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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to The Three Gorges Dam alters the spatial distribution and flux of microplastics in the Yangtze River
ClearAccumulation of floating microplastics behind the Three Gorges Dam
Researchers collected trawl samples from the Three Gorges Reservoir on the Yangtze River and found extraordinarily high microplastic concentrations — up to 13.6 billion particles per square kilometer — accumulating behind the dam. The dam appears to act as a massive trap for floating plastic, preventing downstream transport and concentrating pollution to extreme levels.
Substantial burial of terrestrial microplastics in the Three Gorges Reservoir, China
Researchers found substantial burial of terrestrial microplastics in Three Gorges Reservoir sediments, suggesting that large hydropower dams act as significant traps that intercept microplastic transport from rivers to the ocean, with implications for the Yangtze River's plastic output.
The hydro-fluctuation belt of the Three Gorges Reservoir: Source or sink of microplastics in the water?
The water-level fluctuation zone of the Three Gorges Reservoir in China was found to be both a source and sink for microplastics depending on season, with high concentrations of plastic particles in the sediment. This large reservoir acts as an accumulation point for microplastics from upstream rivers.
Effect of cascade damming on microplastics transport in rivers: A large-scale investigation in Wujiang River, Southwest China
Researchers investigated how cascade damming on the Wujiang River in China affects microplastic transport, finding that dams intercept microplastics and reduce their downstream flux, with midstream areas showing the highest concentrations.
Dam operation changed the transport patterns of microplastics - from a global perspective
Researchers analyzed data from 517 sampling sites near dams worldwide to understand how dam operations affect microplastic transport in rivers. They found that reservoirs behind dams accumulate higher abundances and more diverse types of microplastics compared to upstream and downstream areas, essentially acting as traps. Seasonal dam operations, particularly during wet seasons, can flush accumulated microplastics downstream into sediments, altering pollution distribution patterns.
Microplastics contamination in the surface water of the Yangtze River from upstream to estuary based on different sampling methods
A survey of microplastic contamination along the Yangtze River from source to estuary found average abundances of up to 4.25 × 10^5 items/km by trawling and up to 3,089 items/m³ by filtration, with the Three Gorges Reservoir showing the highest concentrations due to a dam barrier effect.
Damming has changed the migration process of microplastics and increased the pollution risk in the reservoirs in the Shaying River Basin
Researchers investigated how dam construction in the Shaying River Basin affects microplastic pollution in water, sediment, and biological tissues near ten dams. The study found that dams alter the transport and deposition of microplastics, intercepting large amounts in reservoirs and changing how microplastics accumulate in freshwater organisms through shifts in food web structure.
Horizontal and vertical distribution of microplastics in dam reservoir after impoundment
Microplastic distribution was mapped both horizontally and vertically in a Chinese reservoir after impoundment, revealing that plastics were not uniformly distributed but concentrated in specific depth layers and spatial zones influenced by water flow and stratification. The study provides insight into how dam reservoirs trap and accumulate microplastics from river inputs.
The effect of dams on river transport of microplastic pollution
This study investigated whether dams trap microplastics in river sediments, finding significant accumulation of microplastics upstream of dams compared to downstream, suggesting dams act as microplastic sinks. The findings have implications for managing microplastic transport through river systems and for understanding contamination risks associated with dam removal.
Microplastics in surface waters and sediments of the Three Gorges Reservoir, China
Researchers sampled surface waters and sediments of the Three Gorges Reservoir in China and found microplastic contamination throughout, with concentrations influenced by water flow dynamics and proximity to human settlements.
Catchment-wide flooding significantly altered microplastics organization in the hydro-fluctuation belt of the reservoir
Researchers investigated the effect of catchment-wide flooding on microplastic distribution in the hydro-fluctuation belt of the Three Gorges Reservoir in China, finding that flooding reduced local microplastic density from 7,633 to 4,875 particles per kilogram while transporting an estimated 5 times 10 to the 11 microplastic items into the reservoir. Approximately 15.8% by weight of the plastic flux that the Yangtze River delivers to the ocean was attributed to this single flooding event.
Distribution and characteristics of microplastics in the Yulin River, China: Role of environmental and spatial factors
Microplastic pollution in the Yulin River in China was highest in tributary bays and declined downstream, with anthropogenic activity being a strong predictor of abundance. The backwater effect of the nearby Three Gorges Reservoir increased microplastic concentrations at the river's estuary, showing how reservoir management shapes plastic distribution.
