Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Environmental Applications of Microorganisms

Environmental Applications of Microorganisms

Microorganisms play a pivotal role in maintaining ecosystem balance by recycling essential elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, as well as supporting processes like bioremediation, wastewater treatment, and biofuel production.Microbes in Elemental CyclesIn the carbon cycle, microorganisms decompose organic matter, releasing carbon dioxide via aerobic respiration. This carbon dioxide is subsequently used by photosynthetic organisms to synthesize organic compounds, closing the...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Identification of the gene cluster for the dithiolopyrrolone antibiotic holomycin in Streptomyces clavuligerus.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2010

Same author

Safety evaluation of tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze) flower extract: assessment of mutagenicity, and acute and subchronic toxicity in rats.

Journal of ethnopharmacology·2010

Same author

Influences of soil properties and leaching on nickel toxicity to barley root elongation.

Ecotoxicology and environmental safety·2010

Same author

Effects of CO2 insufflation on cerebrum during endoscopic thyroidectomy in a porcine model.

Surgical endoscopy·2010

Same author

Plants' use of different nitrogen forms in response to crude oil contamination.

Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)·2010

Same author

Overexpression of p35 in Min6 pancreatic beta cells induces a stressed neuron-like apoptosis.

Journal of the neurological sciences·2010

Same journal

Environmental Concentrations of PFOS Accumulate in the <i>Euglena</i> Eyespot and Impair Chloroplast ATP Synthase Activity: A Dual Impairment of Phototaxis and Photosynthetic Light Reactions.

Toxics·2026

Same journal

Heavy Metal(loid) Pollution Characteristics and Risk Assessment in the Water-Soil-Vegetable System of a Watershed in Southwest China.

Toxics·2026

Same journal

Sludge Retention Time Governs Ectoine Synthesis and Pollutant Removal in Halophilic Activated Sludge Treating High-Salinity Wastewater.

Toxics·2026

Same journal

Interpretable Machine Learning and Spatiotemporal Modeling of Meteorological and Environmental Drivers for Tuberculosis Incidence in China.

Toxics·2026

Same journal

A 3D Graphene Oxide Model Reveals Fine Particulate Matter Induced Cell Cycle Dysregulation in Neural Stem Cells.

Toxics·2026

Same journal

Storage-Dependent Changes in Microplastic-Associated Recoverable Residues in Yogurt Containing <i>Bifidobacterium longum</i> subsp. <i>infantis</i>.

Toxics·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 16, 2026

Sampling, Sorting, and Characterizing Microplastics in Aquatic Environments with High Suspended Sediment Loads and Large Floating Debris

Sampling, Sorting, and Characterizing Microplastics in Aquatic Environments with High Suspended Sediment Loads and Large Floating Debris

Published on: July 28, 2018

Neglected Microplastics and Their Risks in Rivers Throughout the Three Gorges Reservoir Area.

Jian-Yun Xie¹, Bo Li¹, Qun-Po Jia²

¹Three Gorges·Reservoir Area Environment·and·Ecology of Chongqing Observation and Research Station, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Water Environment Evolution and Pollution Prevention and Control in Three Gorges Reservoir Area, Chongqing Three Gorges University, Chongqing 404000, China.

|September 27, 2025

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Microplastic pollution in the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) is a significant environmental concern. While water poses a low pollution risk, TGR sediments present a high ecological risk from microplastics.

Keywords:

Three Gorges Reservoir ecological risk microplastic occurrence characteristic pollution risk

More Related Videos

Sampling and Identification of Microplastics in Groundwater

Sampling and Identification of Microplastics in Groundwater

Published on: November 7, 2025

Separation and Identification of Conventional Microplastics from Farmland Soils

Separation and Identification of Conventional Microplastics from Farmland Soils

Published on: March 21, 2025

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 16, 2026

Sampling, Sorting, and Characterizing Microplastics in Aquatic Environments with High Suspended Sediment Loads and Large Floating Debris

Sampling, Sorting, and Characterizing Microplastics in Aquatic Environments with High Suspended Sediment Loads and Large Floating Debris

Published on: July 28, 2018

Sampling and Identification of Microplastics in Groundwater

Sampling and Identification of Microplastics in Groundwater

Published on: November 7, 2025

Separation and Identification of Conventional Microplastics from Farmland Soils

Separation and Identification of Conventional Microplastics from Farmland Soils

Published on: March 21, 2025

Area of Science:

Environmental Science
Ecotoxicology
Riverine Ecosystems

Background:

Microplastics are a pervasive global pollutant, increasingly found in freshwater systems.
River environments, like the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR), face growing microplastic contamination challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the occurrence and characteristics of microplastics in the TGR water and sediments.
To evaluate the pollution risk index (PRI) and potential ecological risk index (RI) of microplastics in the TGR.

Main Methods:

Field sample collection from TGR rivers.
Laboratory analysis of microplastic abundance, color, size, and polymer type.
Calculation of Pollution Risk Index (PRI) and Potential Ecological Risk Index (RI).

Main Results:

Average microplastic abundances: 15,464 particles/m³ in water and 1838 particles/kg in sediment.
Dominant colors were black and blue; particle sizes ranged from 200-500 μm.
Polypropylene and polyethylene were major polymers in water; polypropylene-polyethylene copolymer dominated sediments.
Low pollution risk (Level I) in water and sediments based on PRI.
Ecological risk: Low to moderate in water (RI 18.82-27.28), but significantly high in sediments (RI 70.05-130.57).

Conclusions:

Microplastic pollution in TGR rivers exhibits distinct characteristics in water and sediment.
While PRI indicates low pollution, sediment poses a significant ecological risk.
Highlights neglected risks, providing a basis for TGR microplastic pollution control.