Papers

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Article Tier 2

Exploring the abundance of microplastics in Indian landfill leachate: An analytical study

Researchers analyzed microplastics in leachate from two major landfills in India and found concentrations of 1,473 to 2,067 particles per liter, with most particles smaller than 100 micrometers. Polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, cellulose acetate, and PVC were the most common plastic types identified. Since landfill leachate can seep into groundwater and nearby water bodies, these findings raise concerns about microplastic contamination of drinking water sources near dump sites.

2024 Journal of Environmental Management 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Severe microplastic pollution risks in urban freshwater system post-landfill fire: A case study from Brahmapuram, India

Researchers documented a dramatic increase in microplastic pollution in freshwater systems near the Brahmapuram landfill in Kochi, India, following a major landfill fire. Post-fire surface water samples showed microplastic concentrations nearly doubling compared to pre-fire levels. The study demonstrates that landfill fires can rapidly release large quantities of microplastics into surrounding urban waterways, creating acute pollution events.

2024 Environmental Pollution 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatial distribution of microplastic concentration around landfill sites and its potential risk on groundwater

Researchers found microplastic contamination in groundwater near two municipal waste dump sites in South India, with levels ranging from 2 to 80 particles per liter. Nylon was the most common type found, making up 70% of particles, and the contamination was traced back to degrading buried plastic waste. This is concerning because many communities rely on groundwater for drinking, and these findings show landfills can be a direct source of microplastics in drinking water.

2021 Chemosphere 252 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterization of microplastics in soil, leachate and groundwater at a municipal landfill in Rayong Province, Thailand

Microplastics were found in soil, leachate, and groundwater at a municipal landfill in Rayong Province, Thailand, with concentrations and polymer types varying by sample matrix and proximity to the landfill, raising concerns about landfill as a source of MP groundwater contamination.

2024 Journal of Contaminant Hydrology 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Implications of solid waste dumps on the microplastic abundance in groundwater in Kollam, India

Groundwater wells near waste dump sites in Kollam, India contained an average of 12 microplastic particles per liter, with fibers being the most common type. Larger dump sites were associated with higher microplastic levels, and the groundwater near heavy dumping sites was also more acidic, suggesting leachate from waste dumps is contaminating the water supply. This is a direct human health concern because many communities depend on well water for drinking, and microplastics in groundwater are difficult to remove.

2023 Journal of Environmental Management 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Sources, health risks, environmental implications, and management strategies of microplastics with a focus on landfill leachate

This review examines microplastics in landfill leachate as a significant but underappreciated source of environmental contamination, covering detection methods, particle characteristics (type, size, color, shape), and the health and environmental risks of landfill leachate that enters groundwater and surface water.

2025 Journal of Environmental Management
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in landfill leachate - characteristics and common methods of identification

This review characterized microplastics in landfill leachate, covering their physical and chemical properties and the common analytical methods used for identification. Around 40% of global plastic waste ends up in landfills, making leachate a significant but understudied pathway for microplastic release into groundwater and surrounding environments.

2024 Environmental engineering 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Risk assessment of microplastics contamination in soil and leachate from different ages of landfill

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in soils and leachate collection ponds at a landfill site in Thailand, examining how the physical and chemical characteristics of microplastics — including abundance, morphology, size, and polymer type — evolve across landfill sections of different ages. The study found that microplastic properties change significantly with landfill age, highlighting landfills as important sources of environmental microplastic pollution with implications for leachate treatment.

2024
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in municipal solid waste landfill leachate and their removal in treatment units: A perspective of controlled and uncontrolled landfills

This study measured microplastic contamination in liquid waste (leachate) from two landfill sites in India, finding polyethylene and polypropylene as the most common types. Controlled landfills with treatment systems removed some microplastics, but significant amounts still escaped into the surrounding environment. The findings highlight landfills as an overlooked source of microplastic pollution that can contaminate nearby soil, rivers, and groundwater used by communities.

2025 Environmental Pollution 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Analysis on microplastics in dug wells around Tamangapa Landfills, Makassar City, Indonesia

Researchers determined microplastic abundance in dug wells within 1 km of the Tamangapa Landfill in Makassar, Indonesia, finding that fibers (72%) and fragments (28%) were the dominant forms, with microplastic sizes ranging from 0.069 mm to 4.459 mm, suggesting landfill proximity as a contamination source.

2021 Gaceta Sanitaria 40 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic distribution in monitoring well water in the final landfill area Putri Cempo Surakarta Indonesia

Researchers sampled groundwater from seven monitoring wells around a landfill in Surakarta, Indonesia, finding microplastic concentrations ranging from 320 to 1,960 particles per liter. Polystyrene, polycarbonate, and polypropylene fragments dominated the samples, confirming that landfills are a significant source of microplastic contamination in groundwater that communities depend on for drinking water.

2026 Journal of Ecological Engineering
Article Tier 2

Spatiotemporal distribution and ecological hazards of microplastic pollution in soil water resources around a wastewater treatment plant and municipal solid waste site

Researchers mapped the spatial and seasonal distribution of microplastics in soil, water, and sediment near a wastewater treatment plant and municipal landfill in northern India. They found elevated microplastic concentrations in leachate and areas immediately surrounding both facilities, with seasonal variations in contamination levels. The study highlights that both wastewater treatment plants and solid waste sites serve as significant local sources of microplastic pollution to surrounding environments.