Environmental fate of microplastics in alpine and canyon-type river-cascade reservoir systems: Large-scale investigation of the Yalong River in the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
Researchers conducted a large-scale investigation of microplastic distribution in the Yalong River on the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, examining how cascade dam construction affects plastic pollution. They found that microplastic abundance in water and sediment within reservoir areas was significantly higher than in free-flowing river sections, with dams trapping high-density particles in sediments. The study suggests that cascade reservoir systems alter the migration patterns and accumulation of microplastics within alpine river watersheds.
Effects of cascade dams on the occurrence and distribution of microplastics in surface sediments of Wujiang river basin, Southwestern China
Researchers analyzed microplastic distribution in sediments of the Wujiang River basin in southwest China, finding that cascade dams trap and accumulate microplastics in reservoir sediments, with dam density and upstream land use significantly influencing local microplastic abundance and composition.
Occurrence Patterns and Pollution Risk of Microplastics in Surface Sediments and Sediment Cores of the Three Gorges Reservoir, China
Researchers examined the occurrence, distribution, and pollution risk of microplastics in surface sediments and sediment cores of China's Three Gorges Reservoir across different water seasons. The study found distinct seasonal patterns in microplastic abundance and composition in both surface sediments and vertical core profiles, confirming the reservoir acts as a significant sink for microplastic contamination.
Occurrence and Characteristics of Microplastic Pollution in Xiangxi Bay of Three Gorges Reservoir, China
Researchers surveyed Xiangxi Bay in the Three Gorges Reservoir and characterized microplastic occurrence and distribution, finding contamination throughout the bay with patterns influenced by local water circulation and sediment dynamics.
Occurrence and characteristics of microplastics across the watershed of the world’s third-largest river
Researchers conducted a large-scale survey of microplastic pollution across the entire Yangtze River watershed, the world's third-largest river. They found microplastics throughout the river system, with concentrations decreasing from upstream to downstream, and fiber-shaped particles smaller than 1 mm being most common. The study provides important baseline data showing that even remote upstream areas of major river systems carry significant microplastic contamination.
Environmental fate of microplastics in the world's third-largest river: Basin-wide investigation and microplastic community analysis
Researchers conducted a basin-wide investigation of microplastics throughout the entire Yangtze River system, sampling water, sediment, and soil. The study found microplastics in all samples with abundance increasing from upstream to downstream, driven by both geographical and human factors, with major cities at the middle and lower reaches identified as key pollution nodes.
The influence of water conservancy project on microplastics distribution in river ecosystem: A case study of Lhasa River Basin in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
Microplastic concentrations in the Lhasa River Basin decreased from upstream to downstream as reservoirs acted as sinks, with the barrier effect of dams increasing MP deposition in sediments and reducing surface water concentrations in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.
[Microplastic Characteristics and Risk Assessment in Multigate Dam-type River].
Researchers assessed microplastic abundance, composition, and ecological risk in surface water and sediments across ten dams on the Shaying River, China, finding that dam construction complicates microplastic distribution patterns and increases retention of particles in reservoir environments.
A catchment-wide microplastic pollution investigation of the Yangtze River: The pollution and ecological risk of tributaries are non-negligible
Researchers conducted a large-scale survey of microplastic pollution across the entire Yangtze River catchment, including both the main river and its tributaries. They found that tributaries contributed significantly to the overall microplastic load and posed ecological risks that had been previously overlooked. The study emphasizes that effective pollution management for major river systems must account for contamination flowing in from smaller waterways.
Coupled effects of urbanization level and dam on microplastics in surface waters in a coastal watershed of Southeast China
Researchers analyzed the distribution of microplastics across 17 sampling sites in the Minjiang River Watershed in southeast China, finding that microplastic concentrations were positively correlated with urbanization indicators and that dams influenced spatial distribution patterns.
Influence of catastrophic flood on microplastics organization in surface water of the Three Gorges Reservoir, China
Microplastic distribution in the Three Gorges Reservoir was analyzed before and after a catastrophic 2020 flood, finding that the flood altered microplastic organization, stability, and polymer composition throughout the reservoir, with implications for microplastic transport to the global ocean.
Small microplastic particles dominate Yangtze River particulate pollution
Researchers conducted annual monitoring of plastic particle fluxes in the Yangtze River estuary, finding that small microplastic particles dominate particulate pollution and that their distribution varies significantly by location and season, with important implications for estimating riverine plastic inputs to the sea.