Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Study of contaminants transported by microplastics in the Lebanese marine environment

Researchers investigated microplastics in the Lebanese Mediterranean coastal environment as vectors for contaminant transport, applying multi-scope analytical approaches to assess environmental risks posed by plastic-associated pollutants including heavy metals, persistent organic compounds, and other chemical classes.

2022 theses.fr (ABES)
Article Tier 2

Quantifying co-contaminant sediment risk using geostatistical entropy and pollution indices: A transferable model from Ghana’s Birim basin

Researchers applied a transferable geostatistical framework combining Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy, geo-accumulation indices, and ecological risk indices to assess co-contamination of sediments by microplastics and heavy metals in Ghana's Birim River basin, a tropical system impacted by artisanal mining and plastic waste mismanagement.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances
Article Tier 2

Enrichment of Persistent Organic Pollutants in Microplastics from Coastal Waters

Researchers quantified how microplastics concentrate persistent organic pollutants compared to suspended particulate matter in coastal seawater. They found that the concentrating effect of microplastics on these pollutants was one to two orders of magnitude greater than that of natural suspended particles. The study provides precise measurements of enrichment factors, suggesting that microplastics may serve as significant carriers of toxic organic chemicals in marine environments.

2024 Environmental Science & Technology 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Identification and Density In Coastal Sediments of Manado Bay

Researchers identified and quantified microplastics in coastal sediments of Manado Bay, documenting the density and polymer types of plastic particles accumulating in the marine environment from anthropogenic activities.

2025 JURNAL PESISIR DAN LAUT TROPIS
Article Tier 2

The pollution of microplastics in sediments: The ecological risk assessment and pollution source analysis

Researchers reviewed a decade of studies on microplastic pollution in marine and freshwater sediments, focusing on ecological risk assessment methods and pollution source analysis. They found that pollution load index, polymer risk index, and potential ecological risk index are the most commonly used assessment tools. The study emphasizes that improving microplastic detection technologies and linking contamination to specific land-use types could strengthen pollution source identification and control measures.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 67 citations
Article Tier 2

A Study of the Toxic Effects of Microplastic Pollution on Aquatic Organisms and a Methodology for Dynamic Assessment

Researchers used stereomicroscopy and FTIR to characterize microplastics in aquatic samples and proposed a dynamic assessment methodology combining pollution risk index, pollution load index, and ecological risk index. The combined approach provided a more nuanced evaluation of microplastic contamination levels and associated ecological risks than single-index methods.

2025 Frontiers in artificial intelligence and applications
Review Tier 2

The chemical behaviors of microplastics in marine environment: A review

This review summarized interactions between microplastics and organic pollutants and metals in the marine environment, covering sorption behavior across polymer types, the role of degradation in altering sorption capacity, and global monitoring data on pollutant concentrations on marine plastics. The authors conclude that microplastic type, pollutant properties, and environmental conditions all strongly influence chemical accumulation on plastic surfaces.

2019 Marine Pollution Bulletin 654 citations
Article Tier 2

Interactions Between Heavy Metals and Microplastics in Surface Marine Sediments, Chanthaburi River Mouth, Eastern Gulf of Thailand

Researchers assessed heavy metal and microplastic contamination in surface marine sediments from the mouth of Thailand's Chanthaburi River, finding interactions between metal pollutants and plastic particles that affect contaminant bioavailability and ecological risk in estuarine environments.

2025 Journal of Environmental & Earth Sciences
Article Tier 2

Study of metal and organic contaminants transported by microplastics in the Lebanese coastal environment using ICP MS, GC-MS, and LC-MS

Researchers conducted an untargeted analysis of metal and organic contaminants transported by microplastics along the Lebanese coast, identifying diverse pollutant classes adsorbed onto plastics using ICP-MS, GC-MS, and LC-MS techniques.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 31 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

Identification, Abundance, and Chemical Characterization of Macro-, Meso-, and Microplastics in the Intertidal Zone Sediments of Two Selected Beaches in Sabah, Malaysia

Researchers identified and characterized macro-, meso-, and microplastics in intertidal sediments of two beaches in Sabah, Malaysia, finding significant plastic contamination with heavy metal associations that pose potential ecological risks to coastal environments.

2022 Water 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Integration of microplastics and heavy metals in the potential ecological risk index: Spatial pollution assessment of sediments in the inner Gulf of Thailand

Researchers assessed the spatial distribution of microplastics and heavy metals in surface sediments of the inner Gulf of Thailand, finding an average of nearly 1,400 microplastic pieces per kilogram with the highest concentrations near river mouths. They developed an integrated ecological risk index combining microplastic and heavy metal contamination, revealing that areas near river estuaries face moderate to considerable combined pollution risk. The study demonstrates the importance of evaluating microplastics alongside other contaminants for comprehensive environmental risk assessment.

2025 Chemosphere 7 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

A systematic review of microplastics in the environment: Sampling, separation, characterization and coexistence mechanisms with pollutants

Massive microplastic pollution was documented across Africa, Asia, India, South Africa, North America, and Europe, with MPs acting as carriers of heavy metals that enter organisms and cause harm. The adsorption capacity of organic pollutants onto microplastics correlated with hydrophobicity, surface area, and functional group characteristics.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 71 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of Heavy Metals, Microplastics Abundance, Pollution Level, and Contamination Risk in the Ganges Downstream

Heavy metals and microplastics were co-assessed in a marine environment, with pollution indices developed to characterize combined contamination levels. The integrated assessment approach helps regulators understand the combined chemical burden faced by marine organisms in polluted coastal areas.

2025 Sustainable Environmental Insight 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Chemical and ecotoxicological assessment of microplastics and emerging risks in the coastal environments

This review examines the chemical composition of microplastics found in coastal environments and assesses their ecotoxicological risks, including the leaching of plastic additives and adsorption of environmental pollutants. It emphasizes the need for better risk assessment frameworks that account for both the particles and their associated chemical contaminants.

2020 Dipòsit Digital de la Universitat de Barcelona (Universitat de Barcelona) 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Simple and cost-effective method for microplastic quantification in estuarine sediment: A case study of the Santos and São Vicente Estuarine System

Researchers developed a simpler, solvent-free method for separating and quantifying microplastics in estuarine sediment using sequential sieving and stereomicroscopy, reducing preparation time and environmental impact compared to existing techniques while enabling subsequent polymer identification by chemical analysis.

2020 Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering 55 citations