Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Comparative Distribution of Microplastics in Different Inland Aquatic Ecosystems

Researchers sampled seven Greek inland aquatic ecosystems of varying types and found microplastics in all locations, with fibers dominating (0.47–149.4 items/m³) and higher concentrations in vertical than surface samples, indicating that morphology, trophic status, and anthropogenic pressure influence distribution.

2025 Water
Article Tier 2

Microplastics Across Interconnected Aquatic Matrices: A Comparative Study of Marine, Riverine, and Wastewater Matrices in Northern Greece

Researchers studied tiny plastic particles (microplastics) in seawater, rivers, and wastewater treatment plants in Northern Greece to see how much plastic pollution exists in the region's water systems. They developed a reliable method to measure these microscopic plastic pieces, which can enter our food chain through seafood and drinking water. This baseline data will help authorities track plastic pollution levels and develop strategies to reduce microplastics in water that could eventually affect human health.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Microplastics Across Interconnected Aquatic Matrices: A Comparative Study of Marine, Riverine, and Wastewater Matrices in Northern Greece

Scientists studied tiny plastic particles (microplastics) in seawater, rivers, and wastewater treatment plants in Northern Greece to understand how much plastic pollution exists in the region's water systems. They developed a reliable method to measure these microscopic plastic pieces and established baseline pollution levels that can help authorities create better strategies to reduce plastic contamination. This matters because microplastics can enter our drinking water and food chain, and understanding where they're most concentrated helps protect both environmental and human health.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Spatio-Temporal Distribution and Characterization of Microplastic Pollution in The Three Main Freshwater Systems (Aksu and Köprü Streams, Manavgat River) And Fishing Grounds Located in Their Vicinities in The Antalya Bay

Researchers found 2,444 microplastics across three freshwater systems near Antalya Bay, Turkey, with fibers (57%) and fragments (33%) dominating, and polyethylene and polypropylene as the most common polymers, showing a homogeneous pollution pattern across all sampling sites.

2021 Turkish Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in two remote rivers of Türkiye

Researchers documented microplastic pollution in two remote rivers of Turkey, finding that even waterways far from major urban centers contain significant microplastic contamination, highlighting the widespread reach of plastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems.

2023 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution and ecological risk assessment of a pond ecosystem

Researchers quantified and characterized microplastics in a freshwater pond in Turkey, finding particles at all five sampling stations across multiple size classes. The study contributes baseline data on microplastic pollution in inland freshwater ecosystems in the region, where such monitoring is still limited despite the potential for drinking water and wildlife exposure.

2024 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics Across Interconnected Aquatic Matrices: A Comparative Study of Marine, Riverine, and Wastewater Matrices in Northern Greece

This study provided the first comprehensive evaluation of microplastics across three interconnected aquatic matrices—seawater, river water, and wastewater—in northern Greece. MP concentrations were highest in wastewater and decreased downstream, with fibres dominating all matrices, confirming wastewater as a primary MP source to receiving waters.

2026 Applied Sciences 1 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
Article Tier 2

Prevalence of Microplastic Pollution in Freshwater Ecosystem: A Case Study of Thal Canal

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in a freshwater ecosystem in a case study region, measuring particle concentrations and types in water and sediment samples across multiple sites. Microplastics were detected at all sampling locations with higher concentrations near urban areas, and fibres and fragments were the dominant particle morphologies found.

2024 Proceedings of the Pakistan Academy of Sciences B Life and Environmental Sciences 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterization of microplastics in sediments and surface waters of Turkish lakes

Researchers surveyed seven lakes in Turkey and found microplastics in all of them, with polyethylene and polypropylene being the most common types. Human activities like tourism, fishing, and urban waste disposal were identified as major sources, showing that even protected lake areas are contaminated with plastic particles that can enter drinking water supplies.

2025 Journal of Contaminant Hydrology 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of environmental and anthropogenic factors on the distribution and abundance of microplastics in freshwater ecosystems

Researchers reviewed nearly 6,500 articles to identify the environmental and human factors driving microplastic distribution in freshwater ecosystems worldwide. They found that both natural factors like water flow and temperature, and human activities like urbanization and agriculture, significantly influence where microplastics accumulate in rivers and lakes. The study provides a framework for predicting microplastic pollution hotspots and prioritizing monitoring efforts in freshwater systems.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 94 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems: A case study from Turkey

Microplastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems across Turkey was assessed as a case study, finding widespread contamination in rivers and lakes. The study highlighted that most microplastic research in Turkey, as globally, has focused on marine environments, leaving freshwater systems relatively understudied despite comparable contamination levels.

