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Plastic pollution in the Amazon: The first comprehensive and structured scoping review
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This scoping review is the first systematic assessment of plastic pollution across Amazonian ecosystems, analyzing 52 peer-reviewed studies. Researchers found microplastics in fish, sediments, plants, and diverse wildlife, but noted major gaps in coverage of non-fish species, tributaries, and countries beyond Brazil. The study warns that contamination of key food and water sources poses significant health risks for traditional populations living in the Amazon basin.
Plastic pollution is a global One Health crisis, yet research has focused largely on marine environments. The Amazon-the world's largest drainage basin and second most plastic-polluted river-has received limited scientific attention. This scoping review is the first to apply a systematic protocol (PRISMA-ScR) to assess plastic contamination across Amazonian ecosystems. We reviewed 52 peer-reviewed studies reporting plastic litter and fragments in terrestrial and aquatic environments of the biome. Most evidence concerns microplastics in Brazilian sites along the main Amazon River, with a focus on fish. However, plastics were also found in sediments, plants, and diverse fauna including birds, reptiles, and mammals. No studies reported nanoplastics. The contamination of key food and water sources poses a major One Health risk for traditional populations. We identify urgent research gaps-especially in non-fish fauna, tributaries, and other Amazonian countries-and highlight the need for targeted mitigation through waste management and education.
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Microplastic pollution in the Amazon Basin: Current scenario, advances and perspectives
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Researchers reviewed all available studies on microplastic pollution in the Amazon Basin and found that contamination is widespread despite limited research, with only four of the nine basin countries having published data. Microplastic levels in some Amazon waterways were comparable to heavily industrialized regions like China's Yellow River, with poor sanitation infrastructure and extensive river networks acting as key factors. The study highlights major gaps in monitoring across large portions of the Amazon and calls for coordinated regional research efforts.
Microplastics in the Amazon biome: State of the art and future priorities
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This review examines microplastic pollution in the Amazon region and finds contamination levels comparable to heavily polluted areas worldwide. Poor sanitation is a major source, with fibers being the most common particle type found in water, sediment, and wildlife. Despite the Amazon's global ecological importance, research on microplastics there has been very limited, and the authors call for urgent expansion of scientific monitoring.
Large-scale monitoring and risk assessment of microplastics in the Amazon River
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Researchers conducted the largest microplastic monitoring study in the Amazon River, sampling 40 sites across 1,500 kilometers. Microplastics were found everywhere, with urban streams near cities showing concentrations up to 1,000 times higher than the main river. This study confirms that even remote freshwater ecosystems like the Amazon are contaminated with microplastics, which could affect the fish and water that local communities depend on.
Microplastic Contamination in Water and Sediments of the Middle Tocantins River, Brazilian Amazon Region: Abundance, Characterization, and Spatial Distribution
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Scientists found tiny plastic particles, mostly microscopic fibers, scattered throughout the water and riverbed of a major Amazon river in Brazil, with pollution levels staying consistently high across all tested locations. This suggests plastic waste from clothing, tires, and city runoff is a widespread, ongoing problem, not just isolated pollution spots, raising concerns since people drink from and eat fish from rivers like this one.
First evidence of microplastic ingestion by fishes from the Amazon River estuary
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Researchers documented the first evidence of microplastic ingestion by fish in the Amazon River estuary, finding plastic particles — predominantly polyamide and polyethylene pellets — in 30% of 189 specimens across 14 species, with larger fish containing more particles, indicating widespread contamination extending into one of the world's most biodiverse river systems.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.