Halocline-associated microplastic retention in a weakly mixed estuary: Insights from the Oyabe River, Japan

Halocline-associated microplastic accumulation in a weakly mixed estuary: Insights from the Oyabe River, Japan

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Researchers studied the Oyabe River estuary in Japan and found that the halocline in weakly mixed estuaries acts as a physical trap for microplastics, promoting prolonged particle retention and enhanced deposition into coastal and benthic sediments.

Analysis of small microplastics in coastal surface water samples of the subtropical island of Okinawa, Japan

Microplastic distribution and occurrence in benthic species along river–sea continua: Implications for coastal aquaculture in the South Yellow Sea

River Microplastic Contamination and Dynamics upon a Rainfall Event in Hong Kong, China

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An urban river in Hong Kong contained microplastics at nearly double the concentration of nearby coastal seawater after rainfall, but levels dropped tenfold within two hours as particles dispersed, underscoring rivers as major dynamic conduits for flushing microplastics into marine environments. Understanding these rainfall-driven pulses is critical for accurately estimating how much plastic enters the ocean from land-based sources.

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.