Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in vulnerable karst environments: case study from the Slovenian classical karst region

Researchers sampled karst springs, caves, and other habitats in Slovenia's classical karst region and detected microplastics across multiple sites, including springs used for drinking water, raising concerns about plastic contamination of these ecologically sensitive and hydrologically connected underground environments.

2022 Acta Carsologica 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in Slovenia's groundwater.

Researchers investigated microplastic pollution in Slovenia's groundwater, examining how microplastics from urban, agricultural, and industrial activities enter and distribute through subsurface water systems in a country where groundwater supplies approximately 98% of drinking water.

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

The invisible problem of microplastics and microfibres in karst systems and aquifers: a multidisciplinary approach

This thesis investigates how microplastics and microfibres move through karst (limestone) systems and underground aquifers using a multidisciplinary approach, a concern because karst aquifers supply drinking water to roughly a quarter of the global population and are particularly vulnerable to contamination given their direct hydraulic connections to the surface.

2026 Politecnico di Torino
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in Slovenia's groundwater.

Researchers investigated microplastic pollution in Slovenia's groundwater, documenting contamination pathways from urban, agricultural, and industrial activities and assessing the extent to which synthetic particles have infiltrated subsurface drinking water sources in a country where groundwater supplies approximately 98% of drinking water.

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

Microplastics pollution in groundwater: Case study - Slovenia

Researchers investigated microplastic pollution in Slovenian groundwater, which supplies drinking water to 98% of the population, characterizing MP occurrence, transport, and risk across multiple aquifer systems affected by urban, industrial, and agricultural activities.

2024
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in karstic systems: a review of sources, transport paths and storage

This repository contains geospatial data and bibliographic records supporting a review of microplastic pollution in karst (limestone cave and sinkhole) systems, mapping where microplastics have been detected across these ecologically important groundwater environments. Karst systems supply drinking water to roughly a quarter of the world's population, making microplastic contamination there a significant but understudied human health concern.

2026 Open MIND
Article Tier 2

Preliminary investigations of microplastic pollution in karst systems, from surface watercourses to cave waters

This study collected water samples from surface streams and connected cave waters in a karst system in Italy to document microplastic pollution in groundwater-linked environments. Microplastics including fibers and fragments were detected throughout the karst system, demonstrating that plastics infiltrate even protected underground aquifers.

2022 Journal of Contaminant Hydrology 62 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatial distribution characteristics and migration of microplastics in surface water, groundwater and sediment in karst areas: The case of Yulong River in Guilin, Southwest China

Researchers investigated microplastic distribution in surface water, sediment, and groundwater in the karst landscape of the Yulong River in Guilin, China. They found microplastic pollution across all water compartments, with living areas showing the highest contamination and tourism-related disposable plastics identified as a primary source. The study suggests that microplastics reach groundwater through hydraulic exchange with surface water in karst areas rather than through soil infiltration.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 114 citations
Article Tier 2

Subterranean transport of microplastics as evidenced in karst springs and their characterization using Raman spectroscopy

Raman micro-spectroscopy confirmed the presence of microplastics in karst spring water from rural Romania, with concentrations of 0.034-0.06 fragments or fibres per liter, demonstrating subterranean transport of microplastics through karst aquifer systems.

2023 Spectrochimica Acta Part A Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic particles in karst and alluvial aquifers

Researchers studied microplastic particle occurrence and distribution in karst and alluvial aquifer systems, investigating how these subsurface environments serve as sinks or conduits for plastic pollution. The study contributed data on groundwater microplastic contamination in geologically distinct aquifer types.

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

Microplastic particles investigation in karst aquifer (Zvenigorod, Russia)

Researchers investigated microplastic particle presence and distribution in a karst aquifer near Zvenigorod, Russia, finding that single-use plastics and inadequate waste management are contributing to groundwater MP contamination even in this relatively protected geological setting.

2025 Водные ресурсы / Water Resources
Article Tier 2

Assessment of Microplastic Concentrations in Slovenian Watercourses and Lakes

A Slovenian master's thesis tested three sampling methods for measuring microplastics in the Ljubljanica River and Lake Bled, finding microplastics and mesoplastics present in all samples. The study contributes baseline data on freshwater microplastic contamination in Central Europe and discusses potential impacts on aquatic ecosystems and human health.

2016 Repozitorij Univerze v Ljubljani (Univerze v Lgubljani) 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of vulnerabilities of central himalayan springs towards microplastic pollution.

