Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastics removal from stormwater runoff by bioretention cells: A review

This review examines the potential of bioretention cells, a type of green infrastructure, to remove microplastics from stormwater runoff. Researchers analyzed how these systems filter microplastics through soil media and vegetation and identified the key design parameters that affect removal efficiency. The study suggests that bioretention cells offer a promising nature-based solution for reducing microplastic loads entering waterways from urban areas.

2024 Journal of Environmental Sciences 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterization and microbial mechanism of pollutant removal from stormwater runoff in the composite filler bioretention system

Researchers evaluated a composite filler bioretention system for stormwater runoff treatment, finding that the system effectively removed nutrients, heavy metals, and suspended solids, with microbial community structure playing a key role in pollutant removal mechanisms.

2024 Water Reuse 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Bioretention cells remove microplastics from urban stormwater

A 2-year field study characterized microplastics in urban stormwater runoff and measured how effectively a bioretention cell (a low-impact development infrastructure) removed them. The bioretention cell significantly reduced microplastic concentrations in stormwater, demonstrating its potential as a mitigation strategy for urban runoff-driven microplastic pollution.

2020 Water Research 199 citations
Article Tier 2

Analysis of Bioretention Capability in Removing Microplastic Particles from Stormwater

This study tested the ability of bioretention systems (vegetated stormwater gardens) to remove microplastic particles from stormwater, finding effective removal across multiple particle sizes and types. Bioretention infrastructure shows promise as a practical tool for preventing microplastics from stormwater runoff from reaching rivers and coastal waters.

2023 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics: The Occurrence in Stormwater Runoff and the Effectiveness of Bioretention Systems for Removal

Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in stormwater runoff and tested the removal efficiency of bioretention systems including green roofs, bioswales, and bioretention cells, finding that these green infrastructure systems can significantly reduce microplastic loads before they reach surface waters. The study provides baseline data on stormwater as a microplastic transport pathway and evaluates a nature-based treatment solution.

2023 Journal of Environmental Engineering 15 citations
Article Tier 2

[Removal Mechanism of Microplastics in Bioretention Systems and the Influence of Their Enrichment on the Treatment of Pollutants in the System].

Researchers reviewed how bioretention systems, a low-impact stormwater management strategy, can remove microplastics from urban runoff through adsorption, filtration, and biodegradation. However, because microplastics resist degradation and have large surface areas, they tend to accumulate in these systems over time, forming composite pollution with other contaminants. The study found that microplastic accumulation altered soil properties, impeded plant growth, and reduced the system's ability to remove nutrients, particularly dissolved nitrogen.

2026 PubMed
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of Biochar as an Amendment for the Removal of Metals, Nutrients, and Microplastics in Bioretention Systems

This study evaluated biochar as an amendment to bioretention soil media for removing metals, nutrients, and microplastics from stormwater runoff. Results showed that biochar improved contaminant removal across all three pollutant classes compared to unamended soil media, supporting its use in green stormwater infrastructure.

2024 Journal of Environmental Engineering 8 citations
Article Tier 2

A closer look at Toronto's water quality control design criteria for bioretention cells

This engineering study evaluated water quality performance and cost-effectiveness of bioretention cells at different design sizes in Toronto, finding that the current design standard of capturing the 90th percentile storm (25 mm) is likely too conservative and not cost-efficient. A lower design threshold could maintain similar pollutant removal while significantly reducing construction costs.

2023 Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering 2 citations
Article Tier 2

The interaction of microplastic and heavy metal in bioretention cell: Contributions of water-soil-plant system

Researchers investigated how polyethylene microplastics interact with heavy metals in bioretention cells designed to treat stormwater runoff. They found that microplastics bind to heavy metals and influence their movement through the water-soil-plant system, affecting overall pollutant removal efficiency. The study provides important insights into how the co-presence of microplastics and metals in urban runoff complicates green infrastructure performance.

2024 Environmental Pollution 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Improving stormwater quality for microplastic (25 – 106 µm) using a bioretention cell

This study evaluated how a bioretention cell (a vegetated stormwater filter system) removes small microplastic particles from stormwater runoff. Bioretention systems show promise as low-cost, nature-based approaches to capturing microplastics before they enter streams and drinking water supplies.

2023 HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe)
Article Tier 2

The ability of selected filter materials in removing nutrients, metals, and microplastics from stormwater in biofilter structures

A laboratory experiment tested several filter materials in a biofilter structure for their ability to remove nutrients, metals, total suspended solids, and microplastics from roadside stormwater. The study demonstrated that ecologically based biofilter designs can capture multiple contaminant types from urban runoff.

