Source, dynamics, and risks of microplastics and nanoplastics in agricultural groundwater systems
Abstract Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) are emerging contaminants increasingly recognized for their environmental and health implications. While surface water systems have been extensively studied, the presence, behavior, and impacts of MNPs in groundwater remain underexplored, despite its critical...
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Academia Brasileira de Ciências
2025-09-01
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| Series: | Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências |
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| author | THAIS G. CARPANEZ LIVIA MARIA C. CASTRO CAROLINA R. DOS SANTOS MÍRIAM CRISTINA S. AMARAL VICTOR R. MOREIRA |
| author_facet | THAIS G. CARPANEZ LIVIA MARIA C. CASTRO CAROLINA R. DOS SANTOS MÍRIAM CRISTINA S. AMARAL VICTOR R. MOREIRA |
| author_sort | THAIS G. CARPANEZ |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) are emerging contaminants increasingly recognized for their environmental and health implications. While surface water systems have been extensively studied, the presence, behavior, and impacts of MNPs in groundwater remain underexplored, despite its critical role as water source worldwide. The findings in this review highlight that agricultural activities, particularly plastic mulches, pesticides containers, fertilizer bags, greenhouses, are major sources of MNP. Nanoplastics, predominant in groundwater due to their enhanced mobility in the vadose zone, exhibit a higher sorption capacity, facilitating the transport and accumulation of toxic substances such as hydrophobic organic pollutants and trace metals to/in groundwater. The review also discusses the hydrogeological and environmental factors influencing micro(nano)plastics distribution. In complement, synergistic and antagonistic effects arising from MNP interactions with other contaminants were reviewed, emphasizing the interactions with contaminants derived from agricultural practices (nitrate, herbicides, pesticides, and salts). Despite the generally low concentrations of MNPs in groundwater, their seasonal variability, combined with the aging of particles, underscores the need for long-term monitoring and risk assessments specific to groundwater systems. These findings reinforce the importance of research that addresses the unique challenges posed by micro- and nanoplastics in groundwater systems, ensuring their environmental protection. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-914c2dc6dc4a48b49544985f86e6c1f1 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1678-2690 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-09-01 |
| publisher | Academia Brasileira de Ciências |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências |
| spelling | doaj-art-914c2dc6dc4a48b49544985f86e6c1f12025-08-20T03:02:37ZengAcademia Brasileira de CiênciasAnais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências1678-26902025-09-0197suppl 310.1590/0001-3765202420241393Source, dynamics, and risks of microplastics and nanoplastics in agricultural groundwater systemsTHAIS G. CARPANEZhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5761-0817LIVIA MARIA C. CASTROhttps://orcid.org/0009-0002-4415-7053CAROLINA R. DOS SANTOShttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-4452-866XMÍRIAM CRISTINA S. AMARALhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-2246-9240VICTOR R. MOREIRAhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-6368-3310Abstract Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) are emerging contaminants increasingly recognized for their environmental and health implications. While surface water systems have been extensively studied, the presence, behavior, and impacts of MNPs in groundwater remain underexplored, despite its critical role as water source worldwide. The findings in this review highlight that agricultural activities, particularly plastic mulches, pesticides containers, fertilizer bags, greenhouses, are major sources of MNP. Nanoplastics, predominant in groundwater due to their enhanced mobility in the vadose zone, exhibit a higher sorption capacity, facilitating the transport and accumulation of toxic substances such as hydrophobic organic pollutants and trace metals to/in groundwater. The review also discusses the hydrogeological and environmental factors influencing micro(nano)plastics distribution. In complement, synergistic and antagonistic effects arising from MNP interactions with other contaminants were reviewed, emphasizing the interactions with contaminants derived from agricultural practices (nitrate, herbicides, pesticides, and salts). Despite the generally low concentrations of MNPs in groundwater, their seasonal variability, combined with the aging of particles, underscores the need for long-term monitoring and risk assessments specific to groundwater systems. These findings reinforce the importance of research that addresses the unique challenges posed by micro- and nanoplastics in groundwater systems, ensuring their environmental protection.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0001-37652025001201007&lng=en&tlng=enagriculture and pollutionenvironmental contaminationvertical mobilitymicroplastics migration |
| spellingShingle | THAIS G. CARPANEZ LIVIA MARIA C. CASTRO CAROLINA R. DOS SANTOS MÍRIAM CRISTINA S. AMARAL VICTOR R. MOREIRA Source, dynamics, and risks of microplastics and nanoplastics in agricultural groundwater systems Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências agriculture and pollution environmental contamination vertical mobility microplastics migration |
| title | Source, dynamics, and risks of microplastics and nanoplastics in agricultural groundwater systems |
| title_full | Source, dynamics, and risks of microplastics and nanoplastics in agricultural groundwater systems |
| title_fullStr | Source, dynamics, and risks of microplastics and nanoplastics in agricultural groundwater systems |
| title_full_unstemmed | Source, dynamics, and risks of microplastics and nanoplastics in agricultural groundwater systems |
| title_short | Source, dynamics, and risks of microplastics and nanoplastics in agricultural groundwater systems |
| title_sort | source dynamics and risks of microplastics and nanoplastics in agricultural groundwater systems |
| topic | agriculture and pollution environmental contamination vertical mobility microplastics migration |
| url | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0001-37652025001201007&lng=en&tlng=en |
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