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Microplastics in Chinese coastal waters: A mini-review of occurrence characteristics, sources and driving mechanisms
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This mini-review compiles data on microplastic pollution across four Chinese coastal water regions, examining both natural and social factors that drive contamination levels. Researchers found that microplastic abundance varied significantly depending on sampling methods, and identified key sources including fishing activities, river discharge, and coastal development. The study highlights the need for standardized monitoring approaches to better track microplastic pollution trends in Chinese waters.
The oceans are facing global and irreversible pollution from microplastics, and China is not immune. In this mini-review, information on microplastics in four coastal waters of China and the natural and social environment of key basins were compiled. The results showed that microplastics were ubiquitous in the coastal waters, and the abundance and spatial distribution of microplastics varied significantly under different sampling methods. For trawl samples, microplastic abundance ranged from 0.045 to 1170.8 items m-3, among which the coastal waters of the East China Sea were the most polluted. For filtered samples, microplastic abundance ranged from 46 to 63,600 items m-3, and the coastal waters of the Yellow Sea were the most polluted. Meanwhile, human activities in basin were the key factors affecting microplastic pollution in coastal waters. The main terrestrial source in the coastal waters of the South China Sea was express packaging loss, whereas the main source in the other coastal waters was tyres and road markings wear from vehicle trip. The decoupling results of analytic hierarchy process showed that there was spatial heterogeneity in the impact of socio-economic and natural environmental factors in the basin on the distribution of microplastics in coastal waters. Among the five major basins, the impact weights of the latter were 20.00%, 83.34%, 66.66%, 50.00% and 25.00%, respectively. This study provides the first perspective of land-sea linkage to summarize the characteristics, sources and influencing factors of microplastics in Chinese coastal waters, providing ideas for reducing marine microplastic pollution from the source.
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Microplastic pollution in Chinese bays: Sampling method comparisons, key drivers, and economic influence
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Researchers compiled microplastic data from over 300 sampling stations across 13 bays in China and compared three different water sampling methods. They found that microplastic distribution was heterogeneous across bays and that sampling method significantly affected measured abundance, though not the types of polymers detected. The study also found a positive correlation between regional economic development and microplastic pollution levels, suggesting that human activity intensity is a key driver of coastal contamination.
Microplastics pollution in China water ecosystems: a review of the abundance, characteristics, fate, risk and removal
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This review summarizes microplastic pollution across China's water ecosystems, covering rivers, lakes, coastal waters, and groundwater, analyzing abundance, characteristics, fate, and ecological risk. China faces significant microplastic challenges given its large coastline, population, and economic development.
Microplastics in China Sea: Analysis, status, source, and fate
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This comprehensive review of microplastic research in China Seas compiled data from coastal and offshore studies, finding widespread contamination in seawater, sediment, and biota, with major sources including riverine runoff from densely populated river basins and fishing activities, and highlighting gaps in deep-sea and tidal flat monitoring.
A review of microplastic pollution in seawater, sediments and organisms of the Chinese coastal and marginal seas
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This review compiled microplastic abundance and characteristics data from seawater, sediments, and marine organisms across China's coastal and marginal seas, finding widespread contamination linked to China's extensive plastic production and mismanaged waste streams.
Pollution status of microplastics in the freshwater environment of China: a mini review
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This review assessed microplastic pollution in China's freshwater environments including rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, finding widespread contamination in surface waters, sediments, and biota with variations linked to population density and industrial activity.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.