There are thousands of scientific studies that deal directly or
indirectly with the microplastic in water, from tap water to seawater. The aim
of this study is to find the main research interests in the specific scientific
literature, based on its most frequent words and by using graphical
representations to better understand their linkage. Of interest for most
studies are some details or processes around which similar groups of articles
are written: the identification of the microplastic type (based on various
criteria such as shapes, size, color or chemical composition (e.g.:
polypropylene, polystyrene, polyethylene, polyester), the microplastic
removal mechanisms (under natural conditions, through deposition, or at
wastewater treatment plants), the degree of microplastic contamination in
the aquatic environment (e.g.: in oceans or in rivers), the effects of
microplastic pollution on various organisms, especially marine life and
humans, after microplastic ingestion or food chain alteration. There are
already hundreds of reviews that analyze articles dealing directly or indirectly
with the problem of microplastics in water; these reviews are interested
mostly in defining microplastic categories, abundance, sources and impact.
Also, the reviews highlight the need to standardize the sampling and
pretreatment methods used when measuring the concentration of
microplastics in order to obtain comparable results.