Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Pollution status of microplastics in the freshwater environment of China: a mini review

This review assessed microplastic pollution in China's freshwater environments including rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, finding widespread contamination in surface waters, sediments, and biota with variations linked to population density and industrial activity.

2022 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Characteristics and source-pathway of microplastics in freshwater system of China: A review

This national-scale review examines microplastic characteristics and source-pathway dynamics in Chinese freshwater systems including rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, synthesizing data showing that urban runoff, textile washing, and wastewater discharge are dominant sources. The authors identify key knowledge gaps in understanding microplastic transport from inland waters to the ocean in the world's largest plastic-producing country.

2022 Chemosphere 59 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in China's inland water systems: A review of findings, methods, characteristics, effects, and management

This review synthesized findings on microplastic pollution across China's inland water systems — rivers, lakes, and reservoirs — documenting widespread contamination and identifying gaps in monitoring methods and research coverage.

2018 The Science of The Total Environment 511 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatial and Temporal Distribution Characteristics and Potential Sources of Microplastic Pollution in China’s Freshwater Environments

Researchers surveyed microplastic pollution across freshwater environments in 21 major Chinese cities and found an average concentration of about 3,500 particles per cubic meter. The most common types were fibers, and concentrations generally increased from western to eastern China, closely tracking levels of human activity. The study found that microplastic abundance peaked in summer, likely driven by increased rainfall washing particles into waterways.

2024 Water 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrences and distribution of microplastic pollution and the control measures in China

This review summarizes reported microplastic contamination levels in China's marine, freshwater, and atmospheric environments, finding that concentrations are highest in urbanized freshwater systems and identifying human population density and agricultural plastic use as key drivers.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 71 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Pollution in Water Systems: Characteristics and Control Methods

This review summarizes research on microplastic pollution in water systems, covering where microplastics come from, how they spread, and their effects on aquatic life and potentially human health. Freshwater in China was found to have higher microplastic levels than other regions, though marine contamination was moderate. The authors suggest that controlling water flow and switching to degradable plastics could significantly reduce microplastic pollution in water.

2024 Diversity 23 citations
Article Tier 2

The contamination of microplastics in China's aquatic environment: Occurrence, detection and implications for ecological risk

This review summarized microplastic contamination across marine environments, freshwater systems, and wastewater treatment plants in China, one of the world's top plastic-producing countries. The study highlights that research on how microplastics transfer between connected water environments remains lacking, and the microscale toxicity of microplastics is still poorly understood.

2021 Environmental Pollution 91 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in Chinese Rivers: A detailed analysis of distribution, risk factors, and ecological impact

Researchers aggregated data from 2,474 microplastic samples across 165 publications to assess ecological risk in Chinese rivers, finding widespread contamination with average abundance varying substantially by watershed characteristics. A revised risk assessment accounting for particle morphology and polymer toxicity raised concern levels beyond previous estimates.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Status and characteristics of microplastic pollution in Chinese freshwater environment

This review summarizes research on microplastic distribution, toxic effects on organisms, and interactions with other pollutants in Chinese freshwater environments. The paper calls for strengthened regulation and monitoring of microplastics in China's lakes, rivers, and water supplies.

2023 Applied and Computational Engineering 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in sophisticated urban river systems: Combined influence of land-use types and physicochemical characteristics

This study assessed microplastic pollution across an urban river network in China, finding that land-use type and water physicochemical properties jointly influence microplastic distribution, with industrial and residential areas contributing highest loads.

2021 Environmental Pollution 50 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence, potential sources, and ecological risk assessment of microplastics in the inland river basins in Northern China

Researchers surveyed microplastic pollution in a typical urban river system in Northern China, examining both surface water and sediment samples. They found that river sediments contained dramatically more microplastics than surface water, acting as a sink for this pollution, with polypropylene and polyethylene being the most common types. The study suggests that small fiber and fragment-shaped particles under 0.5 mm dominate these environments, likely originating from everyday plastic products and wastewater discharge.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Research Progress of Microplastic Pollution Status and Risk Assessment of Typical Rivers in China

Rivers across China carry substantial microplastic loads, and this review finds that abundance is closely tied to population density, with urban rivers showing higher concentrations than rural ones. More than 60% of microplastics detected in most rivers were smaller than 1 mm — the size range most readily ingested by aquatic organisms and most difficult to remove by conventional treatment. The authors identify sewage plants, surface runoff, and atmospheric deposition as the main sources, and flag gaps in current risk assessment frameworks for river microplastics.

2024 Journal of Physics Conference Series 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Research Progress of Microplastics in Freshwater Sediments in China

This review synthesizes Chinese research on microplastic pollution in freshwater sediments, covering detection methods, contamination levels across river systems, sources, and the potential ecological and human health implications.

