Papers

61,005 results
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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

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

Microplastics removal mechanisms in constructed wetlands and their impacts on nutrient (nitrogen, phosphorus and carbon) removal: A critical review

This review examines how constructed wetlands can filter microplastics from water and what effect those trapped microplastics have on the wetlands' ability to remove nutrients. Researchers found that substrate type, plant species, and water flow patterns are key factors determining how well wetlands capture microplastics. The study also notes that accumulated microplastics can alter the microbial communities responsible for breaking down nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon in these systems.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 33 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
Article Tier 2

Mechanistic insights into microplastic-mediated shifts in nitrogen metabolism and sensory quality across emergent and submerged-plant wetlands: Evidence from metagenomics and physiological indicators

Researchers exposed surface-flow constructed wetlands planted with emergent and submerged macrophytes to polystyrene microplastics and found a 12.64% reduction in total nitrogen removal in the emergent plant system, driven by shifts in nitrogen-cycling microbial communities. PS-MPs also altered sensory water quality indicators, with effects varying by plant type.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution and removal of microplastics in a horizontal sub-surface flow laboratory constructed wetland and their effects on the treatment efficiency

Researchers investigated microplastic retention in a laboratory-scale constructed wetland, finding that the wetland effectively captured microbeads and fibers while examining how accumulated microplastics affected the treatment efficiency for carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus removal.

2023 Chemical Engineering Journal 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

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

Characteristics analysis of plastisphere biofilm and effect of aging products on nitrogen metabolizing flora in microcosm wetlands experiment

Researchers placed three types of plastic in miniature constructed wetlands for 180 days and tracked how they aged and affected microbial communities. The plastics degraded at different rates, with PVC developing new chemical groups and all surfaces becoming less water-repellent as bacteria colonized them. The plastic surfaces altered nitrogen-processing bacteria in the wetland water, suggesting microplastics can disrupt nutrient cycling in natural wetland ecosystems.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics shaped performance, microbial ecology and community assembly in simultaneous nitrification, denitrification and phosphorus removal process

This study found that polystyrene and PVC microplastics disrupted the performance of wastewater treatment systems designed to remove nitrogen and phosphorus, reducing nitrogen removal by up to 10%. The microplastics altered microbial communities, decreased cooperation between beneficial bacteria, and blocked important biological pathways. Since wastewater treatment is a key barrier against pollution reaching drinking water, microplastic interference with these systems could indirectly increase human exposure to harmful contaminants.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 12 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

Insight into effect of polyethylene microplastic on nitrogen removal in moving bed biofilm reactor: Focusing on microbial community and species interactions

Researchers studied how polyethylene microplastics affect nitrogen removal in wastewater treatment bioreactors and found that low concentrations slightly improved the process, while higher concentrations disrupted it. The microplastics changed the microbial communities responsible for breaking down nitrogen in wastewater. This matters because less effective wastewater treatment means more nitrogen pollution in waterways, and microplastics entering treatment plants could reduce their ability to clean water effectively.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Comprehensive metagenomic and enzyme activity analysis reveals the negatively influential and potentially toxic mechanism of polystyrene nanoparticles on nitrogen transformation in constructed wetlands

Researchers exposed constructed wetlands to polystyrene nanoparticles and found that even 1–10 mg/L concentrations suppressed denitrification and nitrification enzyme activities, reduced the abundance of nitrogen-cycling microbial genes, and generated oxidative stress in both macrophytes and microorganisms — disrupting the nitrogen transformation essential to wetland water-purification function.

2021 Water Research 196 citations
Article Tier 2

Response of aerobic granular sludge under acute inhibition by polystyrene microplastics: Activity, aggregation performance, and microbial analysis

Researchers investigated how different concentrations of polystyrene microplastics affect the performance of aerobic granular sludge used in wastewater treatment. The study found that increasing microplastic concentrations inhibited nitrogen removal rates and disrupted the microbial community structure within the sludge. Evidence indicates that microplastic contamination in wastewater can compromise the effectiveness of biological treatment processes.

2024 Environmental Pollution 17 citations
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

Heightened threat of aged microplastics in constructed wetlands: impacts on nitrogen cycles and greenhouse gas emissions

Researchers studied the effects of aged fibrous microplastics on nitrogen cycling and greenhouse gas emissions in constructed wetlands and found that high concentrations of aged MPs reduced nitrogen removal efficiency and increased N₂O emissions compared to pristine MPs. The results suggest aging intensifies the environmental disruption caused by microplastics in treatment wetlands.

2025 Water Research 3 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

Microplastics profile in constructed wetlands: Distribution, retention and implications

This study assessed microplastic distribution, retention, and implications within constructed wetlands used for wastewater treatment, finding that wetlands trap substantial quantities of MPs but that retention efficiency varies by plant species and wetland design. The results suggest constructed wetlands both remove and potentially accumulate MPs as a secondary pollution source.

2022 Environmental Pollution 51 citations
Article Tier 2

Critical role of benthic fauna in enhancing nanoplastics removal in constructed wetland: Performance, fate and mechanism

Researchers found that adding benthic fauna such as clams and worms to constructed wetlands significantly improved the removal of nanoplastics from wastewater. The organisms enhanced microbial activity and biofilm formation, which helped trap and break down the tiny plastic particles more effectively. The study suggests that incorporating natural organisms into wetland treatment systems could be a practical strategy for addressing nanoplastic pollution.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 15 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
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

Metagenomic analysis reveals the responses of microbial communities and nitrogen metabolic pathways to polystyrene micro(nano)plastics in activated sludge systems

Scientists used genetic analysis to study how polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics disrupt the bacteria that process nitrogen in wastewater treatment systems. At high concentrations, the plastics reduced nitrogen removal efficiency by up to 30% by generating harmful reactive oxygen species that damaged key microbial processes. This is concerning because less effective wastewater treatment means more pollutants, including microplastics themselves, could end up in waterways.

2023 Water Research 135 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on atrazine removal in constructed wetlands: Insight into the response characteristics of microorganisms, enzyme activity, and functional genes

Researchers found that adding polyethylene microplastics to constructed wetlands (engineered systems that filter polluted water) reduced the wetlands' ability to remove the pesticide atrazine by disrupting the microbial communities responsible for breaking it down. The microplastics altered enzyme activity and shifted the balance of beneficial bacteria in the wetland system. This is important because constructed wetlands are used to clean agricultural runoff, and microplastic contamination could make them less effective at protecting water quality.

2025 Water Research 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of polystyrene micro/nanoplastics on PCBs removal in constructed wetlands planted with Myriophyllum aquaticum

In constructed wetlands planted with Myriophyllum aquaticum, polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics of varying sizes did not significantly change overall PCB removal rates but altered the dynamics of PCB fate, raising concerns about combined contaminant interactions in wetland treatment systems.

2025 Environmental Research 3 citations