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Vertical distribution of microplastics in sediment columns along the coastline of China
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Sediment column samples collected from 11 provinces along China's coastline revealed that microplastic pollution decreases with depth and is more diverse in vertical profiles than in surface sediments, with fibers dominating. Estuarine and coastal areas showed higher contamination than mangrove reserves.
At present, there has been relatively less coverage of microplastics (MPs) pollution in sediment columns, especially across a large geographical span. This study collected sediment columns across 11 provinces along the coastline of China for MPs pollution investigation. The study found higher MPs diversity (Simpson diversity index) in sediment columns than in surface sediments, mostly comprising fiber MPs with dominant transparent and blue colors. Lower MPs pollution was noted in mangrove reserves, while estuarine and coastal areas showed higher pollution levels. Spearman correlation analysis shows that vertical of MPs abundance significantly decreased with depth at 6 of 11 sites. Large-sized MPs with diverse colors in deeper sediments (>40 cm) suggests that burial processes may render MPs more resistant to degradation. Our research highlights varied MPs distribution in coastal sediment, aiding future marine MPs pollution prediction and assessment.
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Characteristics and distribution of microplastics in the coastal mangrove sediments of China
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A survey of mangrove sediments along China's coast found microplastics were ubiquitous, with concentrations and polymer types varying by proximity to human activity and hydrological conditions. The study shows that mangrove forests, which provide critical coastal ecosystem services, are accumulating significant quantities of plastic pollution.
Vertical distribution, accumulation, and characteristics of microplastics in mangrove sediment in China
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Sediment cores up to 100 cm deep were collected from six mangrove forests in China to document the vertical distribution and historical record of microplastic accumulation. The Futian mangrove in Shenzhen had the highest microplastic abundance up to 3,123 particles per kilogram, and the earliest plastic-bearing sediment layers date back to China's plastic industry development in the 1980s.
[Characteristics of Microplastic Pollution in Sediment of Silty Coast in Culture Bay].
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Microplastic characteristics and depth profiles were analyzed in deep sediments from a silty mudflat near a Haizhou Bay aquaculture area, providing rare data on vertical microplastic distribution in coastal sediment cores.
Distribution and environmental risk assessment of microplastics in continental shelf sediments in the southern East China Sea: A high-spatial-resolution survey
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Researchers conducted a high-spatial-resolution survey of microplastics in surface sediments across the southern East China Sea continental shelf, finding omnipresent contamination dominated by polyethylene fibers and fragments, with concentrations elevated near urban coastal areas.
The distribution, characteristics and ecological risks of microplastics in the mangroves of Southern China
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Microplastics were found to be widespread in mangrove sediments across Southern China, with higher concentrations in areas closer to urban development and aquaculture. The study highlights mangroves as accumulation zones for microplastic pollution, which could threaten these ecologically important coastal ecosystems.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.