Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Characterization and comparison of microplastic occurrence in point and non-point pollution sources

Wastewater, stormwater runoff, and surface water samples from multiple catchment types were compared for microplastic content, with PET dominating in urban and non-point sources while rubber from tire wear dominated highway runoff, and particles smaller than 0.5 mm passing through both wastewater and stormwater treatment systems.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 58 citations
Review Tier 2

Microplastics in urban catchments: Review of sources, pathways, and entry into stormwater

This review examines microplastic sources, transport pathways, and entry mechanisms into urban stormwater systems, identifying atmospheric deposition, tire and road wear particles, and micro-litter as major contributors and highlighting the need for improved source control strategies.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 120 citations
Article Tier 2

Sources, transport, measurement and impact of nano and microplastics in urban watersheds

This review examines what is known about nano and microplastic sources, transport pathways, transformations, and measurement challenges in urban watershed environments, identifying freshwater and terrestrial systems as critically underresearched compared to marine settings. The authors stress that most ocean plastic originates from land, making urban watershed research essential for source control.

2020 Reviews in Environmental Science and Bio/Technology 154 citations
Review Tier 2

Surface Water Pollution Source Identification and Quantification: Literature Review

This literature review covers methods for identifying and quantifying pollution sources in surface water, including heavy metals, microplastics, nutrients, and pathogens. Microplastics are mentioned as one of many contaminants, but this is not a primary microplastics research paper.

2023 American Journal of Water Science and Engineering
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and emission characteristics of microplastics in agricultural surface runoff under different natural rainfall and short-term fertilizer application

Researchers investigated how microplastics travel from agricultural fields into waterways through surface runoff during natural rainfall events. They found that fertilizer application and rainfall intensity significantly affected the amount and type of microplastics washed off farmland. The study highlights agricultural runoff as a major pathway for microplastic transfer from land to aquatic environments.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 27 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2022 Advances in human services and public health (AHSPH) book series
Article Tier 2

Microplastics: Classification, Sources, Characterisation, Fate, and Control Measures

This review examines the classification, sources, characterisation, fate, and control measures for microplastics, synthesising recent literature on their detection in marine water, freshwater, wastewater, food, air, and drinking water, and identifying terrestrial runoff and wastewater effluent as key pollution pathways.

2024 UTTAR PRADESH JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
Article Tier 2

Contributing to the assessment of the impact of urban activities on microplastic transport through air and runoff infiltration

Researchers investigated the contribution of urban activities to microplastic transport through both airborne pathways and stormwater runoff infiltration, quantifying plastic particle fluxes in an urban watershed. The study found that road surfaces, construction materials, and tire wear were significant urban sources, with rainfall events mobilizing microplastics into both air and subsurface water.

2024 theses.fr (ABES) 1 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
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Pollution in Fresh Water

This review summarizes current knowledge on microplastic pollution in freshwater systems, covering sources such as atmospheric deposition, stormwater runoff, and wastewater, as well as the diverse shapes, sizes, and polymer types found in rivers and lakes. The authors highlight that freshwater microplastic contamination is comparable in scale to marine contamination and that the pathways to human health via drinking water and food supply demand urgent policy attention.

2023 INTERANTIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IN ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Land use-based characterization and source apportionment of microplastics in urban storm runoffs in a tropical region

Urban stormwater runoff in a tropical monsoon region contained 4.7 particles/L and 3.8 mg/L microplastics on average, with concentrations following land use order of industrial > transportation > commercial > residential, and approximately 85% of sources identifiable by morphology and polymer type.

2023 Environmental Pollution 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Are we underestimating the sources of microplastic pollution in terrestrial environment?

This review argues that land-based sources of microplastic pollution are significantly underestimated, even though most marine microplastics originate from terrestrial sources. Researchers found that textile washing accounts for roughly 35% of microplastics in water, with additional contributions from tire wear, agricultural plastic films, cosmetics, and construction materials. The study highlights atmospheric deposition as a newly recognized pathway for microplastic dispersal that requires urgent investigation.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 497 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 17 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2021 ACS ES&T Water 312 citations
Article Tier 2

A Review of the Origins of Microplastics arriving at Wastewater Treatment Plants

This review synthesizes the origins of microplastics entering wastewater treatment plants, examining contributions from household sources, industrial and commercial discharges, and urban surface runoff conveyed through sewerage systems. The authors identify the diversity of microplastic sources reaching treatment facilities as a key challenge for effective removal, with implications for downstream aquatic pollution from treated effluent.

2022 Detritus 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic sources: A survey across scientific and grey literature for their inventory and relative contribution to microplastics pollution in natural environments, with an emphasis on surface water

This survey cataloged the major sources of plastic debris contributing to microplastic pollution in surface waters, drawing from both scientific and grey literature. Researchers identified tire wear, textile fibers, and pellet spillage as among the most significant land-based sources. The study provides a framework for prioritizing pollution reduction efforts by quantifying the relative contributions of different plastic sources.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 362 citations
Article Tier 2

The atmospheric microplastics deposition contributes to microplastic pollution in urban waters

Researchers investigated how atmospheric deposition contributes to microplastic pollution in urban waters. The study found that microplastic deposition fluxes were higher during wet weather than dry weather and showed moderate to strong correlations with atmospheric conditions, demonstrating that airborne microplastic fallout is a meaningful source of contamination in urban water environments.

2022 Water Research 217 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

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.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Understanding the overland transport of microplastics from agricultural soils to freshwater systems

This study investigated how microplastics move from agricultural soils to freshwater systems through surface runoff. Researchers found that rainfall intensity, soil type, and particle characteristics all influenced how much plastic reached waterways. Understanding the overland transport pathway is important because agricultural soils are one of the largest reservoirs of microplastics in terrestrial environments.

2023