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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Estimated discharge of microplastics via urban stormwater during individual rain events
ClearMicroplastic emission characteristics of stormwater runoff in an urban area: Intra-event variability and influencing factors
Researchers found that stormwater runoff from both industrial and residential urban catchments contained substantial microplastics (54–639 particles per liter), with polypropylene and polyethylene dominating, and that microplastic concentrations peaked early in rain events following longer dry periods.
Stormwater runoff microplastics: Polymer types, particle size, and factors controlling loading rates
Researchers characterized microplastics in stormwater runoff samples collected at urban outfall locations. The study identified 17 different polymer types across various storm events, with concentrations around 0.99 particles per liter for the 500-1000 micrometer size range, and found that rainfall intensity and land use were key factors controlling microplastic loading rates.
Microplastic emission characteristics of stormwater runoff in an urban area: Intra-event variability and influencing factors
Researchers investigated microplastic emission characteristics in urban stormwater runoff from industrial and residential catchments. Microplastics were detected in concentrations of 54 to 639 particles per liter, with polypropylene and polyethylene being the dominant polymers and fragments the most common shape, and concentrations were higher after longer dry periods.
Microplastics and microfibers in urban runoff from a suburban catchment of Greater Paris
Researchers collected stormwater runoff samples from a suburban catchment in Greater Paris across multiple rain events and found significant concentrations of microplastics and microfibers, with concentrations varying substantially between events and correlating with rainfall intensity and catchment dry-weather duration.
Change in microplastic concentration during various temporal events downstream of a combined sewage overflow and in an urban stormwater creek
Researchers examined how microplastic concentrations in urban waterways changed during rain events, snowmelt, and combined sewage overflow episodes, finding that stormwater runoff and sewer overflows substantially increase microplastic loads, with event type and intensity influencing concentration patterns.
Abundance, composition and fluxes of plastic debris and other macrolitter in urban runoff in a suburban catchment of Greater Paris
Researchers quantified plastic debris composition and fluxes in stormwater runoff from a suburban Paris catchment, finding plastics comprised over 60% of macrolitter and estimating that separate sewer systems in the greater Paris area discharge 8–33 tons of plastic debris into the environment annually, establishing urban stormwater as a significant but poorly studied pathway for plastic pollution.
Microplastic sampling strategies in urban drainage systems for quantification of urban emissions based on transport pathways
Researchers developed and applied microplastic sampling strategies across an entire urban municipal catchment under both dry and wet weather conditions, finding that wastewater treatment plants remove over 96% of microplastics but still emit 189 kg per year, while wet-weather emissions from high-traffic subcatchments reached 1,952 grams per population equivalent per year, far exceeding dry-weather levels.
Urban Stormwater Runoff: A Major Pathway for Anthropogenic Particles, Black Rubbery Fragments, and Other Types of Microplastics to Urban Receiving Waters
Researchers quantified microplastics in urban stormwater runoff from 12 watersheds surrounding San Francisco Bay and found concentrations ranging from 1.1 to 24.6 particles per liter, much higher than typical wastewater treatment plant effluent. The study suggests that stormwater runoff is a major and underappreciated pathway for microplastics and other anthropogenic particles to enter urban waterways.
Microplastic Pollution in Stormwater: Preliminary Findings from the Oregon Coast
Researchers collected stormwater samples and analyzed them for microplastic content, providing preliminary findings on particle abundance, types, and size distributions in urban stormwater runoff. The results confirm stormwater as a significant pathway for microplastics from land surfaces into receiving water bodies.
Characterizing microplastics in urban runoff: A multi-land use assessment with a focus on 1–125 μm size particles
Researchers collected stormwater runoff from three different urban land use types and found microplastics present across all sites, with significant variation in polymer types depending on the area. By using multiple detection techniques, they were able to identify particles as small as 1 micrometer, revealing that the smallest size fractions dominated the total count. The study emphasizes that urban runoff is a major pathway for microplastic pollution reaching waterways.
Microplastics in urban stormwater sediments and runoff: An essential component in the microplastic cycle
This review systematically analyzed microplastic contamination in urban stormwater runoff and sediments, finding concentrations that varied enormously across global studies. Researchers found that stormwater is a major but underappreciated pathway for delivering microplastics to rivers, lakes, and oceans. The study highlights that better stormwater management practices are needed to reduce this significant source of aquatic microplastic pollution.
Microplastics discharged from urban drainage system: Prominent contribution of sewer overflow pollution
Researchers evaluated the abundance and distribution of microplastics in urban drainage systems in coastal Chinese cities, with a focus on sewer overflow events during storms. The study found that overflow pollution during wet weather is a prominent contributor to microplastic discharge into urban water bodies, with meteorological conditions and land use patterns significantly influencing microplastic transport and release.
