Papers

61,005 results
|
Article Tier 2

Aquatic Plants in phytoremediation of contaminated water: Recent knowledge and future prospects

This paper is not about microplastics; it reviews phytoremediation — the use of aquatic plants to remove heavy metals from contaminated water — covering sources of heavy metal pollution, remediation techniques, and factors affecting plant uptake efficiency.

2023 Journal Of Advanced Zoology
Article Tier 2

The effects of microplastics size and type on entrapment by freshwater macrophytes under vertical and lateral deposition

Researchers investigated how microplastic particle size and polymer type affect entrapment by freshwater macrophytes, finding that certain aquatic plant species preferentially intercepted specific particle sizes and that plant morphology determined capture efficiency across MPs of varying dimensions.

2025 Journal of Limnology 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Phytoremediation of Polluted Waterbodies with Aquatic plants: Recent Progress on Heavy Metal and Organic Pollutants

This review surveys phytoremediation strategies using aquatic plants to remove heavy metals and organic pollutants from contaminated water. Aquatic plants are also impacted by microplastic pollution, and understanding their tolerance and remediation capacity is relevant to restoring water quality in contaminated environments.

2019 Preprints.org 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Macrophytes: A Temporary Sink for Microplastics in Transitional Water Systems

Researchers found microplastics in 94% of macrophyte samples from two northern Adriatic lagoons, with contamination levels ranging from 0.16 to 330 items/g fresh weight showing a site-specific rather than species-specific pattern, and exopolysaccharides on macrophyte surfaces acting as glue to trap plastic particles.

2021 Water 44 citations
Article Tier 2

Leaf morphology affects microplastic entrapment efficiency in freshwater macrophytes

Researchers found that leaf morphology significantly affects the ability of freshwater macrophytes (aquatic plants) to trap microplastics, with leaf shape and surface texture influencing particle capture efficiency. The findings suggest that aquatic vegetation plays an underappreciated role in microplastic retention and transport in freshwater ecosystems.

2023 Marine and Freshwater Research 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Removing Microplastics from Aquatic Environments with Iris 2 Pseudacorus and Lythrum anceps

Researchers analysed the effectiveness of Iris pseudacorus and Lythrum anceps wetland plants in removing microplastics from aquatic environments, examining whether these macrophytes can accumulate and retain plastic particles and reduce adverse physiological effects on aquatic organisms.

2024 Preprints.org 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Interplay of plastic pollution with algae and plants: hidden danger or a blessing?

Researchers tested the ability of three microalgae species to remove microplastics from water through bioadhesion, finding that all three species could adsorb particles onto their surfaces. Removal efficiency depended on particle size, surface charge, and algae cell morphology.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 65 citations
Review Tier 2

Accumulation and re-distribution of microplastics via aquatic plants and macroalgae - A review of field studies

This review summarizes field studies on microplastic accumulation in aquatic plants and macroalgae, finding that these primary producers can intercept and redistribute microplastics in aquatic ecosystems but have received far less research attention than animals.

2023 Marine Environmental Research 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro- and nano-plastics pollution and its potential remediation pathway by phytoremediation.

This review proposed phytoremediation as a viable approach for removing micro- and nano-plastics from contaminated environments, reviewing evidence that plants can take up particles through roots and translocate them to shoots, and discussing the potential for hyperaccumulating species to be used in soil and water decontamination.

2023 Planta
Article Tier 2

Exploring the potential of microalgae in removal of microplastics from the environment and scope of this entity as feedstock for biofuel production

This review explores the potential of microalgae to capture and remove microplastics from aquatic environments, examining the mechanisms by which algal cells adsorb or aggregate plastic particles and discussing the feasibility of algae-based remediation at scale.

2025
Article Tier 2

Adsorption of different types of microplastic particles by macrophytes of Lake Baikal

Researchers experimentally investigated the adsorption of different microplastic particle types by submerged macrophyte species from Lake Baikal, finding that macrophytes can accumulate microplastics on their surfaces with implications for aquatic plant health and associated ecological communities in this unique ecosystem.

2025 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Exploring the Potential of Algae in the Mitigation of Plastic Pollution in Aquatic Environments

This review examined how algae can help mitigate plastic pollution in aquatic environments, finding that certain algal species can adsorb, degrade, or entrap microplastics, suggesting potential bioremediation applications though large-scale effectiveness remains to be demonstrated.

2022 Practice, progress, and proficiency in sustainability 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorption of different types of microplastic particles by macrophytes of Lake Baikal

Researchers experimentally investigated the adsorption of different microplastic particle types by submerged macrophyte species from Lake Baikal, finding that macrophytes can accumulate microplastics on their surfaces with implications for aquatic plant health and associated ecological communities in this unique ecosystem.

