Papers

61,005 results
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Review Tier 2

Microplastics as contaminants in freshwater environments: A multidisciplinary review

This multidisciplinary review covers microplastic sources, abundance, composition, transport, and biological effects in freshwater systems globally, arguing that freshwater environments are both major conduits and sinks for microplastic pollution.

2020 Ecohydrology & Hydrobiology 85 citations
Article Tier 2

Impacts of microplastics in freshwater systems

This review summarized scientific knowledge about microplastic impacts in freshwater systems, covering sources, distribution, ingestion by organisms, and potential ecological effects. It identifies freshwater ecosystems as both reservoirs and pathways for microplastic transport to the oceans, with impacts on freshwater biodiversity and potentially on drinking water quality.

2017 Portuguese National Funding Agency for Science, Research and Technology (RCAAP Project by FCT)
Article Tier 2

From Origins to Impacts: A Comprehensive Review of Microplastics in Freshwater Environments

This comprehensive review covers microplastics in freshwater ecosystems from sources and transport to biological uptake and food web effects, synthesizing current evidence on ecological risks and identifying research priorities.

2024 International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in freshwater ecosystems: what we know and what we need to know

This review examines the state of knowledge on microplastic contamination in freshwater ecosystems, which have received far less scientific attention than marine environments despite being major pathways for plastic transport. Researchers found that freshwater microplastic concentrations can be extremely high near urban areas and that organisms from insects to fish readily ingest these particles. The study identifies key research gaps including the need for standardized detection methods and better understanding of how microplastics move through and affect freshwater food webs.

2014 Environmental Sciences Europe 1468 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic pollution in marine and freshwater biota

Researchers compiled a special issue reviewing the current science on plastic pollution — including micro- and nanoplastics — in marine and freshwater environments, identifying key gaps in understanding how these particles move through ecosystems and harm aquatic life. The collection aims to support stronger science-based environmental policies addressing plastic pollution in aquatic systems.

2024 Water Biology and Security 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Sources, Occurrence, and Analysis of Microplastics in Freshwater Environments

This review summarizes current knowledge on microplastic sources and occurrence in freshwater environments, noting that freshwater systems are major conduits delivering microplastics to the ocean. The review highlights that freshwater microplastic research lags far behind marine studies despite rivers and lakes being primary pollution pathways.

2022 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Prevalence, Fate and Effects of Plastic in Freshwater Environments

This review summarizes the prevalence, environmental fate, and biological effects of plastics in freshwater ecosystems, an area that has received less attention than marine plastic pollution. Freshwater bodies are major pathways for microplastics to reach marine environments and are themselves affected by plastic contamination.

2021
Review Tier 2

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.

2015 Water Research 2541 citations
Article Tier 2

Beyond the ocean: contamination of freshwater ecosystems with (micro-)plastic particles

This review examined the available data on microplastic contamination in freshwater ecosystems — rivers, lakes, and urban water systems — and found it to be widespread globally, though often underreported compared to marine environments. The authors highlight the need for reliable concentration data and chemical characterization of freshwater plastics to properly assess ecological risk.

2015 Environmental Chemistry 540 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of microplastics in freshwater systems: A review

This review of microplastic research in freshwater systems found that while most pollution studies have focused on marine environments, freshwaters are major conduits and sinks for microplastics, with WWTPs being a key pathway rather than a complete barrier. The authors call for standardized methods and more research on freshwater microplastic sources, distribution, and effects.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 894 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence, Fate and Fluxes of Plastics and Microplastics in Terrestrial and Freshwater Ecosystems

This review examines the occurrence, transport pathways, and fate of plastics and microplastics in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems globally, synthesizing evidence that these systems are both sources and sinks and that microplastics cycle between compartments in complex ways.

2020 Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 81 citations
Article Tier 2

The organism fate of inland freshwater system under micro-/nano-plastic pollution: A review of past decade.

This review synthesized a decade of research on how micro- and nano-plastics affect freshwater organisms including microalgae, macrophytes, zooplankton, benthic invertebrates, and fish, finding that impacts range from impaired photosynthesis and oxidative stress to reproductive disruption and behavioral changes across multiple biological levels.

2023 Aquatic toxicology (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
Review Tier 2

Microplastics and Nanoplastics in the Freshwater and Terrestrial Environment: A Review

This review critically analyzes the current state of research on micro- and nanoplastic pollution in freshwater and terrestrial environments. Researchers examine how these particles are transported through soil and water systems, their environmental fate, and their ecological impacts on living organisms. The study identifies significant knowledge gaps in the field, particularly around the characterization of nanoplastics and the long-term effects of plastic particle accumulation in non-marine environments.

