Plastic is one of the most commonly produced and used materials in the world due to its outstanding features. However, the worldwide use of plastics and poor waste management have led to negative impacts on ecosystems. Plastic degradation in the environment leads to the generation of plastic particles with a size of <5 mm, which are defined as microplastics (MPs). These represent a global concern due to their wide dispersion in water environments and unclear potential ecotoxicological effects. Different studies have been performed with the aim of evaluating the presence and impacts of MPs in the marine environment. However, the presence of MPs in freshwater systems is still poorly investigated, making data retrieval a difficult task. The purpose of this review is to identify the main aspects concerning MPs pollution sources in lakes and rivers, with a focus on freshwater sediments as a site of accumulation and as the habitat of benthic organisms, which are key components of food webs and play a fundamental role in energy/contaminant transfer processes, but are still poorly considered. Through this review, the sources and fate of MPs in freshwater are analysed, ecotoxicological studies focused on sediments and benthic fauna are exposed, the most frequently used sampling and analysis strategies are reported, and future trends of MPs analysis in this field are proposed.

Mechanisms by which hydrochemical changes occur after earthquakes are not well documented. We use the 2016–2017 central Italy seismic sequence, which caused notable hydrochemical transient variations in groundwater springs to address this topic, with special reference to effects on fractured carbonate aquifers. Hydrochemistry measured before and after the earthquakes at four springs at varying distances from the epicenters all showed immediate postmainshock peaks in trace element concentrations but little change in major elements. Most parameters returned to preearthquake values before the last events of the seismic sequence. The source of solutes, particularly trace elements, is longer residence time pore water stored in slow‐moving fractures or abandoned karstic flow paths. These fluids were expelled into the main flow paths after an increase in pore pressure, hydraulic conductivity, and shaking from coseismic aquifer stress. The weak response to the later earthquakes is explained by progressive depletion of high solute fluids as earlier shocks flushed out the stored fluids in the fractures. Spring δ ¹³ C _DIC values closest to a deep magma source to the west became enriched relative to preearthquake values following the 24 August event. This enrichment indicates input from deeply sourced dissolved CO ₂ gas after dilation of specific fault conduits. Differences in carbon isotopic responses between springs are attributed to proximity to the deep gaseous CO ₂ source. Most of the transient chemical changes seen in the three fractured carbonate aquifers are attributed to local shaking and emptying of isolated pores and fractures and are not from rapid upward movement of deep fluids.