Are we underestimating stormwater? Stormwater as a significant source of microplastics in surface waters

Microplastic contamination in water, fish, and shrimp collected from the Nile River in Upper Egypt poses ecological and human health hazards

Microplastic (MP) pollution is a growing environmental concern, particularly in freshwater ecosystems. This study investigates MP contamination in the Nile River in Upper Egypt by analyzing water samples and two aquatic species, Gambusia sp. and Caridina nilotica. Samples were collected from three sites with varying anthropogenic influences, and MPs were characterized based on shape, size, color, and polymer composition using FTIR spectroscopy. Results revealed a high MP concentration in water (4.5 ± 2.1 particles/L), with significant spatial variation. The highest contamination was recorded in urban-influenced areas, highlighting domestic and industrial waste as key pollution sources. Fibers (75 %) were the most abundant MP type, followed by fragments (19 %), with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) being the dominant polymer (79 %). Both Gambusia sp. and C. nilotica exhibited MP ingestion, with higher loads detected in Gambusia sp. Feeding preferences were observed, with Gambusia sp. favoring fragments and C. nilotica preferring fibers. Risk assessments classified MP pollution as extremely high, with severe ecological risks (RI > 1200). Initial estimates of human exposure through water consumption suggested that adults may ingest 5,840-12,373 MP/kg body weight annually, while children may ingest 3,103-6,187 MP/kg body weight for the best- and worst-case exposure scenarios. These findings highlight significant MP contamination in the Nile, raising concerns about ecosystem and human health risks. Urgent mitigation strategies, including improved waste management and pollution control, are necessary to reduce MP exposure and protect aquatic biodiversity.

Unseen streams tracing emerging contaminants from stormwater to surface water: A brief review

Emerging contaminants (ECs) have raised global concern due to their adverse effect on ecosystems and human health. However, the occurrence and transport of ECs in stormwater remain unclear. The impact of ECs from stormwater on surface water quality and ecosystem health is also poorly documented. In this review, we examined the variations in EC concentrations in surface water resulting from stormwater. During the wet weather, the concentrations of most investigated ECs, e.g., microplastics, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, and vehicle-related compounds, significantly increase in surface water, indicating that stormwater may be a critical source of these contaminants. Furthermore, the potential pathways of ECs from stormwater enter surface water are outlined. Studies demonstrate that surface runoff and combined sewer overflows are important pathways for ECs, with discharges comparable to or exceeding those from wastewater treatment plants. Illicit connection also plays an important part in elevated EC concentrations in surface water. Overall, our findings underscore the importance of stormwater as a source for ECs in surface waters, and urge for increased emphasis on, and reinforcement of, stormwater monitoring and control measures to minimize the transport of ECs into receiving water bodies.

Evidence of microplastic accumulation on the surface of lettuce and analysis of contamination sources

Microplastic (MP) pollution has emerged as a significant environmental concern. Microplastics land on vegetable surfaces with airborne deposition and agronomic activities. However, research on the sources of microplastics on vegetable surfaces is limited by the lack of monitoring of microplastics in the growing environment. Therefore, we detected microplastics on lettuce surfaces, in air, and in pesticides to determine the correlation between them. In addition, this study compared microplastics on the surface of different types of lettuce to explore their differences. The results showed that the content, in descending order, was old leaves of leaf lettuce > new leaves of leaf lettuce > nodular lettuce. A total of 19 polymers, mainly polyamide polyethylene and polypropylene, were detected on the surface of the lettuce. The contribution of microplastics on the surface of lettuce was air and pesticides in descending order of origin. Microplastic risk assessment index was determined that the risk level of microplastics on lettuce surfaces could be classed as level IV, indicating a high dietary health risk. The results presented here will enable scientific assessments of the exposure pathways of MPs in fresh vegetables and their potential harm to human health.

