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The Microplastics Research Atlas
Explore 111,495 peer-reviewed papers on microplastic science, health effects, and remediation.
69,080
Microplastic Research Papers ? Papers classified as relevant to microplastics research. 42,415 non-relevant papers are excluded — see methodology.
from 111,495 indexed across OpenAlex & PubMed
86%
AI Summarized ? AI-generated plain-language summary. 14% of papers lack an abstract from the source and cannot be summarized.
100%
Enriched & Annotated ? Papers enriched with full metadata — authors, affiliations, AI classification, and evidence tier.
99%
Semantic Embeddings ? Papers with vector embeddings enabling semantic search and similarity.
Browse by Topic ? Papers with this as their primary AI-assigned topic.
Research by Polymer ? Papers mentioning this polymer, identified by keyword matching in titles and abstracts.
Latest Findings
View all →Ocean inspiration for a sustainable future: Rivers to Seas engagement and a UN Ocean Agency?
Researchers argue that ocean sustainability efforts remain disconnected from inland communities and propose a "Rivers to Seas" public engagement framework alongside a dedicated UN Ocean Agency to better translate political momentum—including concern over marine plastic pollution—into coordinated land-to-sea action.
Marine life under plastic threat: A systematic review of systematic reviews.
Researchers conducted a systematic review of 34 existing systematic reviews and meta-analyses on marine plastic ecotoxicology, finding substantial heterogeneity in reported effects driven by taxonomy, polymer type, and experimental conditions—and that 74% of reviews were rated critically low quality under AMSTAR 2—calling for harmonized methodologies and greater ecological realism to support evidence-based marine plastic policy.
Interactions between MnO₂ and tire wear particles: Mutual impacts on aging and MnO₂ structural transformation.
Researchers investigated how three manganese oxide phases interact with tire wear particles and found a synergistic effect with photoaging that raised the oxidation ratio of TWPs by 66%—more than the sum of either process alone—while dissolved organic matter released from aged TWPs in turn inhibited manganese oxide structural transformation, revealing a two-way geochemical feedback in aquatic environments.
Macroplastic in urban waterways: assessing storage in Berlin's Spree River.
Researchers surveyed macroplastic distribution across the riverbanks, aquatic-terrestrial interfaces, and channel of Berlin's urban Spree River, finding that engineered embankments create a one-way transport funnel where lateral runoff and wind carry plastics from banks into the channel but prevent reverse flux—with polypropylene food wrappers dominating the debris load.
Membrane fingerprints and morphotype shifts in Phaeodactylum tricornutum co-exposed to cadmium and PBAT macroplastics as ecotoxicological indicators.
Researchers co-exposed the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum to cadmium and biodegradable PBAT plastic, finding that PBAT degradation products shift cell morphotype toward an oval stress form and increase light-harvesting pigments—effects detectable at lower concentrations than those disrupting photosynthesis—establishing membrane composition and morphotype as sensitive indicators of combined metal-plastic pollution.
Characterization and in silico toxicity assessment of polypropylene photodegradation leachates in a simulated marine environment.
Researchers exposed polypropylene and PP rope to simulated solar UV irradiation in artificial seawater, then used high-resolution mass spectrometry with cyclic ion mobility to identify 29 leachate compounds with high structural confidence, with in silico toxicity profiling via ProTox-II flagging multiple hazard classes including endocrine disruption and aquatic toxicity among the photooxidation products.
Landmark Studies
View all →Distribution of plastic polymer types in the marine environment; A meta-analysis
This meta-analysis pools data from studies worldwide to map which types of plastic polymers are found in different parts of the ocean. The research found that plastic particles sort themselves by density, with lighter plastics floating at the surface and denser ones sinking to the seafloor, creating distinct contamination patterns. Understanding where different plastics accumulate helps predict which marine organisms are most exposed and how microplastics may enter the seafood supply chain.
Microplastics in the aquatic environment: Evidence for or against adverse impacts and major knowledge gaps
This systematic review weighs the evidence for and against microplastics causing environmental harm in aquatic ecosystems. The researchers confirm that microplastics are widespread in the environment but note that major knowledge gaps remain, making it difficult to fully assess the risks these particles pose to wildlife and, by extension, to human health through the food chain.
A meta-analysis of the effects of exposure to microplastics on fish and aquatic invertebrates
Microplastic effects on fish and aquatic invertebrates were highly variable across taxa, but the most consistent finding was reduced consumption of natural prey when microplastics were present; zooplankton and other prey organisms appeared particularly susceptible, with potential food web ramifications.
What is known and unknown about the effects of plastic pollution: A meta‐analysis and systematic review
This meta-analysis and systematic review pools data from hundreds of studies to assess whether plastic pollution, both large pieces and microplastics, poses a real ecological threat. The findings confirm negative effects on wildlife across many species and environments, underscoring that plastic pollution is not just an aesthetic problem but a genuine risk to ecosystems and the food chains humans rely on.
The ecological impacts of marine debris: unraveling the demonstrated evidence from what is perceived
This systematic review critically examined the evidence for ecological damage caused by marine debris, including plastic pollution. Researchers found 366 perceived environmental threats from marine debris, and when tested, 83% of those threats were confirmed through scientific studies. This large-scale confirmation of marine debris impacts reinforces concerns about microplastics harming ocean ecosystems that humans depend on for food.
Bioaccumulation and biomagnification of microplastics in marine organisms: A review and meta-analysis of current data
This meta-analysis reviews current evidence on whether microplastics accumulate and concentrate as they move up the marine food chain. The findings have direct implications for seafood safety, since biomagnification would mean that larger predatory fish consumed by humans could contain higher concentrations of microplastics and their associated chemical additives.