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Spatiotemporal variations of microplastics and influencing factor analysis in coastal seawater of Qingdao, China

Marine Environmental Research 2025 4 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 58 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

Jinfeng Ding, Fenghua Jiang Jinfeng Ding, Jinfeng Ding, Fenghua Jiang Jinfeng Ding, Jinfeng Ding, Fenghua Jiang, Fenghua Jiang, Fenghua Jiang, Jinfeng Ding, Jinfeng Ding, Fenghua Jiang Jinfeng Ding, Jinfeng Ding, Jinfeng Ding, Jinfeng Ding, Jinfeng Ding, Fenghua Jiang He Ma, Fenghua Jiang Fenghua Jiang, Fenghua Jiang Jinfeng Ding, Jinfeng Ding, Jinfeng Ding, S. L. Hu, Fenghua Jiang Fenghua Jiang Fenghua Jiang Fenghua Jiang Jiaxuan Yin, Fenghua Jiang, Fenghua Jiang, Fenghua Jiang, Fenghua Jiang Jiaxuan Yin, Jinfeng Ding, Jinfeng Ding, Jiaxuan Yin, Fenghua Jiang Jinfeng Ding, Jinfeng Ding, Fenghua Jiang Fenghua Jiang Fenghua Jiang Fenghua Jiang Jinfeng Ding, Jinfeng Ding, Fenghua Jiang Fenghua Jiang Fenghua Jiang Jiaxuan Yin, Zheng Pei, Jiaxuan Yin, Fenghua Jiang, Fenghua Jiang, Fenghua Jiang, Fenghua Jiang, Fenghua Jiang, Fenghua Jiang, Fenghua Jiang, Fenghua Jiang, Fenghua Jiang Zheng Sheng, Jinfeng Ding, Fenghua Jiang, Fenghua Jiang Fenghua Jiang Fenghua Jiang Fenghua Jiang Fenghua Jiang Fenghua Jiang Liu Yi-liang, Fenghua Jiang, Liu Yi-liang, Fenghua Jiang Fenghua Jiang Fenghua Jiang, Fenghua Jiang Fenghua Jiang Fenghua Jiang, Fenghua Jiang

Summary

Researchers surveyed microplastic pollution in the coastal waters of Qingdao, China, and found average concentrations of 293 to 412 particles per cubic meter, with higher levels in summer. The distribution pattern showed increasing concentrations from east to west, influenced by ocean currents, urban runoff, and tourism activity. The study provides a detailed picture of how human activity and environmental factors shape microplastic pollution patterns along a major coastal city.

Polymers

PET

Study Type Environmental

Microplastic pollution in coastal zones has attracted widespread attention, as coastal zones act as significant reservoirs of microplastics. Yet impacts of human and environmental factors on microplastic distribution in specific coastal areas remain elusive. This study combined stereomicroscope and micro-FT-IR technical to investigate the abundance and composition characteristics of microplastics in the coastal seawater of Qingdao in 2024 and analyze the potential factors affecting the spatiotemporal distribution of seawater microplastics. Results showed that the average microplastic abundance in coastal seawater was 293.0 ± 125.4 items/m in June and 412.0 ± 152.4 items/m in August. An east-to-west increasing trend in the microplastic abundance was observed, with the Zhanqiao Pier (ZQ) exhibiting the highest values. The microplastics found in the coastal seawater were mainly fibers in shape, black and blue in color, 1000-2000 μm in size, and rayon and PET in polymer types. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed large spatial heterogeneity in microplastic characteristics between study sites, particularly in August. The results demonstrated that tourism activities, population density, ocean currents, and rainfall were the major factors affecting the spatiotemporal distribution of seawater microplastics. These findings underscore the need for effective management strategies to mitigate the impact of human activities on microplastic pollution in coastal environments.

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