Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastics in freshwater sediment: A review on methods, occurrence, and sources

This review synthesizes methods, occurrence data, and sources of microplastics in freshwater sediments, comparing approaches and providing recommendations for standardized sampling and analysis to fill knowledge gaps relative to marine research.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 480 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Microplastic contamination, an emerging threat to the freshwater environment: a systematic review

Researchers systematically reviewed the spread of microplastics in freshwater ecosystems — rivers, lakes, and streams — documenting their sources, how they move through water, the damage they cause to aquatic organisms, and the methods used to detect them. Their review serves as a baseline reference for future research and calls for improved waste management to protect freshwater environments from ongoing microplastic contamination.

2024 ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS RESEARCH 98 citations
Review Tier 2

Microplastics in freshwater systems: A review of the emerging threats, identification of knowledge gaps and prioritisation of research needs

This review synthesizes the growing body of research on microplastic contamination in freshwater rivers, lakes, and sediments, which has received far less attention than marine environments. Researchers found that freshwater microplastic concentrations can rival or exceed those reported in ocean studies, particularly near urban and industrial areas. The study identifies critical knowledge gaps including the lack of standardized sampling methods and limited understanding of how microplastics affect freshwater organisms and ecosystems.

2015 Water Research 2541 citations
Review Tier 2

A Review of Microplastics in Freshwater Environments: Locations, Methods, and Pollution Loads

This review chapter summarizes global research on microplastics in freshwater environments, covering detection locations, sampling methods, and pollution levels. Because many freshwater bodies serve as drinking water sources, understanding where microplastics occur and in what quantities is critical for assessing risks to human health.

2020 ACS symposium series 19 citations
Review Tier 2

Microplastics in ecosystems: Critical review of occurrence, distribution, toxicity, fate, transport, and advances in experimental and computational studies in surface and subsurface water

This review provides a broad overview of microplastic contamination across freshwater, marine, and land environments, finding concentrations ranging from negligible to hundreds of thousands of particles per kilogram of sediment. The most common types are polypropylene, polystyrene, polyethylene, and PET, spread by wastewater discharge, stormwater runoff, and poor waste management. The wide variability in contamination levels makes it difficult to assess overall risk to ecosystems and human health.

2024 Journal of Environmental Management 39 citations
Article Tier 2

A Global Perspective on Microplastic Occurrence in Sediments and Water with a Special Focus on Sources, Analytical Techniques, Health Risks, and Remediation Technologies

This global review covers microplastic sources, distribution in water and sediment, analytical detection methods, health risks, and cleanup technologies. The authors highlight that microplastics absorb toxic chemicals from their surroundings and can transfer those pollutants to organisms that ingest them. The review calls for standardized detection methods and more research on the long-term health effects of microplastic exposure in humans.

2023 Water 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in sediments: A review of techniques, occurrence and effects

This review examined techniques, occurrence data, and ecological effects of microplastics in sediments, synthesizing evidence that sediments act as a major long-term repository for microplastic contamination in both freshwater and marine systems.

2015 Marine Environmental Research 1190 citations
Article Tier 2

Emerging threats and persistent conservation challenges for freshwater biodiversity

This review provides a comprehensive overview of microplastic pollution in freshwater environments, covering sources, distribution, and ecological impacts in rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. Researchers found that freshwater microplastic contamination is widespread globally but that standardized sampling and analysis methods are still lacking. The study calls for more consistent research approaches so that contamination levels across different water bodies can be meaningfully compared.

2018 Biological reviews/Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society 3293 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in water resources: Global pollution circle, possible technological solutions, legislations, and future horizon

This review summarizes the global scope of microplastic contamination in water and sediment, finding levels that vary enormously -- from near zero to thousands of particles per sample. Microplastics absorb other pollutants from their surroundings, potentially concentrating harmful chemicals, and they infiltrate food chains from the smallest organisms upward. The authors call for stronger legislation and a combination of technological innovation, recycling, and public awareness to address this widespread threat to ecosystems and human health.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 29 citations
Review Tier 2

Microplastics as contaminants in freshwater environments: A multidisciplinary review

This multidisciplinary review covers microplastic sources, abundance, composition, transport, and biological effects in freshwater systems globally, arguing that freshwater environments are both major conduits and sinks for microplastic pollution.