Microplastic contamination in urban aquatic environments: Occurrence characteristics in urban streams and stormwater runoff from urban surfaces
Researchers examined microplastic contamination in urban streams and stormwater runoff across different seasons and found that wastewater treatment plant discharges were a major source during dry weather. During rainy periods, stormwater runoff from roads and rooftops contributed additional microplastics, predominantly fibers and fragments. The study highlights that urban water systems receive microplastic pollution from multiple pathways year-round.
Microplastics in stormwater runoff: case study Vitsippsbäcken
This Swedish thesis quantified microplastic concentrations in stormwater runoff from a small urban catchment, finding that stormwater is a significant pathway for delivering microplastics to freshwater systems. Urban stormwater runoff is increasingly recognized as a major and underregulated source of microplastic pollution.
Microplastics in Urban Watersheds, Southern California, USA
This study characterized microplastic transport in urban watersheds of Southern California across a range of storm and dry weather flow conditions. Microplastic concentrations were highest during initial storm events as accumulated plastics were flushed from urban surfaces. The findings highlight stormwater runoff from urban areas as a major driver of microplastic transport to the marine environment.
Microplastic pollution in sediments of urban rainwater drainage system
Researchers found microplastics in all sediment samples from a university campus rainwater drainage system, with abundances ranging from 80 to 2,610 particles/kg and the highest concentrations in student living areas, suggesting that land use patterns and management practices influence microplastic accumulation in urban stormwater infrastructure.
Stormwater microplastic polymer types, particle sizes, and impact of techniques
Researchers characterised microplastic size distribution, morphology, and polymer profiles in urban stormwater runoff across multiple storm events and assessed how different subsampling techniques affect estimated microplastic concentrations and polymer diversity. The study found that subsampling methodology significantly influences results, highlighting the need for standardised approaches to accurately quantify stormwater as a microplastic pathway into aquatic ecosystems.
Inter-event and intra-event dynamics of microplastic emissions in an urban river during rainfall episodes
Researchers conducted high-frequency sampling of microplastics in a Japanese urban river during three different rainfall events to understand how storms mobilize plastic pollution. They found that rainfall events increased microplastic loads by 4 to 110 times compared to dry weather, with smaller particles mobilizing first during lighter rains and larger particles surging after peak rainfall intensity. The study reveals that storm dynamics play a critical role in determining when and how microplastics are flushed from urban areas into waterways.
Storm events as key moments of microplastic contamination in aquatic ecosystems
Researchers monitored microplastic concentrations in waterways before, during, and after storm events and found that storm-driven runoff caused major spikes in microplastic abundance, identifying storm events as key transport moments that standard monitoring programs typically miss.
Understanding the dynamics of microplastics transport in urban stormwater runoff: Implications for pollution control and management
Researchers modeled how microplastics travel through urban stormwater runoff into water bodies. They found that a microplastic's shape, size, and density strongly influence whether it settles or floats during transport, and that local factors like street slope and surface friction significantly affect how quickly particles reach storm drains. The findings could help cities design better stormwater management strategies to capture microplastics.
Microplastic dynamics at the outlet of a peri-urban catchment over a year of sampling: Effects of hydrological conditions, including an extreme flood event
Researchers monitored microplastic dynamics at the outlet of a peri-urban catchment over one year, examining how hydrological conditions including an extreme flood event influenced MP concentrations and fluxes. The study found that hydrological variability, particularly high-flow events, significantly affected microplastic transport patterns from the catchment.
Dynamics of microplastics in urban rivers under varying hydrological regimes
Monitoring of urban rivers showed that microplastic concentrations fluctuate significantly with varying hydrological conditions such as storm events and seasonal flow changes. Understanding these dynamics is essential for accurately characterizing the river microplastic load and its variability over time.
A Review of Microplastic Pollution Characteristics in Global Urban Freshwater Catchments
This review synthesizes evidence on microplastic pollution characteristics in urban freshwater catchments worldwide, examining sources, concentrations, and transport pathways from terrestrial to marine environments. Researchers found that human activities are the fundamental driver of microplastic pollution and that freshwater catchments serve as critical conduits for microplastic transfer to oceans.
The urban microplastic footprint: investigating the distribution and transport
Researchers investigated the distribution and transport of microplastics within an urban environment, mapping the 'urban microplastic footprint' to understand how city infrastructure and land use patterns drive the spatial distribution and downstream export of plastic particles to receiving water bodies.