Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution of water and sediment from the Guarapiranga Reservoir, Metropolitan Region of São Paulo, Brazil

Researchers measured microplastic contamination in water and sediment from the Guarapiranga Reservoir in the Sao Paulo metropolitan region of Brazil, a major drinking water source. The study found diverse microplastic types and raises concerns about plastic pollution in urban water supply systems.

2020 UNIFESP Institutional Repository (Universidade Federal de São Paulo)
Article Tier 2

Macroplastics in the Guarapiranga reservoir (São Paulo, Brazil): estimating the generation of microplastics

This study identified and quantified macroplastics and microplastics in the Guarapiranga Reservoir in Sao Paulo, Brazil, a major public water supply reservoir, assessing contamination levels and sources. Plastics of multiple size classes were detected in the reservoir, highlighting contamination risks for a water body used to supply drinking water to millions of people.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Spatiotemporal variation in microplastic contamination along a subtropical reservoir shoreline

Researchers tracked microplastic contamination along the shoreline of a subtropical reservoir over two years and found that microplastic abundance was higher near urban areas and varied with season, with storm-related inputs creating significant temporal spikes.

2020 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 67 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in the Guandu River basin: The water supply reservoir of Rio de Janeiro metropolitan region (Southeastern Brazil)

Researchers characterised the extent and distribution of microplastic contamination throughout the Guandu River basin in Brazil, which supplies drinking water to a major urban area, quantifying MP concentrations and identifying dominant polymer types and morphologies to assess risks to the water supply.

2025 Cambridge Prisms Plastics
Article Tier 2

[Spatial and Temporal Variation Characterization and Variability of Microplastics in Water-borne River and Reservoir].

A study comparing microplastic levels in a river and a reservoir used as drinking water sources in Guangdong, China found meaningful differences in contamination patterns across seasons and locations. The findings underscore that drinking water source protection strategies need to account for microplastic pollution, as these particles can enter the water supply before treatment.

2026 PubMed
Article Tier 2

Macroplastics in the Guarapiranga reservoir (São Paulo, Brazil): estimating the generation of microplastics

Researchers surveyed macroplastics in the Guarapiranga Reservoir, a major public water supply in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and estimated the rate of microplastic generation from their fragmentation. Large plastic debris in the reservoir was found to be a significant in-situ source of secondary microplastics.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Review: Microplastic contamination in the Guandu River basin: The water supply reservoir of Rio de Janeiro metropolitan region (Southeastern Brazil) — R1/PR7

Researchers found microplastic concentrations of 6.1 ± 4.9 particles/m³ in the cold-dry season and 2.3 ± 1.1 particles/m³ in the warm-rainy season in the Guandu River basin of Rio de Janeiro, with polyethylene and polypropylene dominating and higher abundance linked to greater urban land use.

2025
Article Tier 2

Integrated occurrence of contaminants of emerging concern, including microplastics, in urban and agricultural watersheds in the State of São Paulo, Brazil

Researchers measured contamination from microplastics and other emerging pollutants in both urban and agricultural watersheds in the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo. They found microplastics in all sampled locations, along with pesticides, caffeine, and other chemicals, with pollution patterns differing between urban and farming areas. The study shows that microplastic contamination is widespread in Brazilian water systems used for drinking and irrigation, contributing to human exposure through multiple pathways.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in water from the confluence of tropical rivers: Overall review and a case study in Paraiba do Sul River basin

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination at river confluences in the Paraiba do Sul River basin, Brazil's most important southeastern watershed serving millions of people. They found microplastics throughout the river system, with higher concentrations near industrial and densely populated areas. Since this river basin supplies drinking water and supports agriculture for a large population, the contamination raises direct concerns about human microplastic exposure.

2023 Chemosphere 32 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic occurrence and densities in small subtropical reservoirs of Southern Africa

Researchers measured microplastic levels across seasons in small reservoirs in southern Africa, finding that microplastic concentrations were higher during the dry season and in reservoirs near areas with greater human activity. The study establishes baseline data for a region where plastic pollution research is scarce and warns that contamination could worsen without targeted intervention.

2025 Discover Sustainability 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination assessment in water and economic fishes in different trophic guilds from an urban water supply reservoir after flooding

Microplastic contamination was assessed in water and economically important fish from an urban reservoir after flooding, with flood events significantly increasing microplastic concentrations and affecting distribution across trophic guilds, highlighting how flood pulses transport and redistribute plastic pollution in drinking water systems.

2021 Journal of Environmental Management 53 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Pollution in Water and Sediments in a Public Supply Reservoir in Presidente Prudente (SP), Brazil

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in a public water supply reservoir in Brazil and identified 663 particles, predominantly fibers, with the most common polymers being PET, polypropylene, and polyethylene. The total estimated microplastic load in the reservoir was approximately 15.7 million particles, with higher concentrations near urbanized areas, suggesting untreated domestic and industrial effluents as primary contamination sources.

2026 Water Air & Soil Pollution
Article Tier 2

Review: Microplastic contamination in the Guandu River basin: The water supply reservoir of Rio de Janeiro metropolitan region (Southeastern Brazil) — R1/PR8

Researchers found microplastic contamination throughout the Guandu River basin in Brazil, which supplies water to the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan region, with abundance averaging 6.1 particles/m3 in the cold-dry season and 2.3 particles/m3 in the warm-rainy season, dominated by fragments and fibers across 11 identified polymer types.

