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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to First evidence of microplastics in a freshwater river and their relationship to water quality
ClearMicroplastics in river water: occurrence, weathering, and adsorption behaviour
Researchers examined microplastics in river water, characterizing their occurrence, degree of weathering, and capacity to adsorb co-contaminants. The study highlights microplastics as vectors that can transport and re-release other pollutants in freshwater systems.
Microplastic pollution in aquatic environments with special emphasis on riverine systems: Current understanding and way forward
This review examines microplastic pollution in freshwater riverine systems, which serve as a critical link between terrestrial and marine environments. Researchers found that rivers are significantly contaminated with microplastics of varying sizes and morphologies, and that these particles can exhibit variable toxicity to aquatic organisms, highlighting the need for more research on freshwater microplastic impacts.
Microplastics in lakes and rivers: an issue of emerging significance to limnology
Researchers found that microplastic concentrations in freshwater lakes and rivers can exceed those of living organisms like zooplankton, with sediment levels matching the most contaminated marine sites, establishing microplastics as a significant issue for limnology.
Microplastic pollution differences in freshwater river according to stream order: Insights from spatial distribution, annual load, and ecological assessment
Researchers compared microplastic pollution levels in a freshwater river across different land-use zones, finding higher concentrations near urban and agricultural areas than in forested regions. Fiber-type microplastics were predominant across all sampling locations.
Sources, Occurrence, and Analysis of Microplastics in Freshwater Environments
This review summarizes current knowledge on microplastic sources and occurrence in freshwater environments, noting that freshwater systems are major conduits delivering microplastics to the ocean. The review highlights that freshwater microplastic research lags far behind marine studies despite rivers and lakes being primary pollution pathways.
Spatial distribution of microplastic pollution and its relation to pollution index-based water quality status in Progo River, Indonesia
Researchers mapped microplastic distribution along Indonesia's heavily polluted Progo River, finding 75 to 436 plastic particles per cubic meter of water and showing that lower oxygen levels, higher organic pollution, and faster water flow all correlated with higher microplastic concentrations — evidence that plastic particles actively degrade river water quality.
Abundance, Distribution and Drivers of Microplastic Contaminant in Urban River Environments
Researchers surveyed microplastic distribution in urban river environments and identified key drivers of accumulation hotspots, finding that land use, hydrology, and infrastructure factors concentrated microplastics at predictable locations that could inform targeted management interventions.
Assessment, characterization, and quantification of microplastics from river sediments
Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in sediments from 14 sites along the Kaveri River in South India, characterizing particle types, sizes, and polymer compositions to quantify the extent of microplastic pollution in this freshwater system.
Direkte Mikro- und Makroplastiktransportmessungen an großen und mittleren Flüssen sowie im Ablauf von Kläranlagen
This German-language study presents direct measurements of micro- and macroplastic transport in large and medium-sized rivers as well as wastewater treatment plant effluents. It addresses a research gap in freshwater plastic transport quantification, providing empirical data on how rivers carry plastics toward marine environments.
Microplastics meet micropollutants in a central european river stream: Adsorption of pollutants to microplastics under environmentally relevant conditions
Researchers investigated how microplastics adsorb organic micropollutants in a Central European river under real-world conditions. They found that aged microplastics showed higher adsorption capacity for contaminants compared to pristine ones, and that the type of plastic material influenced which pollutants were absorbed. The findings suggest that microplastics in rivers can act as carriers for harmful chemicals, potentially spreading contamination through aquatic ecosystems.
Microplastic is an Abundant and Distinct Microbial Habitat in an Urban River
Researchers demonstrated that microplastic surfaces in an urban river host a microbial community that is distinct from surrounding water and sediment communities, establishing microplastic as an abundant and ecologically distinct habitat for river microorganisms.
Anthropogenic Litter in Urban Freshwater Ecosystems: Distribution and Microbial Interactions
Researchers quantified anthropogenic litter in urban rivers and streams and found that microplastics dominated by mass and particle count compared to macroplastic items. The study highlights urban freshwater systems as major conduits for plastic pollution moving toward marine environments and documents distinct microbial communities on plastic surfaces.
