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Environmental Sources
Marine & Wildlife
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Substantial burial of terrestrial microplastics in the Three Gorges Reservoir, China
Communications Earth & Environment2023
50 citations
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Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Score: 50
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0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Dongyu Xu,
Yalan Chen,
Yalan Chen,
Yalan Chen,
Dongyu Xu,
Yalan Chen,
Yalan Chen,
Yalan Chen,
Yalan Chen,
Yalan Chen,
Yalan Chen,
Yalan Chen,
Yalan Chen,
Yalan Chen,
Bo Gao,
Bo Gao,
Bo Gao,
Bo Gao,
Bo Gao,
Dongyu Xu,
Bo Gao,
Yalan Chen,
Yalan Chen,
Yalan Chen,
Yalan Chen,
Dongyu Xu,
Dongyu Xu,
Dongyu Xu,
Dongyu Xu,
Ke Sun,
Ke Sun,
Bo Gao,
Bo Gao,
Bo Gao,
Dongyu Xu,
Bo Gao,
Ke Sun,
Dongyu Xu,
Dongyu Xu,
Dongyu Xu,
Dongyu Xu,
Dongyu Xu,
Dongyu Xu,
Ke Sun,
Ke Sun,
Ke Sun,
Ke Sun,
Dongyu Xu,
Dongyu Xu,
Dongyu Xu,
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Bo Gao,
Baoshan Xing
Bo Gao,
Baoshan Xing
Bo Gao,
Baoshan Xing
Bo Gao,
Ke Sun,
Dongyu Xu,
Yalan Chen,
Ke Sun,
Ke Sun,
Ke Sun,
Yalan Chen,
Yalan Chen,
Baoshan Xing
Ke Sun,
Dongyu Xu,
Ke Sun,
Bo Gao,
Ke Sun,
Bo Gao,
Bo Gao,
Bo Gao,
Bo Gao,
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Yalan Chen,
Bo Gao,
Ke Sun,
Baoshan Xing
Bo Gao,
Bo Gao,
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Bo Gao,
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Yalan Chen,
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Bo Gao,
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Ke Sun,
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Ke Sun,
Baoshan Xing
Bo Gao,
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Ke Sun,
Baoshan Xing
Ke Sun,
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Ke Sun,
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Baoshan Xing
Summary
Researchers found substantial burial of terrestrial microplastics in Three Gorges Reservoir sediments, suggesting that large hydropower dams act as significant traps that intercept microplastic transport from rivers to the ocean, with implications for the Yangtze River's plastic output.
Abstract Hydropower dams impact the transport of microplastics from rivers to the ocean. The Yangtze River is a large source of plastics to the ocean. Here, we report microplastic concentrations and compositions across a range of size fractions for sediment samples collected in the upper and lower reaches of the Three Gorges Dam in 2008, 2015, 2019 and 2020. We find a gradual increase in microplastic abundance over time, with preferential retention of small-sized (<300 μm) microplastics in the dam reservoir sediments. Small microplastics accounted for between approximately 44 and 90% of identified microplastics, and 82% of all polyethylene particles, which were the dominant polymer type. Our estimate of the total plastic mass load in reservoir sediments suggests that the Three Gorges Dam retains as much as 8048 ± 7494 tons yr ‒1 microplastics in sediments, which is equivalent to 47 ± 44% of the Yangtze River microplastic flux to the ocean.