Microplastic and Nanoplastic Fate and Transport in Groundwater, Surface Water, and Soil Ecosystems: Occurrence, Methods, and Perspective

Micro and nano plastics (MNPs) are emerging contaminants that have been identified in numerous environmental compartments including groundwater and other freshwater environments as well as soils and vadose zones. These environmental compartments provide various ecosystem services, important resources and help to regulate the World’s climate. Although numerous studies have identified various point sources (e.g., wastewater treatment plants, industrial areas) and diffuse sources (e.g., agriculture, urban runoff) as origin of MNPs in soils and freshwater systems, MNP fate and transport is only partly understood. While recent research has shed more light onto the downstream and downward transport and fate of microplastics in soils and various river environments (headwaters, lowland rivers, large rivers, river corridors, etc.), MNPs in groundwater have only very recently received more attention. Groundwater contamination with MNPs has been underestimated in the past due to the lack of a shared protocol of MNP pre-treatment and analysis, as well as more standardized field sampling approaches. In addition, new analytical techniques that are able to improve the detection of MNP and their flow through geological media are being developed.

The aim of this Research Topic is to collect scientific contributions that improve our understanding of MNP transport through and fate in groundwater, and other freshwater systems such as rivers, lakes or wetlands as well as through soils and the vadose zone. We welcome a wide range of high-quality contributions that discuss the theory behind fate and transport processes in these compartments (e.g., reviews, method developments, opinions) or combine field and laboratory work to provide evidence of MNP pollution, transport and fate and the respective process and drivers. Where relevant, submitted articles should provide detailed information of applied sampling and analytical methods or modelling approaches in order to improve their reproducibility. In addition, a detailed description of the respective hydrological, hydrogeological or pedological conditions of each study area is expected.

Potential contributions include but are not limited to:

Assessment of MNP contamination in terrestrial freshwater (aquifers, rivers, lakes, etc.) and soil environments, taking into account system-related environmental settings and land use in the study area.

Effect of MNP contamination on exchange processes between groundwater, surface waters and soil.

Development and application of new methods for MNP detection and analysis.

Development and application of models to describe MNP fate and transport processes at field and pore scales.

MNP fate and mobility in the soil-groundwater system with respect to seepage and recharge dynamics.

MNP fate and transport at the groundwater-surface water interface.
Policies and technologies for MNP pollution risk assessment and mitigation.

MNP fate and transport with respect to co-contaminants MNP as sources for secondary pollutants (leachates) and as carriers for chemical and biological contaminants.

Occurrence of MNPs in aquatic biota and its relationships with the environmental pollution.

Authors may submit their original research, as well reviews, methods, policy and practice reviews, perspectives, general commentaries and opinions.

Keywords: Microplastics, Nanoplastics, Pollution, Groundwater, Aquifer, Surface Waters, Soil, Freshwater Systems, Hydrology, Hydrogeology

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.