Papers

61,005 results
|
Article Tier 2

Status of Microplastic Accumulation in Water and Sediments of Selected Estuarine Ecosystem of Southern Kerala, India

Researchers measured microplastic levels in water and sediment from estuaries in southern Kerala, India, finding significant contamination in both habitats. The study identifies these coastal estuaries as accumulation zones for microplastic pollution, posing risks to local aquatic life and fishing communities.

2023 UTTAR PRADESH JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
Article Tier 2

Assessment of Microplastic Pollution Across the Malabar Coast, India

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in water, sediment, and commercially important fish along the Malabar coast in India. They found microplastics in all sample types, with the highest concentrations in fish gastrointestinal and gill tissues, predominantly consisting of fragments and fibers of common plastics like HDPE, PET, and nylon. The study points to direct discharges, runoff, and poor wastewater management as key sources, underscoring the need for regulatory measures to protect both marine ecosystems and the people who consume seafood from the region.

2024 Environmental Quality Management 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics pollution in tropical estuary (Muttukadu Backwater), Southeast Coast of India: Occurrence, distribution characteristics, potential sources and ecological risk assessment

Scientists surveyed microplastic contamination in the water and sediments of a tropical estuary on India's southeast coast. They found moderate to high levels of microplastic pollution, with common polymers like polyethylene and polystyrene contributing the most to ecological risk. The presence of trace metals on microplastic surfaces suggests these particles may also serve as carriers for heavy metal contamination in coastal ecosystems.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Potential Ecological Risk Assessment Studies Based on Source and Distribution of Microplastics from the Surface Sediments of Tropical Backwaters, Kerala, India

Researchers characterized microplastic pollution in surface sediments of three tropical estuaries along the southwest coast of Kerala, India, finding 407 total particles and conducting ecological risk assessment to evaluate hazard levels from microplastic accumulation.

2023 Total Environment Research Themes 21 citations
Article Tier 2

The extent of microplastic pollution along the eastern coast of India: Focussing on marine waters, beach sand, and fish

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination across water, sand, and fish from seven major beaches along India's eastern coast, finding widespread pollution dominated by polyethylene and polystyrene with hazard indices indicating potential ecological risk.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 50 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic profile and ecological risk assessment of emerging estuarine contaminants in two tourist hotspots of northern Kerala backwaters

Researchers investigated microplastic pollution in sediments and water of two tourist-heavy estuarine systems in northern Kerala, India. They found average concentrations of 187 to 259 particles per kilogram in sediments and 251 to 284 particles per liter in water, with polyamide as the dominant polymer type, indicating high ecological risk driven by tourism, fishing, and poor waste management.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials Plastics 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Contaminants and their ecological risk assessment in beach sediments and water along the Maharashtra coast of India: A comprehensive approach using microplastics, heavy metal(loid)s, pharmaceuticals, personal care products and plasticisers

Researchers conducted a comprehensive survey of multiple contaminant types along India's Maharashtra coast, including microplastics, heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, and plasticizers in both water and sediment. They found widespread contamination with microplastics present at all 17 sampling stations, alongside concerning levels of other pollutants. The study highlights how coastal communities face exposure to a cocktail of emerging contaminants, with microplastics potentially acting as carriers for other harmful substances.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 41 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution and its implicated risks in the estuarine environment of Tamil Nadu, India

Researchers investigated microplastic pollution across 19 estuaries in Tamil Nadu, India, measuring contamination in water, sediment, and marine organisms. They found microplastic levels were higher during monsoon season due to stormwater discharge, and estimated that local residents may ingest approximately 781 microplastic items through fish and 2,809 through shellfish annually. The study suggests that estuarine microplastic pollution poses meaningful human exposure risks through seafood consumption.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 52 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatial heterogeneity of microplastic pollution and associated emerging contaminants in tropical estuarine environments: Novel insights into distribution, bioavailability, and ecological risk

Scientists found tiny plastic particles in water, mud, and seafood like shellfish and crabs in two river areas in India. These microplastics carry harmful chemicals and are getting into the food chain, which could affect the safety of seafood that people eat. While the current risk appears low, this research shows we need better policies to reduce plastic pollution to protect both ocean ecosystems and human food sources.

2026 Marine Pollution Bulletin
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in Vembanad Lake, Kerala, India: The first report of microplastics in lake and estuarine sediments in India

Researchers conducted the first study of microplastics in Vembanad Lake, Kerala, India, finding plastic particles across sampled sites and documenting the types and polymer composition of contamination in this important freshwater ecosystem.

2016 Environmental Pollution 580 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics pollution in Indian marine environment: sources, effects and solutions

This review provides a comprehensive look at microplastic pollution in India's marine environment, covering sources, transport, effects on marine life, and potential solutions. Microplastics are being ingested by organisms at every level of the food chain, causing inflammation, hormonal disruption, and reproductive problems that eventually affect humans through seafood. The authors call for stronger policies, better waste management, and public awareness to address this growing threat to both marine ecosystems and human health.

2024 Frontiers in Marine Science 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in seafood as an emerging threat to marine environment: A case study in Goa, west coast of India

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in water, sediment, and shellfish from the Sal estuary in Goa, India. They found microplastics present across all environmental samples, with sediment containing particularly high concentrations. The study highlights that commercially important seafood species in this region are accumulating microplastics, posing potential concerns for both marine ecosystems and human dietary exposure.

2020 Chemosphere 198 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in the benthic invertebrates from the coastal waters of Kochi, Southeastern Arabian Sea

Researchers examined benthic invertebrates from coastal waters near Kochi in southern India and found microplastics present across multiple species, documenting the extent of contamination in a region with limited prior monitoring data.

2018 Environmental Geochemistry and Health 138 citations
Article Tier 2

Holistic assessment of microplastics in various coastal environmental matrices, southwest coast of India

A comprehensive assessment of microplastic pollution along the southwest coast of India analyzed multiple environmental matrices including water, sediments, and biota, finding plastic contamination throughout coastal systems. The holistic approach revealed how microplastics move through coastal food webs and identified fishing and tourism activities as key local sources.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 296 citations
Article Tier 2

Contamination of microplastics in tropical coral reef ecosystems of Sri Lanka

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination across ten coral reef ecosystems in Sri Lanka, finding microplastics in corals, water, and sediments with fibers and fragments being the dominant types, representing a previously unquantified threat to tropical reef systems.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of microplastic contamination in clams and shrimp from estuarine environments of Goa: implications for environmental health and food safety

Researchers examined clams and shrimp from estuarine environments in Goa, India, and found microplastics present in both species and their surrounding waters, with shrimp from one site showing particularly high contamination and bioaccumulation. The particles were predominantly polyamide, polyethylene, and polystyrene fibers and fragments, likely originating from fishing, tourism, and waste disposal activities. The findings raise concerns about food safety for local and tourist populations who regularly consume seafood from these coastal areas.

2025 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 3 citations
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Assessment of potential ecological risk of microplastics in the coastal sediments of India: A meta-analysis

This meta-analysis assesses the ecological risk of microplastics in coastal sediments along India's coastline, finding high hazard levels in several areas. The presence of harmful plastic polymers in coastal sediments is concerning because these areas are important for fishing and seafood harvesting that feeds millions of people.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 474 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in fragile coastal ecosystems with special reference to the X-Press Pearl maritime disaster, southeast coast of India

Researchers assessed microplastic pollution in beach sediments and marine biota along India's Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar coast, finding polyethylene fibers as the dominant type and examining microbial degradation potential on microplastic surfaces.

2022 Environmental Pollution 39 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and characteristics of microplastics in the coral reef, sea grass and near shore habitats of Rameswaram Island, India

Researchers compared microplastic occurrence and characteristics alongside heavy metal contaminants in water and sediment across coral reef, seagrass, and nearshore habitats of Rameswaram Island, India, finding mean concentrations ranging from 24 to 96 items/L and identifying habitat-specific differences in contamination profiles.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 71 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution of Calicut beach - Contributing factors and possible impacts

Researchers conducted annual monitoring of microplastics in Calicut beach sediments from 2016 to 2019, finding concentrations ranging from 80.56 to 467.13 items per kilogram with polyethylene consistently dominant. A notable surge in microplastic levels was observed following severe Kerala floods in 2018 and 2019, linking flood events to increased coastal plastic deposition.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 46 citations
Article Tier 2

Presence of microplastics in estuarine environment: a case study from Kavvayi and Kumbla backwaters of Malabar Coast, Kerala, India

Researchers investigated the distribution and characteristics of microplastics in sediments and organisms from two backwater estuaries along the Malabar Coast in Kerala, India. The study detected microplastics in all samples analyzed, confirming widespread contamination across these estuarine environments, with particles identified down to 1 micrometer in size using optical microscopy and confocal Raman spectroscopy.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 26 citations
Article Tier 2

The Occurrence of Microplastics in the Gut Contents of Selected Estuarine Fishes of Southern Kerala, India

A two-year survey of estuarine fish in southern Kerala, India, found microplastics — predominantly polypropylene, polyethylene, and polystyrene — in the stomachs of multiple commercially consumed species. The study documents spatial and seasonal variation in contamination levels, raising concern about human dietary exposure to microplastics through fish consumption in Indian coastal communities.

2023 UTTAR PRADESH JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Sources and Impact of Microplastic Pollution in Indian Aquatic Ecosystem: A Review

This review examines sources and impacts of microplastic pollution across Indian aquatic ecosystems, documenting widespread contamination in marine and freshwater environments and discussing risks to living organisms given projections that ocean plastic will outweigh fish by 2050.

2020 Current World Environment 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics' occurrence, distribution, and chemical toxicity in backwater sediments from Puducherry Coast, Southeast India

Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in sediment cores from three sites along India's Puducherry coast, finding over 100 microplastic particles per square centimeter near the surface — with fibers and fragments made of PE, PP, and PET being most common — and high pollution risk scores at all sites.

2025 Kuwait Journal of Science 2 citations