Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Distribution, risk assessment of heavy metals in sediments and their potential risk on water supply safety of a drinking water reservoir, middle China

Researchers assessed the distribution and risk of heavy metals in reservoir sediments, finding that bio-enrichment and bio-amplification pathways allow sediment-bound metals to enter the food chain and pose potential risks to downstream water supply safety.

2023 Research Square (Research Square) 1 citations
Article Tier 2

With spatial distribution, risk evaluation of heavy metals and microplastics to emphasize the composite mechanism in hyporheic sediments of Beiluo River

Researchers mapped heavy metal and microplastic contamination in river sediments in China, finding that cadmium, lead, and arsenic posed the highest contamination risk, while fiber-shaped microplastics under 500 micrometers were most common. Heavy metals were found concentrated on microplastic surfaces through electrostatic attraction and bacterial biofilms, meaning the plastics serve as carriers for toxic metals in the water. This combined pollution is concerning because river sediments can release contaminants into water used for drinking and agriculture.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 55 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution and effects of microplastics as carriers of heavy metals in river surface sediments

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in river sediments of an urban canal in Zhenjiang City, China, finding an average abundance of over 2,000 particles per kilogram across seasons. The study found that microplastics acted as carriers for heavy metals like cadmium, copper, and lead, with factors such as polymer type, particle size, and surface weathering influencing adsorption capacity. Evidence indicates that smaller, more weathered microplastics in sediments may concentrate higher levels of toxic metals.

2024 Journal of Contaminant Hydrology 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution and risk assessment of microplastics in a source water reservoir, Central China

Researchers measured microplastic levels at different water depths in a reservoir in central China used as a drinking water source. They found 2 to 14 particles per liter, with polypropylene and polyethylene being the most common types. Middle and bottom water layers showed higher risk levels due to more toxic polymer types, raising concerns about the safety of source water used for drinking.

2025 Scientific Reports 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigation of heavy metals adsorbed on microplastics in drinking water and water resources of Zabol

Researchers found microplastics in the drinking water supply of Zabol, Iran, with heavy metals like iron, arsenic, and cadmium stuck to their surfaces. Some of these metals exceeded World Health Organization safety limits, meaning the tiny plastic particles may be carrying harmful chemicals directly into the water people drink every day.

2025 Scientific Reports 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Interaction and bacterial effects of microplastics pollution on heavy metals in hyporheic sediments of different land-use types in the Beiluo River Basin

Researchers studied how microplastics and heavy metals interact in river sediments across different land-use types in a Chinese river basin. They found that microplastics concentrated more heavily in shallow sediments and that the metals detected on microplastic surfaces were present at much higher levels than in surrounding sediment. The study suggests that microplastics may serve as concentrators and carriers of heavy metal contamination, potentially amplifying pollution risks.

2024 Environmental Pollution 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Comprehensive analysis of microplastics in water, sediment and fish from a large recreational lake

Researchers surveyed microplastics in water, sediment, and fish from a large recreational lake in China, finding MPs across all sampled compartments with higher concentrations near tourist facilities and boat launch areas, raising concerns about human exposure through lake recreation and consumption of contaminated fish.

2025 Environmental Research 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatial distributions of macronutrients, heavy metals and microplastics in surface sediments of the mainstem and lakes in the middle part of the Yellow River Basin

Researchers mapped the distribution of macronutrients, heavy metals, and microplastics in sediments along the middle section of the Yellow River and adjacent lakes in China. They found that microplastic concentrations ranged from 233 to 3,333 items per kilogram in river sediments, with nylon as the dominant polymer type. Contamination levels increased significantly after the river flowed through intensive agricultural areas, with urban lakes showing the highest heavy metal concentrations.

2025 Geoscience Frontiers 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of microplastics on microbial community in sediments of the Huangjinxia Reservoir—water source of a water diversion project in western China

Researchers examined microplastic contamination and its effects on microbial communities in sediments of the Huangjinxia Reservoir in western China, investigating how microplastic presence alters the composition and function of microbial assemblages in this drinking water source.

2020 Chemosphere 97 citations
Article Tier 2

[Composition and Distribution Characteristics of Microplastics in Danjiangkou Reservoir and Its Tributaries].

Researchers analyzed the types, abundance, and distribution of microplastics in Danjiangkou Reservoir, a first-class drinking water source protection area in China. Finding microplastics in a protected drinking water source underscores the need for improved upstream plastic waste management and water treatment to protect public health.

2021 PubMed 6 citations
Article Tier 2

[Occurrence Relationship Between Microplastics and Heavy Metals Pollutants in the Estuarine Sediments of Poyang Lake and the Yangtze River].

This study analyzed microplastic and heavy metal concentrations in sediments at the junction of Poyang Lake and the Yangtze River in China, finding substantial microplastic abundance (averaging ~982 particles/kg) that correlated with levels of copper, cadmium, lead, zinc, and chromium. The co-occurrence of these pollutants raises concern that microplastics and heavy metals may compound each other's environmental risks in this region.

2020 PubMed 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in surface waters and sediments of the Three Gorges Reservoir, China

Researchers sampled surface waters and sediments of the Three Gorges Reservoir in China and found microplastic contamination throughout, with concentrations influenced by water flow dynamics and proximity to human settlements.

2017 The Science of The Total Environment 896 citations
Article Tier 2

Pollution status of microplastics in the freshwater environment of China: a mini review

This review assessed microplastic pollution in China's freshwater environments including rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, finding widespread contamination in surface waters, sediments, and biota with variations linked to population density and industrial activity.

2022 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution and Sedimentation of Microplastics in Taihu Lake

Researchers studied microplastic distribution and sedimentation in Taihu Lake, one of China's largest freshwater lakes, and its surrounding rivers. Microplastics were found throughout the lake with higher concentrations near urban and industrial areas, raising concerns for water quality and aquatic life.

2022 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Co-occurrence of microplastics and heavy metals in a freshwater lake system in Indian Himalaya: Distribution and influencing factors

Researchers found widespread microplastic contamination in both the water and sediments of Manasbal Lake in the Indian Himalayas, with concentrations up to 4,020 particles per kilogram of sediment. Domestic sewage was identified as the primary source, and the microplastics were found alongside elevated levels of heavy metals like lead. This co-contamination is concerning because microplastics can absorb and transport heavy metals, potentially increasing toxic exposure for communities that depend on the lake.

2024 Emerging contaminants 40 citations
Article Tier 2

Risk assessment of heavy metals in the freshwater lake sediments around Eppawala phosphate deposit, Sri Lanka

Not relevant to microplastics — this study assesses heavy metal (including chromium, cadmium, lead, and arsenic) contamination in freshwater lake sediments near a phosphate deposit in Sri Lanka, finding elevated concentrations likely linked to agricultural practices.

2024 Journal of the National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence, Composition, and Risk Assessment of Microplastics and Adsorbed Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Urban Drainage Sediments Along the Yangtze River, China

Urban drainage sediments from three Yangtze River cities contained 130–564 microplastic particles per 100 grams, with the highest concentrations near commercial and campus areas, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were found adsorbed to many particles. Microplastics acting as carriers for toxic PAHs in stormwater systems represent a compounded threat to aquatic ecosystems and drinking water sources.

2026 Sustainability
Article Tier 2

Spatiotemporal distribution of microplastics in surface water, biofilms, and sediments in the world's largest drinking water diversion project

Researchers conducted the first spatiotemporal survey of microplastics in the South-to-North Water Diversion Project canal in China — which supplies drinking water to over 53 million people — finding microplastics present in surface water, biofilms, and sediments throughout the highly regulated system. The study raises concerns about microplastic contamination in engineered drinking water infrastructure.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 43 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution, Characteristics, and Ecological Risk Assessment of Microplastics and Heavy Metals in Surface Water at Hoa Binh Reservoir

Researchers sampled surface water in Hoa Binh Reservoir, Vietnam, during rainy and dry seasons, finding microplastics at all sites with fiber-dominated assemblages, and documenting co-occurrence with heavy metals including chromium, manganese, and lead.

2025 VNU Journal of Science Earth and Environmental Sciences
Article Tier 2

Distribution, Sources, and Heavy Metal Interactions of Microplastics in Groundwater and Sediment of Semi‐Arid Regions of Northwest India

Researchers found microplastics at every sampling location in groundwater and sediment in a semi-arid region of northwest India, with concentrations reaching up to 122 particles per liter in well water. The groundwater also contained dangerously high levels of arsenic and manganese, and while a direct link between microplastics and heavy metals was not confirmed in water samples, electron microscopy showed heavy metal particles attached to microplastic surfaces in sediment.

2025 Land Degradation and Development 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and associated PAHs in surface water from the Feilaixia Reservoir in the Beijiang River, China

Microplastics collected from surface water in the Feilaixia Reservoir in China were found to be associated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), with higher PAH concentrations on microplastics than in the surrounding water. The results suggest microplastics can concentrate and transport PAHs in reservoir systems, posing risks to aquatic life and potentially to drinking water.

2019 Chemosphere 293 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and distribution of microplastics in China’s largest freshwater lake system

Researchers found high levels of microplastics in both water and sediment across China's largest freshwater lake system, Poyang Lake, with concentrations up to 1,064 particles per cubic meter in water. The study reveals widespread contamination even in protected nature reserves, emphasizing the scale of the freshwater microplastics problem.

2020 Chemosphere 126 citations
Article Tier 2

Manuscript prepared for submission to environmental toxicology and pharmacology pollution in drinking water source areas: Microplastics in the Danjiangkou Reservoir, China

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in surface water and sediments of the Danjiangkou Reservoir, the source area for China's South-to-North Water Diversion Project, finding microplastics in all samples at abundances ranging from 467 to 15,017 particles/m3 in water and 15 to 40 particles/kg in sediment. Fibrous particles smaller than 2 mm dominated, with micro-Raman spectroscopy identifying polypropylene as the primary polymer type.

2018 Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology 113 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence Patterns and Pollution Risk of Microplastics in Surface Sediments and Sediment Cores of the Three Gorges Reservoir, China

Researchers examined the occurrence, distribution, and pollution risk of microplastics in surface sediments and sediment cores of China's Three Gorges Reservoir across different water seasons. The study found distinct seasonal patterns in microplastic abundance and composition in both surface sediments and vertical core profiles, confirming the reservoir acts as a significant sink for microplastic contamination.

2025 Sustainability