Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Abundance and characterization of microplastics on sandy beaches along the coastal area of Belize

Researchers quantified and characterized microplastic abundance on sandy beaches along the coastal zone of Belize, establishing baseline contamination data for a region of Central America and the Caribbean where such pollution assessments are critically lacking.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin
Article Tier 2

Widespread microplastics distribution at an Amazon macrotidal sandy beach

Researchers found widespread microplastic contamination at a macrotidal sandy beach on the Amazon coast of Brazil, detecting an average of 492.5 particles per square meter with fibers dominating across three depth strata down to 60 cm.

2019 Marine Pollution Bulletin 75 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution on sandy beaches of Puerto Rico

Researchers sampled sand from six northern beaches of Puerto Rico to determine microplastic abundance and composition, documenting the extent of microplastic pollution on Caribbean island coastal beaches that are considered biodiversity hotspots.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Pollution by microplastic in highly crowded sandy beaches in Lima, Peru

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination at three heavily visited sandy beaches in Lima, Peru, finding fragments and fibers of polypropylene and polyethylene as the most common particles, with abundance varying by season and beach characteristics.

2023 Environmental Quality Management 7 citations
Article Tier 2

The influence of depositional environment on the abundance of microplastic pollution on beaches in the Bristol Channel, UK

Researchers assessed the extent and variability of microplastic pollution across multiple beaches in the Bristol Channel, UK, finding that depositional environment characteristics significantly influenced the abundance and distribution of microplastic contamination in beach sand.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 47 citations
Article Tier 2

Sediment grain size determines microplastic exposure landscapes for sandy beach macroinfauna

Researchers studied microplastic distribution across sandy beach zones to understand exposure landscapes for intertidal organisms. They found that sediment grain size, rather than beach zonation, was the primary factor determining microplastic abundance, providing important guidance for designing sampling surveys and assessing ecological risk from microplastic pollution on beaches.

2021 Environmental Pollution 60 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance and distribution of microplastics on sandy beaches of Lima, Peru

This survey assessed microplastic pollution on four popular sandy beaches of Lima, Peru, sampling both intertidal and supralittoral zones. Microplastics were found at all sites, with fragments being the most common morphology, and concentrations varying across beach zones and locations.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 147 citations
Article Tier 2

Study of Solid and Microplastic Waste in the Leave Line in Sandy Sediments on Boca Da Barra Beaches and Campas Beach - Tamandaré-pe

Researchers surveyed solid and microplastic waste along the swash zone in sandy sediments at two beaches in Tamandaré, Pernambuco, Brazil — Boca da Barra and Praia de Campas — collecting four samples at each site during high tide and full moon. The study compared microplastic abundance between a beach with lower human activity (Boca da Barra) and a more heavily visited beach (Praia de Campas) to assess the relationship between anthropogenic pressure and plastic contamination.

2022 Journal of Interdisciplinary Debates
Article Tier 2

Marine Litter Impact on Sandy Beach Fauna: A Review to Obtain an Indication of Where Research Should Contribute More

Researchers reviewed how marine litter interacts with sandy beach fauna, including entanglement, ingestion, and habitat effects. The review found that microplastic ingestion by beach invertebrates correlates with urbanization levels and sediment pollution, and that current research approaches have limitations in connecting laboratory exposure studies with real-world field conditions.

2022 Microplastics 64 citations
Article Tier 2

Rethinking the Environmental Quality of Brazilian Beaches: The Incidence of Microplastics as Indicator for Sea Water and Sand Quality

This paper proposes using microplastic levels in beach sand and seawater as indicators of beach environmental quality, arguing that current assessments in Brazil focus too narrowly on microbial contamination. The authors present evidence that microplastic contamination poses health risks to swimmers and coastal communities that should be incorporated into beach quality standards.

2020 LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Saúde ambiental de praias arenosas: distribuição e níveis de contaminação na biodiversidade bêntica

This Portuguese-language study assessed environmental health of sandy beaches in Brazil, measuring microplastic distribution, contamination indices, and bioindicator organisms to evaluate ecological status and identify pollution sources along the coastline.

2025 Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (Universidade de São Paulo)
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in Auckland (New Zealand) beach sediments

Researchers conducted the first large-scale investigation of microplastic contamination in beach sediments across 39 sites in Auckland, New Zealand, finding contamination at the majority of beaches surveyed. Mean abundance varied by coastal environment type, with estuarine and harbour sites generally showing higher concentrations than open ocean beaches.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 131 citations
Article Tier 2

Factors driving the abundance and distribution of microplastics on sandy beaches in a Southwest Atlantic seaside resort

Researchers investigated factors driving microplastic abundance on sandy beaches along the Southwest Atlantic coast, finding that both natural forces like wave energy and anthropogenic inputs influenced the distribution of fiber and fragment microplastics in surface sediments.

