A review of microplastics pollution in dams globally: Consequences and future outlook

Abstract

Microplastic pollution, as an emerging and toxic pollutant, has become a major concern in aquatic ecosystems, including dams. Given that very little research has been conducted in this field, this article reviews this environmental challenge. In this paper, the origin, shape, color, polymer nature, and consequences of the presence of microplastics (MPs) in dams around the world were investigated based on limited published research. The dominant shape, color, and polymer nature in dams were found to be fiber, white, and polyethylene (PET), respectively. Given the increasing distribution of MPs in aquatic resources, special attention was paid to the prospects and management strategies for their mitigation.

Keywords: Aquatic resources; Dams; Environmental challenge; Management strategies; Microplastic pollution.