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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Microplastic pollution in water Systems of the Global South: A review
ClearAn overview of the prevalence of micro- and nanoplastics in the Southern African development community: a potential risk to environmental and public health
This systematic review examined micro- and nanoplastic pollution across Southern Africa's freshwater systems. Rivers, lakes, and wetlands that communities depend on for drinking water and food production were found to be contaminated. Rapid urbanization and poor waste management are driving the problem, raising concerns about public health in the region.
Microplastic pollution in African countries’ water systems: a review on findings, applied methods, characteristics, impacts, and managements
This review synthesizes findings on microplastic pollution in water systems across African countries, highlighting methodological approaches, particle characteristics, sources, and impacts, while noting the limited but growing body of African microplastic research.
Quantifying Plastic Waste and Microplastic Contamination in African Aquatic Systems: An Imperative for Sustainable Waste Management
This review assessed the scale of plastic waste and microplastic contamination in African aquatic systems, finding that inadequate waste management infrastructure amplifies plastic pollution in rivers, lakes, and coastal waters across the continent.
Microplastics: A Global Water Pollution Problem
This review article summarizes the sources, distribution, and environmental risks of microplastics in global water systems, covering marine environments, freshwater, and the role of textile fibers and tire particles. The paper identifies microplastics as contaminants of emerging concern requiring more research on human health impacts and better removal technologies.
The Burden of Microplastics Pollution and Contending Policies and Regulations
This review examines the growing global burden of microplastic pollution and the policies being developed to address it. Researchers found that inadequate waste management systems allow massive amounts of plastic to contaminate terrestrial and aquatic environments, threatening ecosystems and the billions of people who depend on them. The study evaluates existing regulations and suggests that stronger, more coordinated policy frameworks are needed to curb microplastic pollution.
Microplastic pollution in aquatic environments in Africa: status and research opportunities
This review examines the status of microplastic pollution research in African aquatic environments, noting that Africa's high rate of plastic waste mismanagement has resulted in widespread contamination of freshwater and marine ecosystems. Researchers found significant research gaps in the region despite its outsized contribution to global plastic pollution, and identified opportunities for expanded monitoring given microplastics' capacity to adsorb persistent organic pollutants.
A systematic review on the presence of microplastics in drinking water in South American countries with a special emphasis on health risk assessment
This systematic review examines microplastic contamination in drinking water across South American countries. The findings show wide variation in contamination levels and highlight that current health risk assessments for microplastics in drinking water are still limited, though the presence of these particles in tap water raises ongoing concerns about long-term human exposure.
Micro Plastic Pollution in South Asia: The Impact of Plastic Pollution over the Unsustainable Development Goals
This review examines microplastic pollution across South Asian countries including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, finding that rapid urbanization and poor plastic waste management are driving widespread contamination of freshwater, marine, and terrestrial ecosystems, with significant implications for sustainable development goals.
Plastic and Micro/Nanoplastic Pollution in Sub-Saharan Africa: Challenges, Impacts, and Solutions
This review documents the growing microplastic and nanoplastic pollution problem across sub-Saharan Africa, where rapid plastic use and poor waste management are creating significant contamination in waterways, sediments, and aquatic life. The harsh climate conditions in the region accelerate plastic breakdown into smaller, more dangerous particles. The pollution threatens food production, water quality, and public health in communities that often lack the resources to monitor or address the problem.
Emergence of microplastics in African environmental drinking water sources: A review on sources, analysis and treatment strategies
This review examines microplastic contamination of drinking water sources across Africa, identifying entry pathways linked to uncontrolled plastic imports, poor waste management, and limited water treatment infrastructure. The authors highlight the need for more African-specific research on microplastic fate in water systems and call for improved treatment strategies appropriate for resource-limited settings.
A Review of the Current State of Microplastic Pollution in South Asian Countries
This review surveys microplastic pollution across South Asian countries including India, Bangladesh, Thailand, Vietnam, and others. Researchers found microplastics present in water, soil, air, and food across the region, with levels often exceeding those in other parts of the world. The paper highlights the need for better monitoring and regulation in these densely populated countries where exposure may be especially high.
Impact of microplastics on economic condition in underdeveloped nations
This review examines how microplastic pollution generated primarily by high-income countries disproportionately affects underdeveloped nations in Africa and Southeast Asia due to inadequate waste management infrastructure and limited recycling capacity. Using global socio-economic models projecting mismanaged plastic waste to 2050, the authors show that corruption and lack of education exacerbate plastic pollution, threatening food security, ecological stability, and economic development in vulnerable regions.