2020 Ege Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 30 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

Research progresses of microplastic pollution in freshwater systems

This review examines the widespread presence of microplastics in freshwater systems around the world, finding concentrations that vary by several orders of magnitude across different regions. Researchers identified fibers as the most common shape, with polypropylene and polyethylene as the dominant polymer types, primarily originating from human activities like sewage discharge. The study highlights concerns about microplastic contamination in drinking water and its potential effects on aquatic organisms.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 146 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastics in Paradise: Quantifying Microplastics in Lake Champlain Beaches

Researchers quantified and characterized microplastics on Lake Champlain beaches, finding contamination at all sampled sites with fragments and fibers as the dominant particle types. The study documents that even inland freshwater shorelines accumulate significant microplastic loads over time.

2025 SUNY Digital Repository Support (State University of New York System)
Article Tier 2

Exploring microplastic pollution in a Mediterranean river: The role of introduced species as bioindicators

Researchers used a non-native fish species in a Greek urban river to monitor microplastic pollution and found that about one-third of the fish had ingested microplastics, mostly polyethylene and polypropylene from packaging. The moderate contamination levels reflected the urban environment surrounding the river, with road runoff as a likely source. The study demonstrates that introduced fish species can serve as practical indicators of microplastic pollution in freshwater systems.

2023 Heliyon 30 citations
Article Tier 2

A comparative review of microplastics in lake systems from different countries and regions

Researchers reviewed microplastic contamination data from lake systems across multiple countries, finding that abundance, size, and polymer type varied widely by region and identifying land use, population density, and hydrological connectivity as key drivers of lake microplastic levels.

2021 Chemosphere 206 citations
Article Tier 2

Beyond the ocean: contamination of freshwater ecosystems with (micro-)plastic particles

This review examined the available data on microplastic contamination in freshwater ecosystems — rivers, lakes, and urban water systems — and found it to be widespread globally, though often underreported compared to marine environments. The authors highlight the need for reliable concentration data and chemical characterization of freshwater plastics to properly assess ecological risk.

2015 Environmental Chemistry 540 citations
Article Tier 2

The emerging issue of microplastics: ongoing investigation in water and sediments of subalpine lakes

This Italian study identified microplastics in subalpine lakes and characterized their polymer types and abundance, adding to evidence that microplastics have reached even remote freshwater ecosystems far from industrial centers. The findings underscore the ubiquity of plastic contamination across diverse freshwater environments.

2019 CINECA IRIS Institutional Research Information System (Fondazione Edmund Mach)
Article Tier 2

Assessment of potential ecological risk for microplastics in freshwater ecosystems

Researchers assessed the ecological risk of microplastics across freshwater ecosystems worldwide, including rivers and lakes in China, Vietnam, Europe, and South America. While one risk method showed negligible danger, more comprehensive assessment approaches revealed extreme ecological threats at every location studied, suggesting that microplastic pollution in freshwater may be more serious than previously thought.

2024 Chemosphere 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in Indian rural and urban lacustrine ecosystems

Researchers surveyed 39 rural and urban lakes across Tamil Nadu, India, for microplastic contamination and found particles present in water and sediment samples from every lake studied. Urban lakes had significantly higher microplastic concentrations than rural ones, with fibers being the most common particle shape across all sites. The study provides one of the most comprehensive assessments of freshwater microplastic pollution in India, revealing that even relatively remote lakes are not free from contamination.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 22 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
Article Tier 2

Rivers and Wastewater-Treatment Plants as Microplastic Pathways to Eastern Mediterranean Waters: First Records for the Aegean Sea, Greece

Researchers provided the first records of microplastic amounts and types in rivers and wastewater effluents entering the Aegean Sea in Greece, finding microplastics in both an urban river and a semi-urban river with a wastewater treatment plant discharge point.

2021 Sustainability 32 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification of microplastics in fish ponds and natural freshwater environments of the Carpathian basin, Europe

Microplastics were identified in fish ponds and natural freshwater bodies across the Carpathian basin in Central Europe, with fibers as the dominant type across all sites. The study extends microplastic monitoring into a region not previously well characterized, finding contamination even in relatively remote natural water bodies.

2018 Chemosphere 284 citations