meta-analysis of 1,903 datasets found that microplastics impair nitrogen removal in constructed wetlands, with dosage frequency and exposure duration being the primary factors. Machine learning models revealed that microplastic characteristics interact with wetland conditions in complex ways, potentially undermining the effectiveness of these natural wastewater treatment systems.

2026 Environmental Research
Article Tier 2

Role of Constructed Wetlands in Wastewater Treatment and Mitigation of Emerging Contaminants

This review examines how constructed wetlands can serve as sustainable, cost-effective systems for treating wastewater and removing emerging contaminants including nanoplastics, pharmaceuticals, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals. The authors describe how physical, chemical, and biological mechanisms work together in these engineered ecosystems to break down persistent pollutants. The study suggests that constructed wetlands offer a promising nature-based solution for addressing contaminants that conventional treatment methods struggle to remove.

2026
Article Tier 2

Mechanisms underlying the detrimental impact of micro(nano)plastics on the stability of aerobic granular sludge: Interactions between micro(nano)plastics and extracellular polymeric substances

Researchers found that both micro- and nanoplastics at realistic concentrations harmed the performance of aerobic granular sludge, a technology used for wastewater treatment, by reducing its ability to remove nitrogen. The plastic particles interacted with the sticky substances that hold the sludge granules together, weakening their structural integrity. The study reveals a specific mechanism by which plastic pollution can undermine wastewater treatment systems that communities rely on for clean water.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Biofilm growth is insufficient to retain large buoyant microplastics in constructed wetlands

Researchers investigated whether biofilm growth on buoyant microplastics is sufficient to cause them to sink and be retained in constructed wetlands used for water treatment. The study found that biofilm formation alone was insufficient to retain large buoyant microplastic particles, meaning these plastics may bypass constructed wetlands and enter downstream aquatic environments.

2026 Journal of Hazardous Materials
Article Tier 2

Wastewater Treatment by Constructed Wetland Eco-Technology: Influence of Mineral and Plastic Materials as Filter Media and Tropical Ornamental Plants

Constructed wetlands using ornamental plants effectively removed chemical pollutants from wastewater, and the presence of plastic residues in the growing medium affected treatment performance. This finding is relevant to understanding how microplastics in constructed wetlands may interfere with natural water purification processes.

2019 Water 54 citations