Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Real-time variabilities in microplastic abundance and characteristics of urban surface runoff and sewer overflow in wet weather as impacted by land use and storm factors

Researchers conducted real-time field monitoring of microplastic abundance and characteristics in urban surface runoff and sewer overflows in Shanghai during storm events. Microplastic concentrations in runoff reached up to 4,969 particles per liter and were strongly influenced by land use type and storm intensity.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 76 citations
Article Tier 2

The occurrence of microplastics in water bodies in urban agglomerations: Impacts of drainage system overflow in wet weather, catchment land-uses, and environmental management practices

Microplastic concentrations in Shanghai urban waterways were six times higher during wet weather overflow events than from regular wastewater treatment plant discharges, and highest in industrial areas. The study highlights combined sewer overflow during rain events as a major but underappreciated pathway for microplastics entering city waterways.

2020 Water Research 164 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics discharged from urban drainage system: Prominent contribution of sewer overflow pollution

Researchers evaluated the abundance and distribution of microplastics in urban drainage systems in coastal Chinese cities, with a focus on sewer overflow events during storms. The study found that overflow pollution during wet weather is a prominent contributor to microplastic discharge into urban water bodies, with meteorological conditions and land use patterns significantly influencing microplastic transport and release.

2023 Water Research 79 citations
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

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

Microplastics pollution in inland freshwaters of China: A case study in urban surface waters of Wuhan, China

Researchers characterized microplastic pollution in inland freshwaters across urban suburban areas of China, finding contamination that reflected land use intensity and population density in the surrounding catchments.

2016 The Science of The Total Environment 1061 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

The abundance and characteristics of microplastics in rainwater pipelines in Wuhan, China

Microplastic abundance and characteristics were analyzed in rainwater pipelines draining different land-use areas in Hongshan District, Wuhan, China. The study found microplastics throughout the rainwater drainage network, identifying urban stormwater runoff as a significant pathway for transporting microplastics from land to freshwater bodies.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 169 citations
Article Tier 2

Urban pipeline rainwater runoff is an important pathway for land-based microplastics transport to inland surface water: A case study in Beijing

This study characterized microplastics in urban rainwater pipeline runoff draining from different land-use types, finding that pipelines are an important but understudied pathway for transporting land-based microplastics to surface water. Abundance and polymer composition varied by land use, with commercial and road-adjacent catchments showing the highest loads.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 58 citations
Article Tier 2

Estimated discharge of microplastics via urban stormwater during individual rain events

Researchers collected stormwater samples from 15 locations during rain events to assess microplastic discharge through urban runoff. The study found highly variable microplastic concentrations influenced by catchment characteristics, and provided estimates of the quantity of microplastics released to receiving waters during rain events, highlighting urban stormwater as an important pathway for microplastic pollution.

2023 Frontiers in Environmental Science 62 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatiotemporal dynamics of microplastics in an urban river network area

Researchers investigated microplastic dynamics in an urban river network in eastern China, finding abundances of 2.3 to 104.6 particles per liter that were significantly higher during wet seasons and concentrated near commercial, industrial, and wastewater discharge areas.

2022 Water Research 161 citations
Article Tier 2

Underestimated land-to-sea microplastic emissions: The crucial role of rainfall events

Researchers investigated the emission characteristics and loads of microplastics transported into Masan Bay via the Samhocheon stream during a rainfall event using time-weighted sampling, finding microplastic abundances ranging from 4.60 to 118 particles per liter with an event mean concentration of 29.87 particles per liter. They found that microplastic concentrations peaked during early runoff and varied with rainfall intensity, with polypropylene and polyethylene accounting for approximately 60% of detected polymers.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
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

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

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

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

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 the first-flush phenomenon on the quantification of microplastics in rainwater

High-frequency rainwater sampling revealed that the first flush effect significantly influences microplastic concentrations in rainfall, with initial rainfall pulses carrying far higher microplastic loads than later stages. This finding has important implications for how wet deposition studies should be designed and how land-to-ocean microplastic transport is quantified.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Fugitive release and influencing factors of microplastics in urbanized watersheds: A case study of the central area of Suzhou City

Researchers investigated fugitive release of microplastics in urbanized watersheds of Suzhou City, identifying key sources and factors influencing unorganized microplastic discharge from plastic manufacturing and daily use activities into urban waterways.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Underestimated land-to-sea microplastic emissions: The crucial role of rainfall events

Researchers investigated microplastic emission characteristics during a rainfall event in Masan Bay, Korea, using time-weighted sampling in the Samhochoen stream to capture temporal variation in microplastic loads. They found that microplastic abundance peaked during early runoff stages and was strongly influenced by rainfall intensity, with polypropylene and polyethylene accounting for roughly 60% of detected polymers.

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

Inter-event and intra-event dynamics of microplastic emissions in an urban river during rainfall episodes

Researchers conducted high-frequency sampling of microplastics in a Japanese urban river during three different rainfall events to understand how storms mobilize plastic pollution. They found that rainfall events increased microplastic loads by 4 to 110 times compared to dry weather, with smaller particles mobilizing first during lighter rains and larger particles surging after peak rainfall intensity. The study reveals that storm dynamics play a critical role in determining when and how microplastics are flushed from urban areas into waterways.

2023 Environmental Research 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of microplastics in runoff sediments and their correlation with land use and occupation in an urban area in the city of Bauru-SP

Researchers analysed the qualitative and quantitative distribution of microplastics in urban runoff sediments across different land use categories in Bauru, Sao Paulo, Brazil, including social housing, traditional residential, high-income residential, commercial, and industrial zones. Results indicated that microplastic abundance in transported sediments correlated with land use intensity, with more densely populated and active areas generating higher microplastic loads entering urban drainage networks.

2025 LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas)
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

Urban Stormwater Runoff: A Major Pathway for Anthropogenic Particles, Black Rubbery Fragments, and Other Types of Microplastics to Urban Receiving Waters

Researchers quantified microplastics in urban stormwater runoff from 12 watersheds surrounding San Francisco Bay and found concentrations ranging from 1.1 to 24.6 particles per liter, much higher than typical wastewater treatment plant effluent. The study suggests that stormwater runoff is a major and underappreciated pathway for microplastics and other anthropogenic particles to enter urban waterways.

2021 ACS ES&T Water 312 citations