Papers

61,005 results
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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

Microplastics in China’s surface water systems: Distribution, driving forces and ecological risk

Researchers compiled over 14,000 samples from across China to map microplastic pollution in surface water systems using machine learning models. They found that microplastic abundance varied enormously across regions, driven by a complex mix of human activities and natural conditions. The ecological risk assessment revealed that watersheds in nearly all Chinese provinces face high to extremely high contamination levels, underscoring the urgency of nationwide management efforts.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Recalculating national occurrence of microplastics in China’s freshwater

Researchers developed a size-abundance correction method to harmonize inconsistent microplastic field observations across China's freshwater systems. After recalculating data from over 1,300 sampling points, they found average microplastic abundance was 4,785 particles per cubic meter, considerably higher than previously reported, though 83.9% of locations showed low ecological risk with unexpectedly high risk in undeveloped northwestern regions.

2025 Cell Reports Sustainability 6 citations
Article Tier 2

A framework for systematic microplastic ecological risk assessment at a national scale

This study developed a framework for assessing the ecological risks of microplastic pollution across China by analyzing data from 128 studies and over 3,400 sites. The research found that microplastic contamination is widespread in Chinese soil, water, and sediments, with some areas reaching concerning levels. This kind of large-scale risk assessment is important for understanding how widespread microplastic pollution may affect ecosystems and, ultimately, human health through contaminated food and water.

2023 Environmental Pollution 77 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

Spatiotemporal variations and the ecological risks of microplastics in the watersheds of China: Implying the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic

A data mining and multivariate statistical analysis of 8,898 microplastic samples from 23 Chinese watersheds examined how the COVID-19 pandemic affected microplastic pollution levels and patterns in China, the world's largest microplastic emitter. The study found measurable shifts in microplastic abundance and composition linked to pandemic-era changes in production and waste management.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 7 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
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Nationwide meta-analysis of microplastic distribution and risk assessment in China's aquatic ecosystems, soils, and sediments

A nationwide meta-analysis of 7,766 sampling sites across China found that microplastic distribution is influenced by economic development, population density, and geography, with generally higher concentrations in prosperous areas. The pollution varies significantly across water, soil, and sediment compartments, highlighting the need for AI-based regulatory frameworks to manage standardized risk assessment.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 20 citations
Article Tier 2

A new holistic perspective to assess the ecological risk of microplastics: A case study in Baiyangdian Basin, China

Researchers developed a more comprehensive method for assessing the ecological risks of microplastic pollution by considering not just concentration but also the physical and chemical properties of the particles. Applied to a Chinese wetland basin, the approach revealed that traditional methods significantly underestimate the true ecological risk, with human activity and poor water flow contributing to the highest danger zones.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of potential ecological risk for microplastics in freshwater ecosystems

Researchers assessed the ecological risk of microplastics across freshwater ecosystems worldwide, including rivers and lakes in China, Vietnam, Europe, and South America. While one risk method showed negligible danger, more comprehensive assessment approaches revealed extreme ecological threats at every location studied, suggesting that microplastic pollution in freshwater may be more serious than previously thought.

2024 Chemosphere 22 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 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

Distribution, Sources, and Ecological Risk Assessment of Microplastics in the Lower Minjiang River

Researchers characterized microplastic abundance, morphology, and polymer composition in surface water and sediments from the lower Minjiang River in China, then used pollution load indices and ecological risk assessments alongside socioeconomic data to identify likely pollution sources and ecological impacts.

2025 Toxics
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in the Yangtze River Basin: Heterogeneity of abundances and characteristics in different environments

Researchers compiled microplastic data from 624 sampling sites across the Yangtze River Basin covering water, sediment, soil, and biota, revealing heterogeneous contamination patterns driven by local land use, population density, and wastewater infrastructure.

2021 Environmental Pollution 112 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

Spatial Distribution and Ecological Risk of Microplastic Contamination in River Water Near a Landfill Leachate Disposal Area: A Case Study of Supit Urang Landfill, Malang City, Indonesia

Researchers mapped the spatial distribution and ecological risk of microplastic contamination across river sediments in a Chinese river system, finding risk levels varied with proximity to urban centers and industrial zones, and that certain polymer types posed elevated ecological hazard.

2025 Jurnal Pengelolaan Sumberdaya Alam dan Lingkungan (Journal of Natural Resources and Environmental Management)
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution research methodologies, abundance, characteristics and risk assessments for aquatic biota in China

Researchers reviewed the current state of microplastic pollution research in China's aquatic environments, covering detection methods, abundance data, characteristics, and risk assessments for aquatic organisms. The review highlights that China's marine and freshwater environments are seriously polluted by microplastics, with ingestion by aquatic organisms posing potential ecological harm.

2020 Environmental Pollution 154 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

[Pollution Characteristics and Risk Assessment of Microplastics in the Xiamen Houxi River Watershed].

A comprehensive survey of the Xiamen Houxi River watershed found 100% microplastic detection across all sampling points, with abundance, shape, color, and polymer type assessed alongside ecological risk using pollution load and risk indices.

2024 PubMed
Article Tier 2

Abundance, Composition, and Potential Ecological Risks of Microplastics in Surface Water at Different Seasons in the Pearl River Delta, China

Researchers measured microplastic abundance, composition, and ecological risk in surface water of the Pearl River Delta across different seasons, finding spatially uneven distribution with some sites showing far higher concentrations than others. Ecological risk scores were highest at sites near industrial zones and dense urban areas.

2022 Water 19 citations
Meta Analysis Tier 1

A novel framework-based meta-analysis for in-depth characterization of microplastic pollution and associated ecological risks in Chinese Bays

Microplastic abundance in Chinese bays ranged from 0.26 to 89,500 items/m3 in water and 15 to 6,434 items/kg in sediment, with sampling methods and geographic location identified as major drivers of observed variation. ARIMA modeling predicted that Sanggou Bay and Hangzhou Bay face the highest risk of significantly increasing future contamination.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatial–Temporal and Risk Assessment of Microplastics in the Surface Water of the Qinhuai River during Different Rainfall Seasons in Nanjing City, China

Researchers conducted a spatial-temporal analysis of microplastic contamination and risk in a river system across multiple seasons and sites, finding that concentrations varied significantly with location and time of year. Urban and industrial zones showed the highest microplastic loads and associated ecological risk.

2024 Water 7 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

Occurrence of microplastic pollution in rivers globally: Driving factors of distribution and ecological risk assessment

Researchers constructed a global dataset of microplastic pollution across 862 river water and 445 sediment samples, identifying population density, GDP, and plastic waste generation as key driving factors of riverine microplastic distribution and ecological risk.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 43 citations