2025 Journal of Contaminant Hydrology 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigation of Microplastics and Microplastic Communities in Three Waterbody Basin Soils of Thiruvananthapuram District, Kerala, India

A survey of three waterbody basin soils in Kerala, India found microplastics in all samples, with particle shapes including flakes, fragments, filaments, and fibers ranging from 0.3 to 4.7 mm. The polymers identified — HDPE, LDPE, PP, PET, PS, and nylon — reflect common plastic waste, with the highest concentrations near urban areas, indicating land-based human activity as the primary contamination source.

2023 Research Square (Research Square) 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Landfill Environments: Distribution, Characteristics, and Risks from Gampong Jawa, Indonesia

Researchers examined microplastic distribution across soil, leachate, river water, and well water surrounding a landfill in Gampong Jawa, Indonesia. They found alarmingly high concentrations in well water (up to 979 particles per liter) and soil (over 23,000 particles per kilogram), with fragments, fibers, and films being the most common types. The study demonstrates that landfills are significant sources of microplastic contamination that can spread to surrounding communities through water and soil pathways.

2024 Aceh International Journal of Science and Technology 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution from active and inactive landfill in Indonesia: Case study in Leuwigajah and Sarimukti Landfill

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in leachate from both an active landfill (Sarimukti) and an inactive landfill (Leuwigajah) in Indonesia, finding microplastic concentrations ranging from 12.00 to 56.33 particles per liter. FTIR analysis identified polypropylene and polyester as the dominant polymer types, with fiber shapes most prevalent, confirming landfill leachate as a significant source of environmental microplastic pollution.

2024 E3S Web of Conferences 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Fate and Transport of Microplastics from Water Sources

Researchers analysed microplastics in surface water, groundwater, and bottled drinking water near Chennai, India, detecting 66 particles of fibrous and fragmented shapes across all sample types. SEM-EDX analysis confirmed the presence of heavy metals including chromium, titanium, and barium adhered to microplastic surfaces, while FTIR identified polyethylene terephthalate and polyamide as the dominant polymer types.

2019 Current Science 72 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification of microplastics from urban informal solid waste landfill soil; MP associations with COD and chloride

Researchers identified microplastic concentrations of 180–1,120 particles per kilogram of soil in an urban informal landfill in India, with fragments and fibers as the dominant shapes, and found that microplastic presence altered key soil properties including conductivity and moisture content.

2022 Water Science & Technology 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Human health risk perspective study on characterization, quantification and spatial distribution of microplastics in surface water, groundwater and coastal sediments of thickly populated Chennai coast of South India

Researchers characterized microplastics in surface water, groundwater, and coastal sediments along Chennai's densely populated coast in South India, finding widespread contamination with fibers as the dominant shape and identifying urban proximity as a key factor in microplastic abundance.

2022 Human and Ecological Risk Assessment An International Journal 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro-plastics in the Vicinity of an Urban Solid Waste Management Facility in India: Assessment and Policy Implications

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination near an open waste dumping site in Kochi, India, finding an average of 100 microplastic pieces per 100 g of river sediment and 178 pieces per 100 g of topsoil, with polyethylene the dominant polymer type identified via ATR-FTIR analysis, confirming that unscientific solid waste disposal significantly elevates riverine microplastic pollution.

2022 Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill: A source of microplastics? -Evidence of microplastics in landfill leachate

Leachate from four active and two closed municipal solid waste landfills was analyzed for microplastics, finding 0.42–24.58 items/L across all 12 samples with 17 polymer types identified and polyethylene and polypropylene as dominant types. The study provides direct evidence that landfills release microplastics to the environment through leachate and identifies them as a significant but understudied pollution source.

2019 Water Research 827 citations
Article Tier 2

Contamination, morphological and chemical characterization, and hazard risk analyses of microplastics in drinking water sourced from groundwater in a developing nation

Researchers analyzed groundwater from six coastal districts in a developing nation and found widespread microplastic contamination, with fibers and fragments of polyethylene and polypropylene being the most common types. Since groundwater is the primary drinking water source in many developing countries, this contamination represents a direct pathway for microplastic ingestion by millions of people.

2024 Frontiers in Environmental Science 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification of Microplastics Using µ-Raman Spectroscopy in Surface and Groundwater Bodies of SE Attica, Greece

Scientists found microplastics in both surface water and groundwater samples across southeastern Greece, with shallow wells containing far more particles than deeper sources. Four common plastic types were identified: polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, and PET. The detection of microplastics even in deeper groundwater suggests these particles can migrate through soil layers, raising concerns about contamination of drinking water sources.

2024 Water 32 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic and POP contamination in rural waste-dumping sites, India

Researchers collected soil and water samples from unregulated waste-dumping sites in rural Tamil Nadu, India, finding microplastics in all samples, with polypropylene and polyethylene as the dominant polymers, raising concerns about contamination of drinking water and agricultural land.

2025 Frontiers in Environmental Science
Article Tier 2

Distribution and transport of microplastics in groundwater (Shiraz aquifer, southwest Iran)

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in groundwater from an alluvial aquifer in a semi-arid region of Iran. They identified microplastics in all sampled wells, with fibers and fragments being the most common shapes and polyethylene the dominant polymer type. The study demonstrates that groundwater, an important source of drinking water, is not immune to microplastic contamination and calls for more research on transport mechanisms in subsurface environments.

2022 Water Research 84 citations