2020 Ecohydrology & Hydrobiology 85 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics influencing aquatic environment and human health: A review of source, determination, distribution, removal, degradation, management strategy and future perspective

This review paper provides a broad summary of microplastic pollution in water environments, covering where they come from, how to detect them, how they spread, and how to remove them. The authors emphasize that microplastics persist for extremely long periods in water and can harm both aquatic life and human health, calling for better management strategies worldwide.

2025 Journal of Environmental Management 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in aquatic ecosystems: Detection, source tracing, and sustainable management strategies

This review paper summarizes what we know about microplastics in water environments, including how they spread, how to detect them, and how to manage the problem. It highlights that microplastics can carry toxic substances and calls for stronger global policies and new cleanup methods like biodegradation to protect ecosystems and human health.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in the Aquatic Environment: Overview of the Problem and Current Research Areas

This review summarizes the current state of microplastic research in aquatic environments, covering sources, distribution, ecological impacts, and knowledge gaps. The paper identifies priority research areas needed to better understand and manage microplastic contamination in water bodies.

2023 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in the freshwater and terrestrial environments: Prevalence, fates, impacts and sustainable solutions

This review analyzed over 100 studies on microplastic pollution in freshwater and terrestrial environments, which have received less research attention than marine settings. Researchers found that wastewater treatment plants are the most significant source of environmental microplastics through both sludge application and effluent discharge. The study highlights how microplastics move between land and water systems, enter food chains, and interact with both living organisms and soil chemistry.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 644 citations
Article Tier 2

Freshwater microplastics governance and sustainable development: Pollution status, interactions, policies, and prospective studies

This review examines 20 years of research on microplastic pollution in freshwater environments, covering pollution status, interactions with other contaminants, and governance policies across multiple countries. The study suggests that while various policy frameworks exist for reducing microplastic sources and improving waste management, more coordinated monitoring and evaluation efforts are needed to effectively address freshwater microplastic contamination.

2024 Desalination and Water Treatment 3 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Microplastics in African freshwater sediments: A systematic review of characteristics, abundance and analytical methods

This systematic review examines microplastic contamination in African freshwater sediments. The research found highly variable microplastic levels across different water systems, with fibers and fragments being the most common types. Freshwater contamination is a concern for human health because many African communities depend directly on rivers and lakes for drinking water and fish.

2025 Cleaner Water 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Freshwater Ecosystems in India: A Comprehensive Review

This review examines the occurrence, sources, and ecological risks of microplastics across freshwater ecosystems in India, synthesizing current literature on contamination levels in rivers, lakes, and other inland water bodies.

2025 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND ANALYTICAL REVIEWS
Article Tier 2

Micro Plastic Contamination: A Comprehensive Review of Risks and Sustainable Solutions

This comprehensive review examines the sources, environmental fate, ecological impacts, and potential sustainable solutions for microplastic contamination, summarizing evidence for MP effects on aquatic organisms and discussing physical, chemical, and biological strategies to reduce pollution.

2025 Oriental Journal Of Chemistry
Article Tier 2

Distribution of microplastics in soil and freshwater environments: Global analysis and framework for transport modeling

Researchers analyzed microplastic concentrations reported across 196 studies from 49 countries and found that levels in soils, sediments, and surface water can vary by up to eight orders of magnitude. The study suggests that inland sources like urban stormwater carry concentrations up to 100 times higher than rivers transporting microplastics to coastal areas, and that only 20% of studies captured particles below 20 micrometers, meaning actual contamination may be significantly underestimated.

2021 Environmental Pollution 403 citations
Review Tier 2

Freshwater Pollution by Microplastics: Sources, Consequences and Mitigation Strategies (literature Review)

This review covers freshwater microplastic pollution, examining sources including agricultural runoff, wastewater effluent, and atmospheric deposition, along with ecological consequences and available mitigation strategies. The authors emphasize that effective freshwater microplastic management requires integrated approaches spanning wastewater treatment improvement, source reduction, and improved plastic waste management.

2024 NNC RK Bulletin