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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 Marine & Wildlife Sign in to save

River export of macro- and microplastics to seas by sources worldwide

Nature Communications 2023 206 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 60 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Paul Vriend, Maryna Strokal, Maryna Strokal, Tim van Emmerik Maryna Strokal, Maryna Strokal, Mirjam P. Bak, Jikke van Wijnen, Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Paul Vriend, Tim van Emmerik Mirjam P. Bak, Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Paul Vriend, Paul Vriend, Paul Vriend, Paul Vriend, Paul Vriend, Paul Vriend, Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Maryna Strokal, Maryna Strokal, Tim van Emmerik Paul Vriend, Paul Vriend, Paul Vriend, Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Mirjam P. Bak, Carolien Kroeze, Carolien Kroeze, Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Carolien Kroeze, Carolien Kroeze, Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Jikke van Wijnen, Mirjam P. Bak, Jikke van Wijnen, Jikke van Wijnen, Jikke van Wijnen, Jikke van Wijnen, Jikke van Wijnen, Paul Vriend, Paul Vriend, Tim van Emmerik Jikke van Wijnen, Mirjam P. Bak, Paul Vriend, Maryna Strokal, Tim van Emmerik Mirjam P. Bak, Mirjam P. Bak, Mirjam P. Bak, Maryna Strokal, Carolien Kroeze, Carolien Kroeze, Carolien Kroeze, Mirjam P. Bak, Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Mirjam P. Bak, Mirjam P. Bak, Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Carolien Kroeze, Mirjam P. Bak, Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Maryna Strokal, Mirjam P. Bak, Tim van Emmerik Paul Vriend, Mirjam P. Bak, Paul Vriend, Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Maryna Strokal, Mirjam P. Bak, Paul Vriend, Maryna Strokal, Maryna Strokal, Maryna Strokal, Carolien Kroeze, Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Mirjam P. Bak, Maryna Strokal, Carolien Kroeze, Tim van Emmerik Carolien Kroeze, Carolien Kroeze, Carolien Kroeze, Paul Vriend, Tim van Emmerik Maryna Strokal, Jikke van Wijnen, Maryna Strokal, Mirjam P. Bak, Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Jikke van Wijnen, Maryna Strokal, Mirjam P. Bak, Carolien Kroeze, Paul Vriend, Maryna Strokal, Maryna Strokal, Tim van Emmerik Jikke van Wijnen, Carolien Kroeze, Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Carolien Kroeze, Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Paul Vriend, Maryna Strokal, Paul Vriend, Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Maryna Strokal, Maryna Strokal, Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Jikke van Wijnen, Maryna Strokal, Maryna Strokal, Maryna Strokal, Maryna Strokal, Jikke van Wijnen, Maryna Strokal, Carolien Kroeze, Jikke van Wijnen, Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik

Summary

This global modeling study estimated that rivers carry about 500,000 tons of plastic into the ocean each year, with both large plastics and microplastics playing significant roles. In Europe, North America, and Oceania, microplastics from sewage are the dominant type in nearly 40 percent of river basins, while in Africa and Asia, larger plastic waste from poor waste management is the main problem. The study helps identify which areas need which types of pollution reduction strategies to protect both marine ecosystems and the communities that rely on them.

Study Type Environmental

Seas are polluted with macro- (>5 mm) and microplastics (<5 mm). However, few studies account for both types when modeling water quality, thus limiting our understanding of the origin (e.g., basins) and sources of plastics. In this work, we model riverine macro- and microplastic exports to seas to identify their main sources in over ten thousand basins. We estimate that rivers export approximately 0.5 million tons of plastics per year worldwide. Microplastics are dominant in almost 40% of the basins in Europe, North America and Oceania, because of sewage effluents. Approximately 80% of the global population live in river basins where macroplastics are dominant because of mismanaged solid waste. These basins include many African and Asian rivers. In 10% of the basins, macro- and microplastics in seas (as mass) are equally important because of high sewage effluents and mismanaged solid waste production. Our results could be useful to prioritize reduction policies for plastics.

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