This research assessed how vulnerable springs in the central Himalayas are to microplastic contamination, identifying environmental and geographic factors that increase exposure risk. Mountain springs are critical drinking water sources for millions of people, so understanding their susceptibility to plastic pollution has direct public health implications.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Assessment of vulnerabilities of central himalayan springs towards microplastic pollution.

This research assessed how vulnerable springs in the central Himalayas are to microplastic contamination, identifying environmental and geographic factors that increase exposure risk. Mountain springs are critical drinking water sources for millions of people, so understanding their susceptibility to plastic pollution has direct public health implications.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Microplastic particles in karst and alluvial aquifers

Researchers investigated the occurrence and characteristics of microplastic particles in both karst and alluvial aquifer systems, examining how plastic particles migrate through these distinct subsurface geological environments. The study addressed a significant knowledge gap regarding groundwater contamination by microplastics in aquifers that differ in their hydrogeological properties and filtration capacity.

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

Microplastic Contamination in Karst Groundwater Systems

Springs and wells from two karst aquifers in Illinois were found to contain microplastics exclusively as fibers (up to 15.2 particles/L), with their presence correlated with phosphate, chloride, and triclosan, suggesting septic effluent as the source. The study demonstrates that karst groundwater systems used for drinking water are vulnerable to microplastic contamination infiltrating through their open, conduit-dominated architecture.

2019 Ground Water 479 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution calls for urgent investigations in stygobiont habitats: A case study from Classical karst

Researchers examined microplastic pollution in karst cave systems in the Classical Karst region, finding that these underground habitats harbor significant contamination. The study suggests that vulnerable cave-dwelling species may be consuming microplastics, which could undermine conservation efforts for protected groundwater ecosystems and the species that depend on them.

2024 Journal of Environmental Management 20 citations
Article Tier 2

The invisible environmental impact of tourism in show caves: microplastic pollution in three Italian show caves

This study found microplastic contamination in sediment deposits of three show caves in northwestern Italy, including a cave that serves as a drinking water reservoir. The results show that even remote underground ecosystems are not protected from microplastic pollution, posing potential risks to groundwater quality.

2023 Global NEST International Conference on Environmental Science & Technology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

The problem of anthropogenic microfibres in karst systems: Assessment of water and submerged sediments

Researchers assessed anthropogenic microfiber contamination in karst cave systems by analyzing water and submerged sediment samples. They found that both synthetic and natural microfibres were widespread throughout the karst environments, with sediments accumulating higher concentrations than water samples. The study raises concerns about microfiber pollution reaching underground water systems that serve as important drinking water reserves.

2024 Chemosphere 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Adherence of Polystyrene Microspheres on Cave Sediment: Implications for Organic Contaminants and Microplastics in Karst Systems

This study found that polystyrene microspheres adhere readily to cave sediment particles in karst aquifer systems, with implications for how microplastics and organic contaminants are transported through karst groundwater. Karst systems may act as pathways for microplastics to reach groundwater supplies used for drinking water.

2023 Environmental and Engineering Geoscience
Article Tier 2

An Overall Perspective for the Study of Emerging Contaminants in Karst Aquifers

This review examines emerging contaminant threats to karst aquifers, which supply about 25% of global drinking water, highlighting their high vulnerability to rapid surface-to-groundwater transport of microplastics, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and other pollutants due to the open, fissured nature of carbonate rock systems.

2022 Resources 38 citations
Article Tier 2

An Overview of Microplastic Contamination in Groundwater: Sources, Transport Pathways, and Environmental Implications

This review examined microplastic contamination in groundwater systems, an area that has received less research attention compared to surface water. Researchers identified key sources and transport pathways for microplastics entering groundwater, including infiltration through soil and fractured rock, and highlighted the environmental implications for drinking water supplies.

2025 Journal of Geography Environment and Earth Science International 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Does Microplastic Pollution in the Epikarst Environment Coincide with Rainfall Flushes and Copepod Population Dynamics?

Researchers examined whether microplastic pollution in epikarst environments coincides with rainfall flush events and copepod population dynamics, sampling water from karst springs over time to correlate plastic particle concentrations with hydrological and ecological variables. The study found that rainfall-driven infiltration pulses influenced microplastic transport through the karst system, with potential implications for epikarst invertebrate communities.

2024 Sustainability
Article Tier 2

Understanding the impacts of human wastewater effluent pollution on karst springs using chemical contamination fingerprinting techniques

Researchers used multi-tracer chemical fingerprinting to trace human wastewater contamination into karst spring systems, finding that these highly permeable aquifers rapidly transmit pollutants including pharmaceuticals and potentially microplastics from surface sources to drinking water springs.

2024