Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Study on the characteristics of water chemistry evolution in typical alpine karst basins

Researchers analyzed water chemistry evolution in alpine karst groundwater systems, tracing how geological and hydrological processes shape ion concentrations and water quality in these vulnerable freshwater sources.

2025
Article Tier 2

An Overall Perspective for the Study of Emerging Contaminants in Karst Aquifers

This review examines emerging contaminant threats to karst aquifers, which supply about 25% of global drinking water, highlighting their high vulnerability to rapid surface-to-groundwater transport of microplastics, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and other pollutants due to the open, fissured nature of carbonate rock systems.

2022 Resources 38 citations
Article Tier 2

The invisible problem of microplastics and microfibres in karst systems and aquifers: a multidisciplinary approach

This thesis investigates how microplastics and microfibres move through karst (limestone) systems and underground aquifers using a multidisciplinary approach, a concern because karst aquifers supply drinking water to roughly a quarter of the global population and are particularly vulnerable to contamination given their direct hydraulic connections to the surface.

2026 Politecnico di Torino
Article Tier 2

Karst water resources in a changing world: Review of solute transport modelling approaches

This review examined solute transport modeling approaches for karst water resources under changing climate conditions, evaluating how models handle rapid conduit flow, matrix diffusion, and the effects of extreme precipitation events. The authors identify a need for models that better capture the high variability and rapid response characteristics of karst systems under more frequent storm events.

2024 4 citations
Article Tier 2

A Review of Heavy Metal Migration and Its Influencing Factors in Karst Groundwater, Northern and Southern China

This review examined the migration behavior of heavy metals in karst groundwater systems in southern and northern China, focusing on how karst geology creates unique pathways and controls on heavy metal transport, speciation, and bioavailability.

2023 Water 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in karstic systems: a review of sources, transport paths and storage

This repository contains geospatial data and bibliographic records supporting a review of microplastic pollution in karst (limestone cave and sinkhole) systems, mapping where microplastics have been detected across these ecologically important groundwater environments. Karst systems supply drinking water to roughly a quarter of the world's population, making microplastic contamination there a significant but understudied human health concern.

2026 Open MIND
Article Tier 2

Microplastic particles in karst and alluvial aquifers

Researchers studied microplastic particle occurrence and distribution in karst and alluvial aquifer systems, investigating how these subsurface environments serve as sinks or conduits for plastic pollution. The study contributed data on groundwater microplastic contamination in geologically distinct aquifer types.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Microplastic particles in karst and alluvial aquifers

Researchers investigated the occurrence and characteristics of microplastic particles in both karst and alluvial aquifer systems, examining how plastic particles migrate through these distinct subsurface geological environments. The study addressed a significant knowledge gap regarding groundwater contamination by microplastics in aquifers that differ in their hydrogeological properties and filtration capacity.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Study of the Trends of Chemical–Physical Parameters in Different Karst Aquifers: Some Examples from Italian Alps

Researchers installed data-loggers and conducted multi-year chemical and physical monitoring of karst aquifer springs in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy to characterize how different hydrogeological conditions influence water quality responses to infiltration events. They found that highly karstified aquifers with small saturated zones showed rapid mineralization decreases during flood events, while well-developed saturated zones exhibited piston flow increases in mineralization.

2022 Water 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Colloid (Nano- and Micro-Particle) Transport and Surface Interaction in Groundwater

This book examines the field-scale transport and spatial distribution of colloids in groundwater, covering pathogens, clays, nanomaterials, nanoplastics, and microplastics as examples of nano- and micro-particles whose movement through subsurface systems has significant environmental and public health implications.

2023 The Groundwater Project eBooks 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Study on the Influence of Mining Activities on the Quality of Deep Karst Groundwater Based on Multivariate Statistical Analysis and Hydrochemical Analysis

This study examined how long-term coal mining activities in China affected deep karst groundwater chemistry, finding significant changes to water quality that threaten safe drinking water supply in mining regions.

2022 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Groundwater–Surface Water Interactions: Recent Advances and Interdisciplinary Challenges

This review covers recent advances in understanding groundwater–surface water interactions, including their importance for drinking water security and contaminant transport, and argues for interdisciplinary approaches that combine hydrology, ecology, and geochemistry.

