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.
Sign in to save
Anthropocene microplastic stratigraphy of Xiamen Bay, China: A history of plastic production and waste management
Water Research2022
38 citations
?
Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Score: 40
?
0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Zouxia Long,
Colin N. Waters,
Colin N. Waters,
Colin N. Waters,
Colin N. Waters,
Colin N. Waters,
Zhong Pan,
Zhong Pan,
Zhong Pan,
Zhong Pan,
Zhong Pan,
Zhong Pan,
Zhong Pan,
Zhong Pan,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Zouxia Long,
Zouxia Long,
Zouxia Long,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Zouxia Long,
Zouxia Long,
Weiwen Li,
Zouxia Long,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Simon Turner
Zouxia Long,
Simon Turner
Colin N. Waters,
Zhong Pan,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Colin N. Waters,
Zhong Pan,
Simon Turner
Zhong Pan,
Simon Turner
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Hui Lin,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Simon Turner
Simon Turner
Simon Turner
Colin N. Waters,
Colin N. Waters,
Colin N. Waters,
Simon Turner
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Hui Lin,
Hui Lin,
Simon Turner
Hui Lin,
Hui Lin,
Xingguang Yu,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Xingguang Yu,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Xianglong Jin,
Simon Turner
Zhong Pan,
Weiwen Li,
Jianye Ren,
Weiwen Li,
Jianye Ren,
Weiwen Li,
Weiwen Li,
Hui Lin,
Jian Chen,
Hui Lin,
Qingping Zou,
Qingping Zou,
Qingping Zou,
Xingguang Yu,
Jianhua He,
Hui Lin,
Hui Lin,
Hui Lin,
Hui Lin,
Hui Lin,
Qingping Zou,
Qingping Zou,
Weiwen Li,
Qingping Zou,
Qingping Zou,
Hui Lin,
Xingguang Yu,
Hui Lin,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Zouxia Long,
Hui Lin,
Zhong Pan,
Hui Lin,
Zhong Pan,
Hui Lin,
Zouxia Long,
Weiwen Li,
Hui Lin,
Qingping Zou,
Hui Lin,
Colin N. Waters,
Zhong Pan,
Hui Lin,
Hui Lin,
Zhong Pan,
Zhong Pan,
Hui Lin,
Simon Turner
Hui Lin,
Hui Lin,
Hui Lin,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Xianglong Jin,
Zhong Pan,
Xingguang Yu,
Xingguang Yu,
Qingping Zou,
Hui Lin,
Weiwen Li,
Jian Chen,
Hui Lin,
Zhong Pan,
Jianye Ren,
Jianye Ren,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Simon Turner
Summary
Researchers used a sediment core from Xiamen Bay, China to reconstruct the history of microplastic accumulation since 1952, finding that plastic pollution reflects historical events including the Cultural Revolution and rapid economic growth, with microplastic concentrations reaching 189,200 items/kg at their peak.
Study Type
Environmental
Microplastics (MPs) are considered one of the significant stratigraphic markers of the onset of the Anthropocene Epoch; however, the interconnections between historic plastic production, waste management as well as social-economic and timing of MP accumulation are not well understood. Here, stratigraphic data of MPs from a sediment core from Xiamen Bay, China, was used to reconstruct the history of plastic pollution. Generalized Additive Modeling indicates a complex temporal evolution of MP accumulation. The oldest MPs deposited in 1952 was 30,332 ± 31,457 items/kg•dw, coincide with the infancy of the plastic industry and onset of the Anthropocene. The Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) curtailed these initial increases. Subsequent rapid growth in MPs during the late 1970s was peaked at 189,241 ± 29,495 items/kg•dw in 1988 and was followed by a drastic decline in the late 1980s to a low value in 1996 (16,626 ± 26,371 items/kg•dw), coinciding with proliferation of MP sources, coupled with evolution of plastic production, consumption, and regulation. Increasing MPs over the past decades implies that previous mitigation measures have been compromised by the escalated influx of MPs from increasing plastics production, legacy MPs remaining in circulation and insufficient waste management for a growing population. The present methodology and results represent a conceptual advance in understanding how changes in policy and economics over time correlate to changes in MP records in Anthropocene strata, which may help make decisions on plastic pollution mitigation strategies worldwide.