2025
Article Tier 2

Seasonal occurrence of microplastics in sediment of two South African recreational reservoirs

Researchers tracked seasonal microplastic levels in sediments from two recreational reservoirs in South Africa, one near agricultural land and the other near populated areas. They found microplastics at all sites, with significantly higher concentrations near areas of greater human activity, particularly during the hot-dry season. The study highlights that even inland freshwater systems in regions with relatively low industrial presence are not immune to microplastic pollution.

2023 Water Biology and Security 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of urbanization and water quality on microplastic distribution in Conceição Lagoon watershed, Brazil

Researchers assessed microplastic distribution across urbanized and non-urbanized tributaries of Conceicao Lagoon watershed in Brazil. The study found that while urbanization significantly affected water quality parameters, it did not always correspond to higher microplastic concentrations. Evidence indicates that microplastic pollution in freshwater systems is influenced by multiple factors beyond urbanization alone, complicating simple predictions about contamination patterns.

2024 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 12 citations
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Global meta-analysis of microplastic contamination in reservoirs with a novel framework

Microplastic abundance in reservoirs worldwide varied over 2-6 orders of magnitude, with small particles (<1 mm) comprising over 60% of total counts; geographic location, seasonal variation, and land-use type were the main drivers, and current mitigation policies were found insufficient.

2021 Water Research 185 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence of Urbanization and Seasonality on Microplastics in a Small Brazilian Inland Stream

Researchers sampled a small Brazilian inland stream upstream and downstream of an urban center during dry and rainy seasons, finding urbanization significantly increased microplastic abundance from 1.7 to 2.6 particles per liter during the dry season, while rainfall effects were less consistent.

2025 Microplastics
Article Tier 2

How natural and anthropogenic factors should drive microplastic behavior and fate: The scenario of Brazilian urban freshwater

This review examines the factors driving microplastic contamination in Brazilian freshwater systems, including the country's massive plastic production and limited recycling infrastructure. Researchers highlight that more than half of post-consumer plastic packaging in Brazil goes unmonitored, and most microplastic research has focused on marine environments while freshwater data remains scarce. The study calls for more systematic monitoring of Brazilian rivers and lakes, especially given the country's continental-scale waterways and diverse ecosystems.

2023 Chemosphere 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Review: Microplastic contamination in the Guandu River basin: The water supply reservoir of Rio de Janeiro metropolitan region (Southeastern Brazil) — R0/PR2

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in the Guandu River basin — the primary water supply for the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan region — collecting surface water samples at 11 sites using Manta trawl nets in two seasonal periods. They found MP abundances of 6.1 particles/m3 in the cold-dry season and 2.3 particles/m3 in the warm-rainy season, with fragments and fibres dominant, polyethylene and polypropylene the most common polymers, and no significant seasonal differences in overall abundance.

2025
Article Tier 2

Spatial and temporal distribution of microplastics in water and sediments of a freshwater system (Antuã River, Portugal)

This study tracked the spatial and temporal distribution of microplastics in water and sediments of a freshwater lake, finding seasonal variation in microplastic concentrations and identifying local land use and runoff as key drivers of contamination patterns.

2018 The Science of The Total Environment 800 citations
Article Tier 2

Presence and Quantification of Microplastic in Urban Tap-Water

Researchers collected 32 tap water samples from two areas of Brasília, Brazil and found microplastic contamination in the city's drinking water. The study adds to growing global evidence that microplastics are present in municipal water supplies, raising concerns about chronic human exposure.

2020
Article Tier 2

Recommendation: Microplastic contamination in the Guandu River basin: The water supply reservoir of Rio de Janeiro metropolitan region (Southeastern Brazil) — R0/PR4

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in the Guandu River basin — the primary water supply reservoir for the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan region — collecting surface water samples at 11 sites across two seasons and identifying 11 polymer types via micro-FTIR, with abundances of 6.1 particles/m3 in the cold-dry season and 2.3 particles/m3 in the warm-rainy season.

2025
Article Tier 2

Interconnected impacts of water resource management and climate change on microplastic pollution and riverine biocoenosis: A review by freshwater ecologists

Researchers reviewed how river hydrology, water resource management, and climate change interact to influence microplastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems. They found that floods can flush microplastics from catchments, while reservoirs act as both sinks and sources, and extreme weather events driven by climate change tend to concentrate microplastics and threaten aquatic organisms. The study highlights a critical gap in research that jointly addresses these interconnected factors and calls for integrated policy approaches.

2024 Journal of Environmental Management 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Decision: Microplastic contamination in the Guandu River basin: The water supply reservoir of Rio de Janeiro metropolitan region (Southeastern Brazil) — R0/PR5

Researchers found microplastic concentrations of 6.1 particles/m³ in the cold-dry season and 2.3 particles/m³ in the warm-rainy season in the Guandu River basin, the primary water supply reservoir for the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan region. Polyethylene and polypropylene dominated among 11 identified polymer types, with higher microplastic abundance near more urbanized areas, indicating land use as a primary driver of contamination.

2025