2021 Journal of Environmental Quality 55 citations
Article Tier 2

Field assessment of engineered bioretention as microplastics sink through site characterization and hydrologic modeling

A field study of bioretention cells — garden-like stormwater filters used in green infrastructure — found that their soils contained 7 to 10 times more microplastics than background soils, with polypropylene and polyethylene dominating. This confirms that bioretention systems are effective at capturing microplastics from urban runoff, but it also raises questions about what happens to the accumulated plastic over time and whether it eventually leaches back into groundwater.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics Characterization in Stormwater: Pavement Source Evaluation and Treatment Efficiency of a Bioretention Cell

Researchers characterised microplastics in stormwater from pavement sources and evaluated the treatment efficiency of a bioretention cell, finding that pavement surfaces contribute substantially to microplastic loading and that bioretention can reduce particle concentrations.

2024 TSpace
Article Tier 2

High Rate Stormwater Treatment for Water Reuse and Conservation—Review

This review examined high-rate stormwater treatment technologies including vegetated biofilters, green roofs, wetlands, and engineered filtration systems, finding that innovations in filter media and retention design can significantly improve contaminant removal for water reuse in the face of increasing urban flooding.

2025 Applied Sciences 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Bioretention cells remove microplastics in the 25 – 106 micron size fraction

This study found that bioretention cells (green infrastructure stormwater filters) effectively remove microplastics in the 25 to 106 micron size range from stormwater runoff. Bioretention cells represent a promising green infrastructure approach for intercepting microplastics before they reach streams and rivers.

2023 HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe)
Article Tier 2

Small-Size Microplastics in Urban Stormwater Runoff are Efficiently Trapped in a Bioretention Cell

Researchers conducted a two-year field study showing that bioretention cells, a type of green stormwater infrastructure, effectively captured microplastics as small as 25 micrometers from urban runoff. The system retained over 80 percent of small microplastics, with fibers and fragments being the most commonly trapped types. The findings suggest that existing urban green infrastructure can serve double duty as a practical tool for reducing microplastic pollution in waterways.

2024 ACS ES&T Water 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Green Walls as Mitigation of Urban Air Pollution: A Review of Their Effectiveness

This review assessed the effectiveness of green walls (living walls and green facades) for mitigating urban air pollution, finding that while vegetation can capture particulates and absorb gaseous pollutants, effectiveness varies considerably with plant species, wall design, and local conditions.

2023 Research in Ecology 21 citations
Article Tier 2

The Occurrence and Removal of Microplastics from Stormwater Using Green Infrastructure

This review examines microplastic occurrence in urban stormwater and the potential of green infrastructure — particularly bioretention systems and constructed wetlands — to capture and remove plastic particles before they reach surface water bodies.

2025 Water 3 citations
Article Tier 2

The role of different sustainable urban drainage systems in removing microplastics from urban runoff: A review

Researchers reviewed how nature-based drainage systems like wetlands, bioretention gardens, and permeable pavements can filter microplastics from urban stormwater runoff. These systems capture a significant portion of plastic particles, though smaller fibers remain the hardest to remove, and standardizing detection methods is still needed to compare results globally.

2023 Journal of Cleaner Production 41 citations
Review Tier 2

Modelling microplastics in bioretention systems: A review

This review examines existing mathematical models for describing microplastic transport, removal, and fragmentation within bioretention systems used for urban stormwater management. The authors identify gaps in mechanistic understanding of how microplastics move through engineered porous media and how they affect the hydrology and performance of these low-impact development systems.

2024 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic pollution risks in bioretention systems: a case study

Researchers investigated plastic pollution in urban stormwater bioretention systems and found these green infrastructure features both accumulate microplastics from road runoff and risk leaching plastic particles into groundwater, raising concerns about their role as pollution pathways.

2022 Environmental Technology 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance, distribution, and composition of microplastics in the filter media of nine aged stormwater bioretention systems

Researchers analyzed microplastic abundance and distribution in the filter media of nine aged stormwater bioretention systems, finding that these green infrastructure installations accumulate significant microplastic loads, with particles distributed throughout the filter depth rather than concentrating at the surface.

2023 Chemosphere 32 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

A Review on the Application of Granular Filter Media and the Utilization of Agro-industrial Wastes for Stormwater Quality Improvement

This systematic review found that granular filter media including sand, biochar, and agro-industrial waste materials effectively remove heavy metals, nutrients, and suspended solids from stormwater runoff. Agricultural waste materials like coconut coir and rice husk showed promising performance as low-cost filter alternatives. These filtration approaches are relevant to microplastic pollution because stormwater is a major transport pathway for microplastics from urban surfaces to waterways, and granular filters can potentially capture microplastic particles.

2021 Jurnal Teknologi 8 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Microplastics and nanoplastics in stormwater management engineered porous media systems: a systematic review of their sources, transport, retention, and removal characteristics

This systematic review summarizes how engineered stormwater systems like rain gardens and biofilters capture and retain microplastics and nanoplastics. The findings show these systems can effectively reduce plastic particles in stormwater runoff, which matters because untreated stormwater is a major pathway for microplastics to enter the rivers and lakes that supply our drinking water.

2025 Environmental Science Advances