2020 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 71 citations
Article Tier 2

[Basin Distribution and Ecological Risk of Microplastics in Surface Water Bodies in China].

A comprehensive analysis of data from China's ten major river basins (2014–2023) found microplastic contamination in rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and estuaries across the country, with microplastic abundance strongly correlating with population density and economic output. Polypropylene and polyethylene were the dominant polymers, and the Haihe River Basin near Beijing was classified as high ecological risk. The study also highlighted a major data gap: far less is known about microplastics in China's less-populated northwestern regions. These findings provide a national-scale picture of where microplastic pollution is most severe and what types of plastics are driving the ecological risk.

2025 PubMed 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Current practices and future perspectives of microplastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems in China

This review summarizes current knowledge and future research priorities for microplastic pollution in China's freshwater ecosystems, including rivers, lakes, and wetlands, identifying both urban and agricultural sources as major contributors. The authors call for nationally coordinated monitoring, standardized methods, and stronger regulatory frameworks to address the growing microplastic burden in Chinese freshwater systems.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 251 citations
Article Tier 2

Synthesis of dominant plastic microfibre prevalence and pollution control feasibility in Chinese freshwater environments

This review of microplastic pollution in Chinese freshwater environments found that microfibres dominate plastic morphologies in over 65% of samples from surface water, sediments, and wastewater effluents, and identifies fishing gear, textiles, and urban runoff as key microfibre sources requiring targeted pollution control.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 41 citations
Article Tier 2

Riverine microplastic pollution matters: A case study in the Zhangjiang River of Southeastern China

Researchers conducted the first survey of microplastic pollution in the Zhangjiang River in southeastern China, finding concentrations ranging from 50 to 725 particles per cubic meter. Polypropylene and polyethylene were the dominant polymer types, accounting for about 75% of all particles, with fragments being the most common shape. The study establishes baseline data on riverine microplastic pollution in this watershed and its potential role in transporting plastics to coastal waters.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 125 citations
Article Tier 2

Pollution characteristics and prospective risk of microplastics in the Zhengzhou section of Yellow River, China

Researchers analyzed microplastic pollution across fourteen sampling sites in the Zhengzhou section of the Yellow River in China. The study found microplastic concentrations ranging from 2.33 to 15.50 particles per liter, higher than other inland Chinese rivers, with fibers and fragments being the dominant types and polyethylene the most common polymer.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution Patterns of Microplastics Pollution in Urban Fresh Waters: A Case Study of Rivers in Chengdu, China

Researchers surveyed microplastic pollution in urban rivers of Chengdu, China, finding concentrations of 5 to 10.5 items per liter, predominantly transparent fragments and fibers, with spatial distribution influenced by urbanization and wastewater discharge.

2022 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Pollution in Typical Subtropical Rivers in Eastern China: A Case Study of the Feiyun River Basin

Researchers systematically studied microplastic pollution in the Feiyun River Basin in eastern China using field sampling and spectroscopic analysis. They found microplastic concentrations ranging from 3.7 to 36.4 items per liter, predominantly small particles and fragments, with polyethylene and polypropylene as the most common polymer types, indicating significant freshwater contamination in this subtropical river system.

2025 Water 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution and characteristics of microplastics in urban waters of seven cities in the Tuojiang River basin, China

Microplastics were detected in water across all seven cities surveyed in the Tuojiang River basin of southwest China, with fiber the most common form and polypropylene the dominant polymer. Cities with greater industrial economic output had higher microplastic concentrations, linking manufacturing activity to freshwater plastic pollution.

2020 Environmental Research 152 citations
Article Tier 2

The effects of riverside cities on microplastics in river water: A case study on the Southern Jiangsu Canal, China

Researchers studied microplastic contamination in the Southern Jiangsu Canal in China and found that riverside cities significantly increase microplastic levels in river water, with abundance rising by 26% to 211% after flowing through urban areas. The study found that microplastic concentrations correlated with regional GDP and population density, with PET, polycarbonate, and polyethylene being the most common polymer types detected.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 47 citations
Article Tier 2

[Composition and Distribution of Microplastics in the Water and Sediments of Urban Rivers in Beijing].

Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in water and sediments from eight sampling points along urban rivers in Beijing. Microplastics were widespread, with fibers being the most common type, likely from laundry and textile sources. Urban rivers are important conduits that transport microplastics from cities into larger water bodies and ultimately the ocean.

2021 PubMed 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Characteristics and Distribution of Microplastics in Shoreline Sediments of the Yangtze River, Main Tributaries and Lakes in China—From Upper Reaches to the Estuary

Scientists measured microplastic concentrations in sediments along 54 sites spanning the Yangtze River system in China, from the upper reaches to the estuary. Microplastics were found throughout, with higher concentrations near urban and industrial areas, showing how large rivers distribute plastic pollution across vast distances.

2021 Research Square (Research Square) 1 citations