Microplastics in agricultural soils: sources, impacts, and mitigation strategies

Plastic particles smaller than 5 mm are known as microplastics, and they are becoming a major ecological and environmental hazard in agricultural soils. These particles come from a variety of sources, such as atmospheric deposition, wastewater irrigation, the breakdown of plastic mulches, and the use of biosolids. Once in the soil, microplastics change the microbial communities, water retention, and soil structure through interactions with physical, chemical, and biological processes. They may worsen soil contamination and possibly introduce harmful substances into the food chain by serving as vectors for organic pollutants and heavy metals. Sustainable agriculture is threatened by the presence of microplastics in agricultural soils, which also endanger crop productivity, ecosystem services, and soil health. Reducing plastic use, switching to biodegradable substitutes, improving waste management procedures, and creating cutting-edge technologies for the removal of microplastics are all examples of mitigation techniques. In order to protect soil health and agricultural sustainability, this review examines the causes, effects, and mitigation techniques of microplastics in agricultural soils, highlighting the necessity of coordinated research and policy interventions.

Risk assessment of potentially toxic elements, microplastics, and microorganisms in groundwater around municipal solid waste landfill

Risk assessment of potential toxic elements (PTEs), microplastics (MPs) and microorganisms in groundwater around landfills is critical. Waste from landfills seeps into groundwater contaminating water quality, threatening groundwater safety, and negatively affecting the ecosystem. This study explored spatial and temporal changes in PTEs, MPs, and microorganisms in the groundwater around a closed landfill. The results showed that Mn and Cr were the most predominant PTEs in the groundwater, average Mn and Cr concentrations in June being 1.16 and 4.51 times higher than in November, respectively. The Risk assessment of PTEs in groundwater Mn was heavily contaminated, Cr was moderately contaminated. The abundance of MPs the average value of MPs in June was 1.55 times higher than that in November; the MPs indicated that groundwater is more heavily contaminated, especially in the downstream areas. The Proteobacteria is the main phylum, and PLS-PM, PTEs were positively correlated with the phylum of microorganisms, negatively correlated with the genus of microorganisms and the abundance of MPs. This study emphasizes the importance of environmental management of landfills, provide new insights into the monitoring and identification of groundwater contamination as well as scientific guidance on appropriate remediation strategies for leachate-contaminated groundwater.

Microplastics in municipal solid waste landfill leachate and their removal in treatment units: A perspective of controlled and uncontrolled landfills

Leachate produced from municipal solid waste landfill serves as a potential pathway for microplastics (MPs) release into the environment with a high potential for soil, surface water, and groundwater contamination. These MPs not only persist for longer duration of time in the landfill but also interact with toxic chemical contaminants. These interactions arise from the hydrophobic characteristics and minuscule size of MPs, which absorb a variety of emerging toxic contaminants present in these systems thereby amplifying the risk to surrounding environment. This study was performed to investigate the abundance, characteristics, and pollution risk of MPs in leachate from two contrasting landfill systems in the cities of Chandannagar and Baidyabati, India. A total of 8 leachate samples from an uncontrolled landfill (UCL), i.e., open dump, and 24 samples from different leachate treatment units (LTUs) of a controlled landfill (CL) were evaluated. Particle sizes of 1-5 mm (41.9%) in UCL and 0.025-0.5 mm (46.2%) in CL were predominant. Seven different types of polymers were identified in untreated leachate samples from UCL having concentration 53.4 ± 6.69 p/L (mean ± standard deviation) and in CL 34.7 ± 4.73 p/L. The predominant shapes were films, fragments, and fibers in UCL, whereas fragments and fibers dominated in CL. Polyethylene and polypropylene were the most frequent types of polymers observed in both sites. In CL, collection well, aeration lagoon, and sedimentation pond were used for LTUs, in which overall 83.3% MPs removal was achieved. High removal in LTUs highlights the importance of engineered systems for leachate management. However, optimization of these units is needed for enhanced removal of particles <0.5 mm. For UCL the findings suggest urgent need for implementing basic containment and treatment systems, particularly given their higher pollution risk indices. Varying landfill designs, waste compositions, and weather conditions of specific locations restrict generalisation of the findings to other regions. Therefore, long-term monitoring studies across different geographical and climatic conditions are recommended to develop more comprehensive management strategies.