2025 Acta Biologica Sibirica (Altai State University)
Article Tier 2

A low-impact nature-based solution for reducing aquatic microplastics from freshwater ecosystems

Researchers developed a nature-based solution using the submerged plant Myriophyllum aquaticum to capture and retain microplastics from freshwater ecosystems. Through optimization experiments, they achieved high retention efficiency with minimal environmental disruption. The study demonstrates that aquatic plants can serve as a low-impact, practical tool for reducing microplastic pollution in rivers and lakes.

2024 Water Research 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Metal(loid) tolerance, accumulation, and phytoremediation potential of wetland macrophytes for multi-metal(loid)s polluted water

This study is not directly about microplastics; it evaluates the ability of ten wetland plant species to tolerate and accumulate heavy metals from industrially polluted groundwater, focusing on phytoremediation potential in constructed wetlands.

2024 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Aquatic vascular plants – A forgotten piece of nature in microplastic research

Aquatic vascular plants accumulate microplastics on their surfaces through electrostatic attraction, leaf morphology, and periphyton, and these retained particles can be easily ingested by herbivores. The authors argue that plants are an overlooked but important pathway by which microplastics enter freshwater food webs, and deserve more research attention.

2020 Environmental Pollution 128 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of nanoplastics and microplastics on the growth of sediment-rooted macrophytes

Both nano- and microplastic particles negatively affected the growth of freshwater macrophytes in sediment-rooted experiments, with nanoplastics causing more pronounced effects at lower concentrations. The findings highlight that aquatic plants, which form the base of many freshwater food webs, are vulnerable to plastic particle pollution.

2018 The Science of The Total Environment 304 citations
Article Tier 2

A vegetation strategy to balance the hazardous level of microplastics in the land–sea interface through rhizosphere remediation

Researchers reviewed how plants — especially aquatic plants in coastal wetlands and estuaries — can trap and break down microplastics through their root systems and surrounding soil microbes, a process called phytoremediation. Aquatic plants show particular promise because their roots are constantly submerged in contaminated water, giving them more exposure and capture potential than land-based crops.

2024 Ecological Indicators 5 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

Recent Advances in Micro-/Nanoplastic (MNPs) Removal by Microalgae and Possible Integrated Routes of Energy Recovery

This review examined the interactions between micro- and nanoplastics and microalgae, covering how microalgae are affected by plastic particles and how they can in turn be used to remove plastics from aquatic environments. The authors identify microalgae-based systems as promising tools for combined plastic removal and biomass production.

2022 Microorganisms 51 citations
Article Tier 2

Long-term interactions between microplastics and floating macrophyte Lemna minor: The potential for phytoremediation of microplastics in the aquatic environment

Researchers studied whether the floating aquatic plant Lemna minor could be used to remove microplastics from water through a 12-week experiment. The plant tolerated high concentrations of polyethylene microplastics without significant health effects after an initial adjustment period, and the particles adhered readily to the plant biomass. The findings suggest that duckweed-based systems could offer a nature-based approach for capturing microplastics from contaminated waterways.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 119 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of microplastics on aquatic flora: Recent status, mechanisms of their toxicity and bioremediation strategies

This review examines how microplastics affect aquatic plants, from microscopic algae to larger vegetation, by physically blocking sunlight and pores and disrupting photosynthesis, reproduction, and nutrient uptake. Prolonged exposure triggers excessive production of harmful reactive oxygen species in plant cells, which can lead to cell death. The authors also highlight bioremediation approaches, including certain plants and microorganisms that can adsorb or break down microplastics by 25 to 80 percent in laboratory settings.

2024 Chemosphere 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Phytoremediation of Microplastics: A Perspective on Its Practicality

This review examines whether plants can be used to clean up microplastic pollution from soil and water through a process called phytoremediation. Researchers found that certain plant species can intercept, absorb, and temporarily store microplastics in their root systems. However, the approach faces practical limitations including slow uptake rates and uncertainty about long-term effectiveness, meaning it works best as one tool among several for addressing microplastic contamination.

2023 Industrial and Domestic Waste Management 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Tracing and trapping micro- and nanoplastics: Untapped mitigation potential of aquatic plants?

Researchers used fluorescently labeled polystyrene particles to trace microplastic and nanoplastic uptake in three aquatic plant species, finding that nanoplastics concentrated primarily in roots via apoplastic transport with bioconcentration factors up to 306, suggesting floating plants like water hyacinth may be useful for removing plastic from contaminated water.

2023 Water Research 77 citations