We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Occurrence, abundance, and distribution of microplastics pollution: an evidence in surface tropical water of Klang River estuary, Malaysia
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers measured microplastic abundance, size, shape, and polymer type in surface water of the Klang River estuary in Malaysia — a highly urbanized waterway — finding concentrations among the highest reported in Southeast Asian estuaries, with industrial packaging materials and synthetic textiles as the dominant sources.
Microplastics have been considered as contaminants of emerging concern due to ubiquity in the environment; however, the occurrence of microplastics in river estuaries is scarcely investigated. The Klang River estuary is an important ecosystem that receives various contaminants from urbanised, highly populated areas and the busiest maritime centre in Selangor, Malaysia. This study investigates the abundance and characteristics of microplastics in surface water of the Klang River estuary. The abundance of microplastics ranged from 0.5 to 4.5 particles L with a mean abundance of 2.47 particles L. There is no correlation between the abundance of microplastics and physicochemical properties, while there is a strong correlation between salinity and conductivity. The microplastics were characterised with a stereomicroscope and attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to analyse size, shape, colour, and polymer composition. The microplastics in the surface water were predominantly in the 300-1000 μm size class, followed by > 1000 μm and < 300 μm, and were mostly transparent fibres, fragments, and pellets. Polyamide and polyethylene were the main polymer types in the composition of the microplastics, suggesting that the microplastics originated from heavily urbanised and industrial locations such as the port, jetty, and residential areas. The widespread occurrence of microplastics in the environment and subsequent penetration of aquatic food webs may pose a serious threat to organisms. This study provides baseline data and a framework for further investigation of microplastic contamination in estuaries.
More Papers Like This
Spatio-Temporal Variation of Microplastic Along a Rural to Urban Transition in a Tropical River in Selangor Malaysia
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination along an urban-to-rural gradient in Malaysia's Klang River and found widespread pollution across all six sampling stations, with HDPE, LDPE, polypropylene, and nylon fibers and fragments dominating — patterns pointing to urban runoff and industrial discharge as primary sources entering the Malacca Strait.
Microplastic pollution in tropical estuary gastropods: Abundance, distribution and potential sources of Klang River estuary, Malaysia
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers conducted a baseline study of microplastic abundance and distribution in gastropods from the Klang River estuary in Malaysia, finding concentrations ranging from 0.50 to 1.75 particles per gram and a predominance of fibres (91%) mostly in the 300-1000 µm size range. The higher microplastic loads in upper estuary samples near the urbanised river catchment indicated that terrestrial runoff was the primary source.
Abundance and Distribution of Microplastics in the Water and Riverbank Sediment in Malaysia – A Review
AI summary Read the abstract
Microplastic abundance and distribution were surveyed in the water column and riverbank sediments of a Malaysian river. Results showed microplastics throughout the river system, with fiber shapes dominating in water and fragments more common in sediments, reflecting contributions from domestic wastewater and plastic litter.
Microplastics in tropical Malaysian rivers: a review on spatial abundance, analytical methods, and ecological risk assessment
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers synthesized microplastic data from Malaysian rivers and found concentrations spanning four orders of magnitude, with fiber dominance in rural basins and fragment prevalence near industrial zones, proposing that monsoon pulses act as episodic flushing events that mobilize accumulated plastic from terrestrial sinks toward coastal waters.
Estimation of macroplastic yield from river basin to coastal area: A case study of the Klang River, Malaysia
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers studied macroplastic distribution along a 20-kilometer stretch of the highly polluted Klang River in Malaysia and developed a method to estimate total plastic yield from the river basin to the coast. They found 240 items of weathered macroplastics and characterized their composition and degradation patterns. The study provides a practical protocol for quantifying how much plastic pollution flows from rivers into coastal marine environments.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.