Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Spatio and temporal dynamics of microplastic fluxes within the watercourses of a peri-urban watershed

Researchers tracked spatial and temporal microplastic flux dynamics in the watercourses of a small peri-urban catchment, examining how different land use types within the watershed contribute to plastic loading in connected streams. Land use strongly influenced microplastic flux, with urbanized and agricultural sub-catchments contributing proportionally more plastic particles to the waterway network.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
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

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

Land Use and Rainfall as Drivers of Microplastic Transport in Canal Systems: A Case Study from Upstate New York

A study in a tropical watershed found that land use type and rainfall intensity were the dominant drivers of microplastic transport from land into water bodies. The results emphasize that agricultural and urban land uses are key sources of microplastics flushed into rivers during rain events.

2025 Preprints.org 1 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

Spatial and temporal variations of microplastic concentrations in Portland's freshwater ecosystems

Microplastic concentrations were monitored across Portland's urban freshwater ecosystems, revealing that land use, stormwater inputs, and seasonal variation all influenced plastic levels in rivers and streams. The study found that urban catchments with higher impervious surfaces consistently showed elevated microplastic concentrations.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 74 citations
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

Estimating microplastic flows across rural-urban gradients in a French catchment

Researchers estimated microplastic flows across rural-urban gradients in a French catchment, examining how land use and urbanization influence the transport and distribution of microplastic particles through the watershed system.

2025 SPIRE - Sciences Po Institutional REpository
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

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 streams spanning an urbanisation gradient

Researchers sampled microplastics in small streams across an urbanization gradient and found contamination at all sites, with concentrations comparable to those in larger rivers and lakes. Fragments and small particles between 63 and 500 micrometers were the most common forms detected. Surprisingly, catchment-scale factors like population density and stormwater overflows did not predict microplastic levels well, suggesting that local-scale sources may be more important for pollution in small streams.

2019 Environmental Pollution 218 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

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

Effects of Agricultural and Urban Land on Microplastic Concentrations in Rivers

This review synthesizes literature on how agricultural and urban land uses influence microplastic concentrations in rivers, examining pathways including stormwater runoff, wastewater discharge, and tire wear from roads. Urban areas consistently contributed higher microplastic loads than agricultural areas, with runoff events being a major transport mechanism.

2025 Digital Commons - CSUMB (California State University, Monterey Bay)
Article Tier 2

Estimating microplastic flows across rural-urban gradients in a French catchment

Researchers estimated microplastic flows along rural-to-urban gradients within a French catchment, quantifying how land use transitions influence MP loading and transport dynamics in surface waters. The study provides spatially resolved flux estimates that reveal how urbanization amplifies microplastic contributions to downstream receiving environments.

2025 SPIRE - Sciences Po Institutional REpository
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

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

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

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

Anthropogenic Litter in Urban Freshwater Ecosystems: Distribution and Microbial Interactions

Researchers quantified anthropogenic litter in urban rivers and streams and found that microplastics dominated by mass and particle count compared to macroplastic items. The study highlights urban freshwater systems as major conduits for plastic pollution moving toward marine environments and documents distinct microbial communities on plastic surfaces.

2014 PLoS ONE 287 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatio and temporal dynamics of microplastic fluxes within the watercourses of a peri-urban watershed

Researchers tracked the spatiotemporal dynamics of microplastic fluxes within a river catchment over time, linking plastic transport patterns to land use activities. The study found that land use type is a key driver of when and how much microplastic enters and moves through watercourses.

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

Microplastic contamination in urban aquatic environments: Occurrence characteristics in urban streams and stormwater runoff from urban surfaces

Researchers examined microplastic contamination in urban streams and stormwater runoff across different seasons and found that wastewater treatment plant discharges were a major source during dry weather. During rainy periods, stormwater runoff from roads and rooftops contributed additional microplastics, predominantly fibers and fragments. The study highlights that urban water systems receive microplastic pollution from multiple pathways year-round.

2024 Journal of Environmental Management 22 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

Land Use and Rainfall as Drivers of Microplastic Transport in Canal Systems: A Case Study from Upstate New York

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination across a canal system in upstate New York, examining how land use and rainfall patterns influence microplastic abundance, distribution, and characteristics. They found significant land-use-dependent variation in contamination, with mean water column concentrations of 17 items/L, and that rainfall events mobilized microplastics differently across agricultural, residential, and impervious-surface sites.

2025 Microplastics