Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

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.

2024 ACS Omega 14 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2018 Preprints.org 38 citations
Article Tier 2

From headwaters to receiving waters: river dynamics in an increasingly urban world

This paper is not about microplastics; it synthesizes research on river dynamics from headwaters to receiving waters in urban environments, covering hydrological, ecological, and restoration topics.

2023
Article Tier 2

Plastics in an urbanizing world: sustainable strategies for rivers and seas

This review examines the sources and pathways of macro- and microplastics entering rivers and seas in an urbanizing world, synthesizing evidence on secondary microplastic generation from macroplastics and evaluating sustainable management strategies including improved waste management and reduction of single-use plastics.

2025
Systematic Review Tier 1

Assessment of Micro-Plastic Contamination in Urban River Systems: A Case Study Using UK Catchment Data

This systematic review examines microplastic contamination in urban rivers across the UK, finding that wastewater treatment plants, stormwater runoff, and industrial discharge are the main sources. The research matters for human health because urban rivers supply drinking water and recreational areas, and microplastic pollution in these waterways increases the risk of human exposure.

2026 International Journal of Research and Innovation in Applied Science
Article Tier 2

From pollution to solutions: Insights into the sources, transport and management of plastic debris in pristine and urban rivers

This review examines how river systems receive and transport plastic debris -- including both macroplastics and microplastics -- from land sources to the ocean, synthesizing evidence on pollution sources, fate, and management strategies across pristine and urban rivers.

2023 Environmental Research 24 citations
Article Tier 2

A Review of Microplastics Pollution in the River Basin of Vietnam in Comparison with the World Context

This review examines microplastic pollution across Vietnam's river basins in the context of global patterns, finding significant contamination in surface water, sediments, aquatic organisms, and mangrove ecosystems — particularly in coastal urban areas — with concentrations in some urban rivers reaching 519,000 pieces/m³.

2025 Earth Environmental Sustainability
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in water: occurrence, detection, and impacts – a comprehensive review of multiple studies

This comprehensive review synthesized current knowledge on microplastic occurrence, detection methods, and impacts across marine, freshwater, and remote aquatic ecosystems. Researchers highlighted that microplastic concentrations are particularly high in urban rivers, transported through runoff, atmospheric deposition, and river input. The review identifies critical research gaps including the need for standardized detection methods and more studies on chronic human exposure through contaminated seafood and drinking water.

2026 Water Practice & Technology
Article Tier 2

Assessment of Small-Scale Microplastics Abundance and Characterization in Urban River: A Case Study in Metro River, Indonesia

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in the Metro River in Indonesia, finding that abundance and characteristics varied by land use type, with urban areas showing higher concentrations of fragments and fibers in this rapidly developing region.

2023 Journal of Engineering and Technological Sciences 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Rivers under stress: a comprehensive review on pollutant sources, human and ecological impacts, analytical, statistical, and geospatial methods and restoration strategies, for evaluating river water quality in India

This comprehensive review synthesizes evidence from 145 publications on river pollution across India, covering contamination sources, health impacts, and monitoring methods. Researchers found that untreated sewage is the largest contributor to river degradation, while emerging contaminants including microplastics contribute to bioaccumulation, antibiotic resistance, and health issues in communities living near affected waterways.

2026 Environmental Geochemistry and Health
Article Tier 2

Distribution and characteristics of microplastics in an urban river: The response to urban waste management

Microplastics were detected throughout surface water and sediments of an urban Chinese river (Nanming River) in both dry and wet seasons, with 25 different polymer types identified and the highest concentrations near sewage discharge points and plastic waste dump sites. The study shows that urban river management practices — particularly wastewater handling — are critical in controlling how much plastic reaches downstream ecosystems.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing Water Quality in the Cooum River Basin: A  Comprehensive Review of Methodologies and Findings

This comprehensive review assessed water quality conditions in the Cooum River Basin in India, examining contamination sources, monitoring methods, and remediation options. The highly polluted urban river was found to carry heavy loads of industrial, municipal, and plastic contaminants.

2024 Asian Journal of Water Environment and Pollution
Article Tier 2

Urbanization: an increasing source of multiple pollutants to rivers in the 21st century

Researchers modeled the combined impact of urbanization on river pollution from nutrients, microplastics, triclosan, and pathogens across over 10,000 rivers globally. They project that by the end of the century, around 80% of the world's population could live near rivers with multi-pollutant problems under high urbanization scenarios. The study suggests that advanced wastewater treatment could technically prevent future pollution in many regions, though Africa faces particularly severe challenges.

2021 npj Urban Sustainability 301 citations
Article Tier 2

Leaving a plastic legacy: current and future scenarios for mismanaged plastic waste in rivers

Researchers estimated that 0.8 million tonnes of mismanaged plastic waste enters rivers annually, affecting 84% of global rivers by surface area, and project a nearly three-fold increase by 2060 — though improved waste governance could reduce this pollution by up to 72%.

2023 2 citations
Review Tier 2

A Comprehensive Review of MP Pollution in Global Rivers: Distribution Patterns and Fluvial Transport Dynamics

A global review of microplastic pollution in river sediments found the highest concentrations in Africa and Asia, with wastewater treatment plants, industrial discharges, and urban runoff as the primary sources, and rivers transporting an estimated 70–80% of land-based plastic waste to the oceans. This synthesis underscores that rivers are critical intervention points for reducing the flow of microplastics into marine ecosystems.

2026 Water Environment Research
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Rivers from Developing Countries

This review examines microplastic contamination of rivers in developing countries, identifying the major sources—including inadequate waste management and open burning—and reviewing evidence that these rivers serve as major conduits delivering plastic pollution to the ocean.

2025
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

Macroplastic and microplastic contamination assessment of a tropical river (Saigon River, Vietnam) transversed by a developing megacity

Researchers assessed macroplastic and microplastic contamination in a tropical river in Vietnam, finding elevated pollution levels linked to urban and agricultural land use along the waterway.

2018 Environmental Pollution 517 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence of Microplastics in Kemena River and Niah River of Sarawak, Malaysia

Researchers investigated microplastic occurrence in water and riverbed sediments of the Kemena and Niah Rivers in Sarawak, Malaysia, finding that urbanization along these rivers correlates with higher microplastic concentrations in freshwater environments.

2023 Tropical Environment Biology and Technology 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Removal of Emerging Contaminants Using Low-Cost and Advanced Treatment Technologies: Evidence from Six Indian Cities

Researchers monitored pharmaceuticals, PFAS, and microplastics across six major Indian urban-river systems and assessed seasonal dynamics and treatment efficiency at wastewater plants, finding that conventional treatment largely fails to remove these emerging contaminants.

2025 International Journal for Research in Applied Science and Engineering Technology