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Distribution, source, and sink of microplastics in the nearshore-estuarine systems of the South China Sea basin
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This review synthesizes data on microplastic distribution, sources, and sink dynamics across rivers, nearshore zones, and estuaries of the South China Sea, identifying river inputs, industrial discharge, aquaculture, and shipping as major pollution drivers. The findings are significant because the South China Sea's densely populated coastal margins represent a major pathway through which microplastics enter marine ecosystems and regional seafood supplies.
The environmental impact of microplastic pollution has triggered the alarm of public for over 20 years. The South China Sea, situated as a marginal sea in the tropical region, is surrounded by unique blue-carbon ecosystems and densely populated provinces that produce a substantial amount of industrial plastic waste. Understanding the source-sink relationship and distribution of microplastics in rivers, nearshores, and estuaries is crucial for safeguarding the ecological integrity of estuarine environments. In this review, a comprehensive review of recent researches on the distribution and source-sink relationships of microplastics in rivers and nearshore and offshore regions in the South China Sea have been discussed. Due to atmospheric deposition and precipitation, microplastics exhibit spatial heterogeneity in terms of abundance and distribution in areas surrounding the South China Sea. The major pollution sources include river inputs, industrial wastewater discharge, aquaculture activities, and shipping operations. Anthropogenic and other biological factors such as fish ingestion and vegetation entrapment also affect the distribution and transport of microplastics. To quantify the abundance and distribution of microplastics and elucidate their transport mechanisms, it is recommended to strengthen the detection and management of microplastics in the South China Sea region, standardize sampling methods and units, establish shared databases, and explore effective governance pathways.
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Microplastics in the seawater of the Beibu Gulf, the northern South China Sea: occurrence, sources, and ecological risk
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Researchers sampled surface and bottom seawater in the Beibu Gulf of the South China Sea and found microplastic abundances averaging 1.35 items per cubic meter at the surface, with sources traced to fishing, aquaculture, and land-based plastic waste, and polymer hazard indices indicating elevated chemical risk despite low overall pollution load.
The abundance, characteristics and diversity of microplastics in the South China Sea: Observation around three remote islands
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Floating microplastics in the South China Sea around three remote islands reached median concentrations of 1.9×10⁵ items/km², with polypropylene dominating and transparent films comprising the majority — pointing to household and agricultural plastic consumption as primary sources. Fish and mollusks in these waters were also found to have ingested microplastics, confirming active bioaccumulation in marine food webs of a region surrounded by high-plastic-use emerging markets.
Assessment of spatial distribution, sources, and ecological risks of microplastics in the estuarine and coastal regions of the northern Bay of Bengal
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Surveys of the northeastern Bay of Bengal found surface water MP concentrations up to 1,640 items/m³ in the Karnaphuli estuary, dominated by fiber-shaped polypropylene particles, with pollution risk indices ranging from medium to very high across estuarine and coastal zones. The high MP burden in this densely populated coastal region poses serious risks to marine biodiversity, local fisheries, and the millions of people who depend on Bay of Bengal seafood as a dietary staple.
Abundance, distribution and characterization of microplastics in Tropical River Estuary, South East Coast of India
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Researchers sampled water and sediment across seven sites along the Palar River estuary in southeast India, finding that fiber-shaped high-density polyethylene microplastics dominate, likely originating from fishing gear and industrial discharge. The study establishes a contamination baseline for a multi-source river system, highlighting how riverine environments serve as highways transporting plastic pollution from inland industrial and agricultural sources into coastal marine ecosystems.
Tidal variability and microplastics distribution: source analysis in Dongshan Bay beach sediments, South China
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A four-site study of Dongshan Bay beach sediments in South China found microplastic concentrations ranging from 7.4 to 283.1 items/kg, with tidal dynamics strongly influencing distribution — higher loads near estuaries at high tide and coastal accumulation at low tide — and statistical analysis pointing to fishing and packaging industries as the dominant sources. Tidal forcing emerges as a key control on microplastic redistribution in coastal sediments, complicating source attribution and remediation planning for fishery-intensive coastlines.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.