2020 Water 101 citations
Article Tier 2

Topical Collection: International Year of Groundwater—managing future societal and environmental challenges

Researchers and hydrogeologists highlight the growing importance of groundwater in the global water cycle and call for better assessment, management, and public communication strategies to meet the UN's water-related Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

2023 Hydrogeology Journal 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Adherence of Polystyrene Microspheres on Cave Sediment: Implications for Organic Contaminants and Microplastics in Karst Systems

This study found that polystyrene microspheres adhere readily to cave sediment particles in karst aquifer systems, with implications for how microplastics and organic contaminants are transported through karst groundwater. Karst systems may act as pathways for microplastics to reach groundwater supplies used for drinking water.

2023 Environmental and Engineering Geoscience
Article Tier 2

Environmental chemistry, toxicity and health risk assessment of groundwater: Environmental persistence and management strategies

This review examines groundwater contamination from heavy metals, pesticides, microplastics, and emerging pollutants, assessing health risks and highlighting the need for integrated management strategies to protect this critical freshwater resource.

2022 Environmental Research 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in vulnerable karst environments: case study from the Slovenian classical karst region

Researchers sampled karst springs, caves, and other habitats in Slovenia's classical karst region and detected microplastics across multiple sites, including springs used for drinking water, raising concerns about plastic contamination of these ecologically sensitive and hydrologically connected underground environments.

2022 Acta Carsologica 31 citations
Article Tier 2

The impact of on-site wastewater effluent on rural karstified aquifers

This conference abstract examines how on-site wastewater treatment systems in rural karst regions can contaminate groundwater used for drinking. While focused on nutrient and pathogen pollution, the study is relevant because these same systems also release microplastics into vulnerable karst aquifers.

2020
Article Tier 2

Understanding the impacts of human wastewater effluent pollution on karst springs using chemical contamination fingerprinting techniques

Researchers used multi-tracer chemical fingerprinting to trace human wastewater contamination into karst spring systems, finding that these highly permeable aquifers rapidly transmit pollutants including pharmaceuticals and potentially microplastics from surface sources to drinking water springs.

2024
Article Tier 2

Simulation of Solute and Particle Transport in Fractured Media

Researchers comprehensively analyzed how fracture properties, flow regimes, and particle characteristics govern solute transport, particle dispersion, and attachment mechanisms in fractured media, examining the roles of fracture roughness and microplastic particle properties to inform the design of environmental remediation systems in fractured geological systems.

2024 TSpace
Article Tier 2

Research advances of micro/nanoplastics in groundwater: occurrence, environmental impacts and control strategies

This review examines the emerging issue of microplastic and nanoplastic contamination in groundwater systems, covering their sources, distribution patterns, potential environmental risks, and removal strategies. Researchers highlight that the strong heterogeneity and complexity of underground environments make studying microplastic migration particularly challenging. The study identifies significant knowledge gaps in sampling methods and calls for more research into how microplastics move through groundwater aquifers.

2025 Environmental Pollution 5 citations
Article Tier 2

The Effects of Climate Variation and Anthropogenic Activity on Karst Spring Discharge Based on the Wavelet Coherence Analysis and the Multivariate Statistical

Researchers analyzed climate variation and human activity effects on karst spring discharge using wavelet coherence analysis, finding that anthropogenic factors including land-use changes increasingly influence groundwater dynamics alongside natural climate variability.

2023 Sustainability 9 citations
Article Tier 2

An Overview of Microplastic Contamination in Groundwater: Sources, Transport Pathways, and Environmental Implications

This review examined microplastic contamination in groundwater systems, an area that has received less research attention compared to surface water. Researchers identified key sources and transport pathways for microplastics entering groundwater, including infiltration through soil and fractured rock, and highlighted the environmental implications for drinking water supplies.

2025 Journal of Geography Environment and Earth Science International 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Preliminary investigations of microplastic pollution in karst systems, from surface watercourses to cave waters

This study collected water samples from surface streams and connected cave waters in a karst system in Italy to document microplastic pollution in groundwater-linked environments. Microplastics including fibers and fragments were detected throughout the karst system, demonstrating that plastics infiltrate even protected underground aquifers.

2022 Journal of Contaminant Hydrology 62 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatial distribution characteristics and migration of microplastics in surface water, groundwater and sediment in karst areas: The case of Yulong River in Guilin, Southwest China

Researchers investigated microplastic distribution in surface water, sediment, and groundwater in the karst landscape of the Yulong River in Guilin, China. They found microplastic pollution across all water compartments, with living areas showing the highest contamination and tourism-related disposable plastics identified as a primary source. The study suggests that microplastics reach groundwater through hydraulic exchange with surface water in karst areas rather than through soil infiltration.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 114 citations