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Article ? AI-assigned paper type based on the abstract. Classification may not be perfect — flag errors using the feedback button. Tier 2 ? Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence. Environmental Sources Sign in to save

Comprehensive analysis of microplastics at typical outlets around Hainan Island: From spatial distribution to flux estimation and correlation analysis

Water Research 2025 5 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 63 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Liu Gao, Liu Gao, Liu Gao, Liu Gao, Liu Gao, Liu Gao, Liu Gao, Yuanyuan Su, Yuanyuan Su, Yuanyuan Su, Liu Gao, Liu Gao, Yuanyuan Su, Liu Gao, Liu Gao, Xubing Lin, Liu Gao, Ruiqi Bao, Ruiqi Bao, Yuanyuan Su, Shiyu Xie, Liu Gao, Liu Gao, Liu Gao, Liu Gao, Liu Gao, Yuanyuan Su, Ruiqi Bao, Ruiqi Bao, Ruiqi Bao, Licheng Peng Xing Cheng, Xubing Lin, Liu Gao, Yuanyuan Su, Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Liu Gao, Liu Gao, Licheng Peng Yuanyuan Su, Yuanyuan Su, Yuanyuan Su, Yuanyuan Su, Yuanyuan Su, Yuanyuan Su, Yuanyuan Su, Liu Gao, Liu Gao, Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Yuanyuan Su, Licheng Peng Dan Qi, Liu Gao, Xubing Lin, Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Xubing Lin, Liu Gao, Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Liu Fei, Licheng Peng Ruiqi Bao, Yuanyuan Su, Licheng Peng Ruiqi Bao, Licheng Peng Liu Gao, Liu Gao, Liu Gao, Yuanyuan Su, Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Ruiqi Bao, Xing Cheng, Liu Gao, Liu Gao, Liu Gao, Licheng Peng Liu Gao, Yuanyuan Su, Ruiqi Bao, Ruiqi Bao, Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Shiyu Xie, Licheng Peng Liu Gao, Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Ruiqi Bao, Ruiqi Bao, Xing Cheng, Ruiqi Bao, Liu Gao, Liu Gao, Ruiqi Bao, Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Xubing Lin, Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Ruiqi Bao, Xubing Lin, Yuanyuan Su, Licheng Peng Yuanyuan Su, Licheng Peng Yuanyuan Su, Yuanyuan Su, Tingting Zhang, Xubing Lin, Xubing Lin, Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Licheng Peng

Summary

A comprehensive study of sewage outlets around Hainan Island in the South China Sea found high concentrations of microplastics being discharged from wastewater treatment plants, industrial areas, residential zones, and aquaculture facilities. Researchers estimated that approximately 61.6 trillion microplastic particles are released annually into the South China Sea from this single island's rivers. The study identifies wastewater treatment plants as the most critical control point for reducing land-based microplastic pollution entering the ocean.

Study Type Environmental

Previous studies on microplastics (MPs) distribution have predominantly focused on water bodies within specific regions, with limited emphasis on the contributions of MPs directly discharged from functional zones surrounding isolated island. This study addressed this gap by investigating the occurrence and distribution of MPs in water and sediment directly discharged into the adjacent coast of Hainan Island, a geographically isolated and ecologically sensitive region in the South China Sea. Based on the sampling from 40 typical sewage outlets (affiliated to five functional zones, i.e., wastewater treatment plants (WWTP), industrial area (ID), residential area (RA), aquaculture area (QA), estuary (EST)) around the Hainan Island, we analyzed the MPs abundance and composition in water and sediment. Our findings revealed significant contributions of land-derived MPs, with an average abundance of 15,900 items/m in water and 3171 items/kg in sediment. Annually, approximately 61.6 trillion MPs were discharged into the South China Sea via rivers from Hainan Island, highlighting its role as a major land-derived source of MPs pollution in this critical marine ecosystem. Risk assessments indicated the H and PLI level of Hainan Island as II and I, respectively, with H-water level highest in WWTP and EST as III and H-sediment level highest in WWTP, RD and QA as II, and this indicated the critical function of WWTP to control the release of land-derived MPs and reduce the environmental risks. Correlation analysis underscored the influence of natural factors (currents, tides, waves, and drifts), socio-economic factors (population density, regional area, and agricultural output), and anthropogenic activity (tourism development) on coastal MPs pollution. On the basis of existing timely MPs prevention and control measures in Hainan province, such as intercepting the MPs via WWTP and prohibiting the direct discharge of aquaculture wastewater to the surrounding sea, this study re-underscored the urgency of MPs management on the protection of the South China Sea's eco-environmental quality in view of the pivotal role of Hainan Island on the isolated geographic position and the South China Sea's ecological health. Overall, this study offered scientific insights to support source-oriented strategies for coastal MPs pollution control by providing fundamental data for predicting land-derived MPs contributions on an island-scale.

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