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
Characteristics of expanded polystyrene microplastics on island beaches in the Pearl River Estuary: abundance, size, surface texture and their metals-carrying capacity
Ecotoxicology2021
52 citations
?
Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Score: 55
?
0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Lang Lin,
Hengxiang Li,
Lang Lin,
Jiansheng Huang,
Qun Xie,
Lang Lin,
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Lang Lin,
Qun Xie,
Lang Lin,
Jiansheng Huang,
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Qun Xie,
Qun Xie,
Zhenliang Li,
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Lang Lin,
Hengxiang Li,
Hengxiang Li,
Lang Lin,
Hengxiang Li,
Hengxiang Li,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Hengxiang Li,
Hengxiang Li,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Lang Lin,
Zhenliang Li,
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Hengxiang Li,
Lang Lin,
Hengxiang Li,
Lang Lin,
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Hengxiang Li,
Hengxiang Li,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Hengxiang Li,
Hengxiang Li,
Hengxiang Li,
Hengxiang Li,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Hengxiang Li,
Hengxiang Li,
Hengxiang Li,
Hengxiang Li,
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Zhenliang Li,
Qun Xie,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Jiansheng Huang,
Lang Lin,
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Lang Lin,
Jiansheng Huang,
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Lang Lin,
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Hengxiang Li,
Lang Lin,
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Lang Lin,
Hengxiang Li,
Hengxiang Li,
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Lang Lin,
Hengxiang Li,
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Hengxiang Li,
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Hengxiang Li,
Lang Lin,
Hengxiang Li,
Hengxiang Li,
Hengxiang Li,
Lang Lin,
Hengxiang Li,
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Lang Lin,
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Hengxiang Li,
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Lang Lin,
Jiansheng Huang,
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Lang Lin,
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Jiansheng Huang,
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Hengxiang Li,
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Hengxiang Li,
Xiang‐Rong Xu
Summary
Researchers surveyed expanded polystyrene microplastic contamination on five island beaches in the Pearl River Estuary, finding abundances ranging from 328 to over 82,000 particles per square meter. The study found that beach-collected EPS microplastics carried significantly higher heavy metal concentrations than new EPS products, suggesting these particles accumulate metals from surrounding sediments and seawater over time.
While expanded polystyrene (EPS) microplastics have been widely recognized as one of the most important components of plastic litter in the intertidal zones of the global ocean, our understanding of their environmental fate on island beaches is insufficient. In this study, we intended to reveal that the latest EPS microplastic pollution status on 5 island beaches in the Pearl River Estuary, China, by comprehensively assessing the abundance, distribution, size, surface texture and carrying capacity of heavy metals (Cd, As, Cr, Ni, Cu, Pb, Mn, Fe, Al). High level of EPS microplastic abundance ranged from 328 to 82,276 particles m was found, with the highest abundance at Guishan Island and the lowest at Dong'ao Island. Spatial distribution of EPS microplastic abundance was significantly different among different islands. EPS microplastics in the size range of 1-2 mm were the most abundant. The content of heavy metals in EPS microplastics collected on the beaches was greater than that in the new EPS products. The average concentrations of heavy metals in EPS microplastics from 5 islands are Cd (0.27 ± 0.19 μg g), As (5.50 ± 3.84 μg g), Cr (14.9 ± 8.25 μg g), Cu (15.0 ± 7.66 μg g), Ni (17.2 ± 17.6 μg g), Pb (24.8 ± 7.39 μg g), Mn (730 ± 797 μg g), Fe (8340 ± 4760 μg g), and Al (9624 ± 6187 μg g), respectively. The correlation between heavy metals in EPS microplastics and sediments was better than that between heavy metals in EPS microplastics and seawater. The study results indicated that EPS microplastics could act as a carrier for the transport of heavy metals, which might pose a threat to biological and human health.