Occurrence of microplastic pollution in rivers globally: Driving factors of distribution and ecological risk assessment
Researchers constructed a global dataset of microplastic pollution across 862 river water and 445 sediment samples, identifying population density, GDP, and plastic waste generation as key driving factors of riverine microplastic distribution and ecological risk.
Microplastics Are Contaminants of Emerging Concern in Freshwater Environments: An Overview
This overview examines the emerging problem of microplastic contamination in freshwater environments, covering sources, occurrence, and potential effects on aquatic ecosystems. The authors discuss how microplastics enter lakes and rivers through wastewater treatment plants, runoff, and degradation of larger plastic debris. The review highlights that freshwater microplastic pollution deserves the same research attention as marine contamination, given that rivers serve as major transport pathways for plastics reaching the ocean.
Microplastic in surface waters of urban rivers: concentration, sources, and associated bacterial assemblages
Researchers measured microplastic levels in the surface waters of the Chicago River and its urban tributaries, finding concentrations as high as 1.94 particles per cubic meter near wastewater outflows. They discovered that microplastic fibers and pellets were often colonized by bacterial communities distinct from those in the surrounding water. The study provides early evidence that urban rivers are significant conduits for microplastic pollution and that these particles may serve as rafts for microorganisms.
Influence of wastewater treatment plant discharges on microplastic concentrations in surface water
This study measured microplastic concentrations upstream and downstream of wastewater treatment plant discharges in a freshwater river and found elevated concentrations below discharge points. The findings confirm that wastewater treatment plants, even when functioning properly, act as point sources of microplastic pollution to freshwater systems.
Characteristics, Contamination Levels, and Ecosystem Risk Assessment of Microplastics in Surface Water of a Highly Urbanized River from a Developing Country
Researchers characterized microplastic contamination in an urban river near a megacity in a developing country, finding concentrations of 350 to 660 particles per cubic meter of water. Polyethylene and polypropylene from household and municipal waste were the most common types, and a risk assessment found concerning contamination levels at several sampling sites. The study highlights how rivers in developing nations can serve as major pathways for microplastics to reach the ocean and enter the food chain.
Assessment of Microplastic Pollution in River Ecosystems: Effect of Land Use and Biotic Indices
Researchers analyzed microplastic pollution in Spanish river ecosystems and found that concentrations in both water and sediment were strongly linked to surrounding urban land use. They discovered that traditional water quality assessments based on biological indicators do not capture microplastic contamination effectively. The study suggests that new monitoring approaches are needed to account for this emerging pollutant in river health evaluations.
Identification and Quantification of Microplastic Pollution in Water Samples and Four Species of Fish from the Mississippi River
Microplastics were found in water samples and in four fish species from the Mississippi River, the largest North American river draining a densely populated watershed. The findings confirm that one of the world's major river systems is contaminated with microplastics, which are likely entering the Gulf of Mexico.
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.
Correlation Analysis of Water Quality and Microplastic Identification in the North Coast Area of Situbondo
Researchers assessed water quality and identified microplastics in a river in North Kalimantan, Indonesia, finding correlations between water quality parameters and microplastic abundance and characterizing the dominant polymer types and morphologies present.
Microplastic distribution and their abundance along rivers are determined by land uses and sediment granulometry
Researchers studied two river watersheds and found that microplastics were widespread in both water and sediment, with concentrations in water rising alongside increased urban land use. Interestingly, microplastics trapped in sediment were more influenced by the grain size of the riverbed than by human activity. The findings suggest that both human factors and natural river characteristics work together to shape where microplastics end up in freshwater systems.
Microplastic concentrations in river water and bed sediments in a tropical river: implications for water quality monitoring
Researchers found that microplastic concentrations in a tropical Malaysian river averaged 3.12 particles/L in water and 6,027 particles/m² in bed sediments, with high within-site variability and poor correlation between water and sediment contamination levels, complicating monitoring strategies.
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.