2021 Marine Environmental Research 41 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics pollution on the abundance and composition of interstitial meiofauna

Researchers found that microplastic accumulation in beach sediments negatively affected the abundance and community composition of meiofauna at lower intertidal levels on urban Colombian beaches, with microplastics explaining 39% of community variation in the most heavily impacted zone.

2023 Revista de Biología Tropical 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Contaminação Por Microplásticos Em Praias Arenosas No Brasil: Uma Revisão Sistemática

This review systematically examines microplastic contamination studies on sandy beaches across Brazil, covering publications from the first Brazilian study in 2009 onward and identifying that sediment (76% of studies), water (12%), and biota (12%) are the primary compartments investigated. The review finds tourism, fishing, and river discharge as the main microplastic sources, and identifies significant methodological gaps that limit cross-study comparisons.

2023 Oecologia Australis 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Florida, United States: A Case Study of Quantification and Characterization With Intertidal Snails

Researchers quantified and characterized microplastic contamination in Florida coastal waters using intertidal snails as indicator organisms, documenting the extent of MP pollution along beaches that are subject to heavy tourism and hurricane disturbance.

2021 Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution on island beaches, Oahu, Hawai`i

Researchers surveyed microplastic densities on six windward beaches of Oahu, Hawaii, finding very high concentrations of 700-1,700 particles/m2 on high-wave-energy beaches with coarser sands, comparable to other remote island beaches globally.

2021 PLoS ONE 43 citations
Article Tier 2

Pollution level of microplastics in sand beaches of four locations in the coast of El Salvador, Central America

Researchers assessed microplastic pollution levels in sandy beaches at four coastal locations in El Salvador, Central America, characterizing the concentration, spatial distribution, physical and chemical properties, and potential sources of microplastics and applying the Nemerow pollution index to categorize overall contamination levels at each site.

2025 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
Article Tier 2

Pollution of Beach Sand from Selected Recreational Reservoirs by Microplastics

Researchers analyzed beach sand samples from three recreational reservoirs in southern Poland (Silesian Voivodship) to assess microplastic pollution levels in freshwater beach environments. The study found microplastics present in beach sand across all sampled sites, contributing to evidence that sediments and beach sands serve as long-term microplastic sinks in aquatic environments.

2022 Civil And Environmental Engineering Reports
Article Tier 2

First full investigation of levels of microplastics on sandy beaches in Malta

This study conducted the first comprehensive survey of microplastic levels on sandy beaches in Malta, finding microplastics at all five sampled beaches including in protected coastal areas. The results establish baseline contamination levels for the central Mediterranean and document seasonal and spatial variability.

2017 OAR@UM (University of Malta) 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Changes in (micro and macro) plastic pollution in the sediment of three sandy beaches in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, in relation to seasonality, beach use and granulometry

Researchers measured plastic and microplastic pollution in sediment from three Mediterranean beaches across seasons, finding that smaller microplastics accumulate at the backshore while larger items concentrate near the waterline. Seasonal patterns and beach use intensity affected plastic abundance, with implications for beach management and cleanup strategies.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic levels on sandy beaches: Are the effects of tourism and coastal recreation really important?

Researchers measured microplastic levels on sandy beaches in Portugal to determine whether tourism and recreation increase contamination. They found an average of about 1,133 microplastic items per kilogram of sand, mostly fibers and films from polyethylene and polypropylene. While tourism did influence contamination patterns, the study shows that microplastics are widespread on beaches regardless of human activity, creating potential exposure risks for beachgoers.

2023 Chemosphere 78 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic distribution within core sediments of beach and its responses to anthropogenic activities

Researchers analyzed vertical microplastic distribution in beach sediment cores at five sites, finding that accumulation patterns in deeper layers reflect historical changes in human activities and coastal management, with anthropogenic pressure intensity correlating with microplastic depth profiles.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantitative assessment of microplastic in sandy beaches of Gujarat state, India

Researchers quantified microplastic contamination across 20 sandy beaches on the Gujarat coast of India, finding average abundances ranging from 1.4 to 26 MPs per kilogram of sediment, with higher concentrations at beaches under greater anthropogenic pressure. Thread/fiber morphologies were the most abundant type, and the spatial distribution reflected local population density and tourist activity.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 75 citations