Emission characteristics analysis on microplastics by inorganic sludge discharged from recycling processes of agricultural waste vinyl in Korea

Globally, various policies are being implemented to phase out plastic, and South Korea has set targets to reduce waste and increase recycling rates by 2030. Concerns about managing microplastic pollution are growing. Most advanced research has primarily focused on aquatic ecosystems. This has left a gap in data on residues in sludge generated from agricultural waste recycling processes. Therefore, environmental analysis (leaching tests, heavy metal and microplastics content, etc.) was carried out using the inorganic sludge discharged from the agricultural waste recycling process to establish national data for various environmental analyses in this study. Specifically, inorganic sludge was selected as a sample from the agricultural waste recycling process since it would be recycled as a filling or covering material in agricultural soil. Therefore, this study analyzed and assessed the content of harmful substances and microplastics in the inorganic sludge generated from agricultural waste recycling processes. As a result, it was revealed the detection of unregulated items such as Al (leaching: 1.54 mg/L, content: 23,870 mg/kg), Fe (leaching: 0.48 mg/L, content: 27,453 mg/kg), and Mn (leaching: 0.06 mg/L, content: 649 mg/kg). Among regulated items, Cu (35.96 mg/kg), Ni (8.77 mg/kg), Pb (6.47 mg/kg), and Zn (178.39 mg/kg) were detected within the legal concentration limits. As for microplastics, the number (1814 particles) and mass (446.54 μg/g) were detected. However, the impact of microplastics is not identified clearly yet. Therefore, if the study results and subsequent accumulation of data by expanding the research target waste can be utilized, it is expected that this could serve as fundamental data for establishing policies or legislation for microplastic management systems.

Pollution status of microplastics in the sediments of warm monomictic Dal lake, India: Abundance, composition, and risk assessment

This report presents the first investigation of microplastic (MP) contamination in the shoreline sediments of Dal Lake, Jammu and Kashmir, India. The MP concentrations ranged from 503 to 3154 MP/kg, with a notable seasonal variation. The highest concentrations of microplastics occurred in the Spring, ranging from 467 to 3445 MP/kg. Microplastics were identified using optical microscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. Polymer analysis revealed that the Gagribal basin was contaminated with polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyamide (PA), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). In contrast, the Nigeen basin mainly comprises PE, PP, and PS. The significantly elevated Polymer Hazard Index (PHI) values, exceeding 1000 in the Gagribal basin, were attributed to the presence of PVC. Sediment quality was assessed using Pollution Load Index (PLI), Potential Ecological Risk Index (PERI), and PHI. Health risk metrics, such as estimated daily intake (EDI) and microplastic carcinogenic risks (MPCR), were also evaluated. There is a positive correlation between microplastic abundance and total organic carbon (TOC), total phosphorus (TP), and total nitrogen (TN). The Nigeen basin, characterized by a higher proportion of less hazardous polymers like PP, exhibited greater TOC levels due to enhanced microbial degradation of microplastics. Conversely, the Gagribal basin, with its higher presence of toxic polymers like PVC, had lower TOC levels, likely due to these compounds' inhibition of microbial activity. This study provides crucial insight into the spatial distribution and ecological impact of MPs in Dal Lake, setting the stage for future research on their effects on aquatic ecosystems.

Twenty years of microplastic pollution research-what have we learned?

