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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Microplastic distribution and risk assessment in estuarine systems influenced by traditional villages and artisanal fishery activities
ClearLarge-scale monitoring and risk assessment of microplastics in the Amazon River
Researchers conducted the largest microplastic monitoring study in the Amazon River, sampling 40 sites across 1,500 kilometers. Microplastics were found everywhere, with urban streams near cities showing concentrations up to 1,000 times higher than the main river. This study confirms that even remote freshwater ecosystems like the Amazon are contaminated with microplastics, which could affect the fish and water that local communities depend on.
Comprehensive risk assessment of microplastics in tidal channel sediments in amazonian mangroves (northern Brazil)
Researchers assessed microplastic pollution in mangrove sediments along an estuary in the Brazilian Amazon, finding contamination at all nine sampling sites with an average of 433 particles per kilogram. While the contamination was classified as low-level, the presence of microplastics in this remote Amazonian ecosystem shows the global reach of plastic pollution. Mangroves are critical nursery habitats for fish and shellfish, so contamination here could affect seafood safety for local communities.
First assessment of microplastic and artificial microfiber contamination in surface waters of the Amazon Continental Shelf
Researchers characterized microplastics in surface water of the Amazon Continental Shelf for the first time, finding particles at all 57 sampling sites with higher concentrations during the rainy season. Polyamide, polyurethane, and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene were the most common polymer types, and concentrations were highest near river mouths and coastal cities.
First evidence of microplastic ingestion by fishes from the Amazon River estuary
Researchers documented the first evidence of microplastic ingestion by fish in the Amazon River estuary, finding plastic particles — predominantly polyamide and polyethylene pellets — in 30% of 189 specimens across 14 species, with larger fish containing more particles, indicating widespread contamination extending into one of the world's most biodiverse river systems.
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.
Microplastics in distal sediments from the mouth of the Amazon River
Researchers conducted a preliminary assessment of microplastic distribution in distal marine sediments near the mouth of the Amazon River, examining how the Amazon plume — a major source of plastic additives in the tropical North Atlantic — contributes to regional microplastic deposition patterns.
Microplastics in fishes in amazon riverine beaches: Influence of feeding mode and distance to urban settlements
Researchers found microplastics in the digestive tracts of 29 fish species from Amazon riverine beaches, with contamination levels influenced by fish feeding mode and distance to urban settlements within a protected area.
Microplastics and microfibers in the Guajará Bay, Amazon delta: Potential sources and variability
This study assessed microplastic and microfiber distribution in Guajará Bay at the mouth of the Amazon delta, finding concentrations ranging widely but clustering near the urbanized bank of the bay. Most particles were anthropogenic cellulose fibers, with PET and polyamide as the dominant synthetic polymers, and levels were highest close to the city of Belém. The Amazon's enormous flow to the Atlantic makes understanding plastic sources and transport here critical for estimating global ocean microplastic inputs.
Widespread microplastics distribution at an Amazon macrotidal sandy beach
Researchers found widespread microplastic contamination at a macrotidal sandy beach on the Amazon coast of Brazil, detecting an average of 492.5 particles per square meter with fibers dominating across three depth strata down to 60 cm.
Preliminary Assessment of Plastic Litter and Microplastic Contamination in Freshwater Depositional Areas: The Case Study of Puerto Misahualli, Ecuadorian Amazonia
Researchers conducted a preliminary assessment of plastic litter and microplastics in sediments at a riverine depositional area in the Ecuadorian Amazon, finding low-density polyethylene bags as the dominant macroplastic and documenting microplastic presence in an upper Amazon basin location.
Microplastics in the Amazon biome: State of the art and future priorities
This review examines microplastic pollution in the Amazon region and finds contamination levels comparable to heavily polluted areas worldwide. Poor sanitation is a major source, with fibers being the most common particle type found in water, sediment, and wildlife. Despite the Amazon's global ecological importance, research on microplastics there has been very limited, and the authors call for urgent expansion of scientific monitoring.
Rural village as a source of microplastic pollution in a riverine and marine ecosystem of the southern Venezuelan Caribbean
Researchers quantified microplastic pollution in a rural Venezuelan Caribbean coastal community (Chichiriviche de la Costa) and its adjacent riverine and marine environment across dry and rainy seasons. MPs were detected in river water and sediment, marine water, sediment, fish, and sponges, demonstrating that even low-population rural settlements contribute meaningful MP loading to downstream ecosystems.
Microplastic contamination in bathing areas in the Central Amazon, Itacoatiara, