Assessment of microplastic occurrence in tidal flat biota of the Tsurumi River estuary (Tokyo Bay, Japan): Preliminary study and first evidence

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

A Review of Microplastics in Aquatic Sediments: Occurrence, Fate, Transport, and Ecological Impact

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Researchers reviewed how microplastics accumulate in aquatic sediments — particularly the ocean floor — finding that sediments act as a long-term sink where plastics alter microbial communities and harm bottom-dwelling organisms, meaning the ecological damage of plastic pollution extends far beyond what is visible at the water surface.

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.

The Influence of Microplastic Polymer Characteristics on Estuarine Nutrients Through Microbial Mediation: A Field Study in the Pearl River Estuary