Twenty years after the first publication that used the term microplastic, we review current understanding, refine definitions, and consider future prospects. Microplastics arise from multiple sources, including tires, textiles, cosmetics, paint, and the fragmentation of larger items. They are widely distributed throughout the natural environment, with evidence of harm at multiple levels of biological organization. They are pervasive in food and drink and have been detected throughout the human body, with emerging evidence of negative effects. Environmental contamination could double by 2040, and wide-scale harm has been predicted. Public concern is increasing, and diverse measures to address microplastic pollution are being considered in international negotiations. Clear evidence on the efficacy of potential solutions is now needed to address the issue and to minimize the risks of unintended consequences.

Plastic pollution and human pathogens: Towards a conceptual shift in risk management at bathing water and beach environments

Emerging evidence indicates that micro- and macro-plastics present in water can support a diverse microbial community, including potential human pathogens (e.g., bacteria, viruses). This interaction raises important concerns surrounding the role and suitability of current bathing water regulations and associated pathogen exposure risk within beach environments. In response to this, we critically evaluated the available evidence on plastic-pathogen interactions and identified major gaps in knowledge. This review highlighted the need for a conceptual shift in risk management at public beaches recognising: (i) interconnected environmental risks, e.g., associations between microbial compliance parameters, potential pathogens and both contemporary and legacy plastic pollution; and (ii) an appreciation of risk of exposure to plastic co-pollutants for both water and waterside users. We present a decision-making framework to identify options to manage plastic-associated pathogen risks alongside short- and longer-term research priorities. This advance will help deliver improvements in managing plastic-associated pathogen risk, acknowledging that human exposure potential is not limited to only those who engage in water-based activity. We argue that adopting these recommendations will help create an integrated approach to managing and reducing human exposure to pathogens at bathing, recreational water and beach environments.

Occurrence of specific pollutants in a mixture of sewage and rainwater from an urbanized area

Urban runoff appears to be a pathway for transferring new emerging pollutants from land-based sources to the aquatic environment. This paper aimed to identify and describe the groups of pollutants present in rainwater surface runoff as well as their mixture with wastewater in the combined sewer system from urbanized catchments and to determine the correlations between these pollutants. Four leading groups of new emerging pollutants have been identified that may be present in rainwater and municipal wastewater mixtures. The samples were tested for microplastics, phthalic acid esters, pesticides, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons as well as basic parameters. The pilot site was Słupsk (northwestern Poland). We conducted nine sampling campaigns at three points. The results of the present study revealed that (i) polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were not present in the tested samples; (ii) the selected organochlorine pesticides were detected during one campaign in the dry season and therefore were not of critical importance; (iii) out of the 11 analyzed phthalic acid esters, five selected substances released from commonly used plastic products were present; and (iv) the number of microplastics contained in the tested samples ranged from 1,400 to 14,036 pcs/L and even occurred during pure rainfall.

Spatiotemporal occurrence and characteristics of microplastics in the urban road dust in a megacity, eastern China

The pervasive issue of microplastics pollution has garnered public attention, yet urban residents remain unaware of the threat within their living spaces. Urban road dust, as primary reservoirs for environmental microplastics, offers an insightful perspective into their occurrence and characteristics. This study investigated microplastics in the urban road dust in Nanjing, a megacity in eastern China, to reveal their spatiotemporal pattern. The abundance of microplastics in the road dust measured 143.3 ± 40.8 particles/m2, with predominant fragments and suspected tire wear particles, particularly those below 100 µm. Significant spatial variations were observed across urban functional zones (P < 0.05), with commercial and heavy industrial areas experiencing the highest microplastic pollution (up to 223.5 particles/m2). Infrared spectroscopy analysis identified 29 polymer types, with polystyrene (PS), polyamide (PA), and polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) prevailing. Light industrial zones exhibited slight contamination (mean = 93.4 particles/m2) but with diverse polymer components (24 types). Redundancy analysis and variation partitioning revealed that urban functional zoning, 7-day accumulated precipitation, and monthly PM2.5 primarily influenced the occurrence and characteristics of microplastics in urban road dust (P = 0.001). This study deepened our understanding of microplastics pollution in urban environments, providing novel insights for effective urban environmental management and improvement.