The Presence and Impacts of Microplastics in Drinking Water
This chapter discusses microplastic contamination of freshwater and drinking water, with a focus on developing nations where testing and monitoring infrastructure is limited. Microplastics in drinking water pose public health risks, and the authors argue that cost-effective detection and removal methods need urgent global attention.
Microplastics pollution studies in India: a recent review of sources, abundances and research perspectives - a comparison with global research
This review summarizes published research on microplastic pollution in India, identifying sources and distribution across aquatic environments while noting that India remains one of the least-studied countries despite being a major plastic-producing and plastic-polluting nation. The paper compares Indian findings to global research and calls for expanded monitoring.
A review on the presence of microplastics in Asian water and health consequences
Researchers reviewed studies from across Asia and found microplastics in virtually every type of freshwater source — rivers, lakes, tap water, groundwater, and bottled water — with concentrations varying widely by country, raising public health concerns especially where waste management infrastructure is limited.
Freshwater microplastics governance and sustainable development: Pollution status, interactions, policies, and prospective studies
This review examines 20 years of research on microplastic pollution in freshwater environments, covering pollution status, interactions with other contaminants, and governance policies across multiple countries. The study suggests that while various policy frameworks exist for reducing microplastic sources and improving waste management, more coordinated monitoring and evaluation efforts are needed to effectively address freshwater microplastic contamination.
A Critical Review on the Characterization and Distribution of Microplastic Contaminants in Indian Water Environments: Pathways and Related Hazards
This systematic review examines microplastic contamination in India's freshwater environments, including rivers and lakes. While marine ecosystems have gotten the most attention, freshwater sources — which supply drinking water — are also heavily contaminated. The findings highlight how inadequate waste management and recycling infrastructure allow microplastics to spread through the water systems that communities depend on.
Microplastics – an emerging threat in the Indian waterbodies
This review examines the current state of microplastic research in Indian aquatic ecosystems, documenting widespread contamination in rivers, lakes, and coastal waters alongside growing evidence of impacts on aquatic biota. The authors call for standardized national monitoring frameworks to better characterize and address India's emerging microplastic pollution crisis.
Mitigating Microplastic Pollution in Urban Water Systems: A Global Overview With Governance Perspectives From Kerala State, India
This review examines the governance challenges of addressing microplastic pollution in urban water systems, focusing on Kerala, India, where monsoon runoff and inadequate waste management have led to high contamination levels in aquatic environments. Researchers found that while policies exist, enforcement gaps and insufficient waste infrastructure allow microplastics to persist in water bodies, soil, and marine ecosystems. The study recommends integrated waste management strategies and stronger regulatory frameworks as essential steps for reducing urban microplastic pollution.
Plastic Pollution in South and Southeast Asia: Challenges and Sustainable Solutions
This review examines the sources, pathways, and consequences of plastic pollution across South and Southeast Asia, covering soil, water, and air contamination. The study highlights that low-income countries in these regions face an unprecedented increase in both macro-plastic litter and micro- and nanoplastic pollution, and discusses sustainable solutions for addressing this growing environmental and public health challenge.
Macro problems from microplastics: Toward a sustainable policy framework for managing microplastic waste in Africa
Researchers critically reviewed regulatory and policy approaches to managing microplastic pollution across African countries. They found that while environmental monitoring studies demonstrate an urgent need for action, the effectiveness of existing plastic waste policies in Africa remains poorly understood. The study proposes a sustainable policy framework tailored to the unique challenges African nations face in reducing microplastic waste generation and environmental contamination.
Microplastics in water resources: Global pollution circle, possible technological solutions, legislations, and future horizon
This review summarizes the global scope of microplastic contamination in water and sediment, finding levels that vary enormously -- from near zero to thousands of particles per sample. Microplastics absorb other pollutants from their surroundings, potentially concentrating harmful chemicals, and they infiltrate food chains from the smallest organisms upward. The authors call for stronger legislation and a combination of technological innovation, recycling, and public awareness to address this widespread threat to ecosystems and human health.
Collaboration and infrastructure is needed to develop an African perspective on micro(nano)plastic pollution
This perspective argues that understanding micro(nano)plastic pollution requires pan-African research networks and infrastructure, as current knowledge is dominated by studies from wealthier nations while low- and middle-income countries bear disproportionate impacts from mismanaged plastic waste.
Global plastic pollution, sustainable development, and plastic justice
This review examines how plastic pollution, including microplastics, undermines sustainable development goals and disproportionately affects lower-income nations that lack waste management infrastructure. The authors propose a "plastic justice" framework to address the human rights dimensions of plastic pollution, which poses health risks to communities through contaminated water, food, and air.