Papers

20 results
|
Article Tier 2

Stormwater runoff microplastics: Polymer types, particle size, and factors controlling loading rates

Researchers characterized microplastics in stormwater runoff samples collected at urban outfall locations. The study identified 17 different polymer types across various storm events, with concentrations around 0.99 particles per liter for the 500-1000 micrometer size range, and found that rainfall intensity and land use were key factors controlling microplastic loading rates.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in sediments of urban rainwater drainage system

Researchers found microplastics in all sediment samples from a university campus rainwater drainage system, with abundances ranging from 80 to 2,610 particles/kg and the highest concentrations in student living areas, suggesting that land use patterns and management practices influence microplastic accumulation in urban stormwater infrastructure.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterizing microplastics in urban runoff: A multi-land use assessment with a focus on 1–125 μm size particles

Researchers collected stormwater runoff from three different urban land use types and found microplastics present across all sites, with significant variation in polymer types depending on the area. By using multiple detection techniques, they were able to identify particles as small as 1 micrometer, revealing that the smallest size fractions dominated the total count. The study emphasizes that urban runoff is a major pathway for microplastic pollution reaching waterways.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Contribution of different land use catchments on the microplastic pollution in detention basin sediments

Researchers measured microplastic pollution in detention basin sediments receiving runoff from catchments with different land uses — residential, commercial, and industrial — finding that industrial catchments contributed the highest microplastic loads. Particle morphology differed by land use type, with industrial sites associated with more fragments and commercial areas with more fibres.

2024 Environmental Pollution 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in urban stormwater inlet sediments influenced by land use type of runoff drainage area

Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in urban stormwater inlet sediments across different land use types in Ma'anshan City, China. They found microplastics present in all locations, with sediments near main roads showing the highest contamination at over 1,100 items per kilogram, roughly double that of other land use types. The study reveals that polypropylene was the dominant polymer across all areas, and that the characteristics of microplastic pollution vary systematically with surrounding land use patterns.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Land use-based characterization and source apportionment of microplastics in urban storm runoffs in a tropical region

Urban stormwater runoff in a tropical monsoon region contained 4.7 particles/L and 3.8 mg/L microplastics on average, with concentrations following land use order of industrial > transportation > commercial > residential, and approximately 85% of sources identifiable by morphology and polymer type.

2023 Environmental Pollution 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterization of microplastics accumulated in sediments of stormwater detention basins, in relation to the land use patterns in the contributing catchment.

Microplastics in stormwater detention basin sediments were characterized and linked to surrounding land use, with roads and residential areas contributing the highest concentrations and most diverse plastic types.

2023
Article Tier 2

Microplastic emission characteristics of stormwater runoff in an urban area: Intra-event variability and influencing factors

Researchers found that stormwater runoff from both industrial and residential urban catchments contained substantial microplastics (54–639 particles per liter), with polypropylene and polyethylene dominating, and that microplastic concentrations peaked early in rain events following longer dry periods.

2023 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Review: Microplastic contamination in the Guandu River basin: The water supply reservoir of Rio de Janeiro metropolitan region (Southeastern Brazil) — R1/PR7

Researchers found microplastic concentrations of 6.1 ± 4.9 particles/m³ in the cold-dry season and 2.3 ± 1.1 particles/m³ in the warm-rainy season in the Guandu River basin of Rio de Janeiro, with polyethylene and polypropylene dominating and higher abundance linked to greater urban land use.

2025
Article Tier 2

Meso- and microplastic composition, distribution patterns and drivers: A snapshot of plastic pollution on Brazilian beaches

A standardized survey of plastic pollution across 22 sandy beaches spanning over 4600 km of Brazilian coast found widespread contamination in coastal sediments, with polymer type, size, and distribution patterns reflecting diverse sources including fishing activity and urban runoff.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 29 citations
Article Tier 2

The artificialization in the sediment profiles of the streams in the Água Branca basin – Itirapina, São Paulo, Brazil

This Brazilian study examined urban stream sediments for signs of human impact, comparing samples collected in wet and dry seasons and across land use types. Urban river sediments are major sinks and transport pathways for microplastics, and physical sediment composition reflects overall levels of anthropogenic contamination.

2021 Journal of Environmental Management 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics pollution in urban freshwater sediments: A descriptive assessment of land-use categories

A study of stormwater retention ponds across different urban land uses in an unspecified city found that microplastic concentrations in pond sediments varied by land type, with levels linked to the surrounding activities such as residential, educational, and mixed-use development. Using Nile red fluorescence staining for identification, the research maps how urban stormwater systems accumulate microplastics and highlights these ponds as overlooked pollution hotspots. Understanding which land uses drive the most contamination can help target urban plastic management interventions.

2026 The Science of The Total Environment
Article Tier 2

Distribution characteristics of microplastics in storm-drain inlet sediments affected by the types of urban functional areas, economic and demographic conditions in southern Beijing

This study analyzed microplastics in storm-drain inlet sediments across agricultural, commercial, and residential districts in Beijing, finding distinct distribution patterns linked to land use type. Storm-drain inlets were identified as a critical link in transporting microplastic pollutants from urban runoff into receiving waters.

2023 Environmental Research 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of land cover on microplastics accumulation in freshwater sediments

Researchers tracked microplastic accumulation in freshwater sediments across sites with different land cover types, examining temporal trends to understand how land use affects plastic discharge into waterways. Land cover type was a significant predictor of sediment microplastic concentration, with urbanized and agricultural catchments showing higher accumulation.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Microplastic emission characteristics of stormwater runoff in an urban area: Intra-event variability and influencing factors

Researchers investigated microplastic emission characteristics in urban stormwater runoff from industrial and residential catchments. Microplastics were detected in concentrations of 54 to 639 particles per liter, with polypropylene and polyethylene being the dominant polymers and fragments the most common shape, and concentrations were higher after longer dry periods.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 109 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance, Distribution and Drivers of Microplastic Contaminant in Urban River Environments

Researchers surveyed microplastic distribution in urban river environments and identified key drivers of accumulation hotspots, finding that land use, hydrology, and infrastructure factors concentrated microplastics at predictable locations that could inform targeted management interventions.

2018 Preprints.org 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of urbanization and water quality on microplastic distribution in Conceição Lagoon watershed, Brazil

Researchers assessed microplastic distribution across urbanized and non-urbanized tributaries of Conceicao Lagoon watershed in Brazil. The study found that while urbanization significantly affected water quality parameters, it did not always correspond to higher microplastic concentrations. Evidence indicates that microplastic pollution in freshwater systems is influenced by multiple factors beyond urbanization alone, complicating simple predictions about contamination patterns.

2024 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Land Use Pattern Affects Microplastic Concentrations in Stormwater Drains in Urban Catchments in Perth, Western Australia

Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in stormwater drains across six Perth and Peel catchments with contrasting land uses, finding mean concentrations of 14.2 microplastics per liter with fibrous forms dominant, and demonstrating that catchment land use pattern significantly influences microplastic loading to stormwater systems that transport particles from terrestrial to coastal environments.

2022 Land 15 citations
Article Tier 2

The urban microplastic footprint: investigating the distribution and transport

Researchers investigated the distribution and transport of microplastics within an urban environment, mapping the 'urban microplastic footprint' to understand how city infrastructure and land use patterns drive the spatial distribution and downstream export of plastic particles to receiving water bodies.

2025
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