2020 Water 242 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution, biological effects and biofilms of microplastics in freshwater systems - A review

This review examines microplastic distribution, biological effects, and biofilm formation in freshwater systems, highlighting knowledge gaps compared to marine studies and the ecological risks posed by microplastics as vectors for pathogens and pollutants.

2022 Chemosphere 108 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in the environment: A critical overview on its fate, toxicity, implications, management, and bioremediation strategies

This review provides a broad overview of microplastic pollution, covering how these particles enter freshwater systems, accumulate in organisms, and carry toxic chemicals through the food chain. With approximately 360 million tons of plastic produced globally each year and only 7% recycled, microplastics have become a pervasive threat to water quality and, by extension, human health.

2023 Journal of Environmental Management 252 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in freshwater ecosystems : effects and drivers

This thesis assessed how microplastic exposure affects freshwater microorganisms, macroinvertebrates, and other organisms in freshwater ecosystems, finding that microplastics are a pervasive contaminant of freshwater environments with unclear but potentially significant ecological impacts.

2024 Acta universitatis agriculturae Sueciae
Article Tier 2

Microplastic: A Silent Contaminant in Aquatic Ecosystems and Its Ecological Consequences

This review examines microplastics as a pervasive but underappreciated contaminant in aquatic ecosystems, synthesizing evidence on their sources, distribution, uptake pathways in aquatic organisms, and broader ecological consequences for freshwater and marine food webs.

2025 International Journal of Science Architecture Technology and Environment
Systematic Review Tier 1

Microplastic contamination, an emerging threat to the freshwater environment: a systematic review

Researchers systematically reviewed the spread of microplastics in freshwater ecosystems — rivers, lakes, and streams — documenting their sources, how they move through water, the damage they cause to aquatic organisms, and the methods used to detect them. Their review serves as a baseline reference for future research and calls for improved waste management to protect freshwater environments from ongoing microplastic contamination.

2024 ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS RESEARCH 98 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic in Aquatic Ecosystems

This review covered the occurrence, sources, transport, and ecological effects of microplastics across both freshwater and marine aquatic ecosystems, providing an integrated overview of the state of knowledge in aquatic microplastic research.

2016 Angewandte Chemie International Edition 895 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and pathways of microplastics, quantification protocol and adverseeffects of microplastics towards freshwater and seawater biota

This review examines the occurrence, pathways, and adverse effects of microplastics on freshwater and marine organisms, highlighting how these particles can enter the food chain through seafood consumption. The study suggests that microplastic ingestion causes health hazards in aquatic animals and points to gaps in understanding how microplastics affect human health along the food supply chain.

2023 Food Research 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Ecotoxicity of microplastics to freshwater biota: Considering exposure and hazard across trophic levels

This review examines the toxic effects of microplastics on freshwater organisms across multiple levels of the food web, from biofilms and plankton to fish and amphibians. Researchers found evidence of harm in several species, though effects varied widely depending on particle size, type, and concentration. The study highlights that freshwater microplastic toxicity is still poorly understood compared to marine environments and calls for more standardized research.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 150 citations
Review Tier 2

Microplastics in freshwater systems: A review on occurrence, environmental effects, and methods for microplastics detection

This review summarizes the current understanding of microplastic contamination in freshwater systems, from sources like wastewater treatment plants to their effects on aquatic life. Researchers note that microplastics can carry toxic chemicals and have been shown to cause intestinal damage and metabolic changes in fish. The paper highlights that freshwater microplastic pollution is a significant and growing concern that warrants more research attention.

2017 Water Research 2136 citations
Article Tier 2

Advances and challenges of microplastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems: A UK perspective

This literature review assesses the current state of knowledge on microplastic pollution in UK freshwater ecosystems. Researchers found that only 32% of published UK microplastic studies have focused on freshwater environments, revealing significant knowledge gaps in transport dynamics, ecological impacts, and analytical standardization. The study highlights the need for more research on how microplastics move through and accumulate in freshwater systems, and predicts that biological impacts will mirror those already documented in marine settings.

2019 Environmental Pollution 244 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics Are Contaminants of Emerging Concern in Freshwater Environments: An Overview

This overview examines the emerging problem of microplastic contamination in freshwater environments, covering sources, occurrence, and potential effects on aquatic ecosystems. The authors discuss how microplastics enter lakes and rivers through wastewater treatment plants, runoff, and degradation of larger plastic debris. The review highlights that freshwater microplastic pollution deserves the same research attention as marine contamination, given that rivers serve as major transport pathways for plastics reaching the ocean.

2017 ˜The œhandbook of environmental chemistry 384 citations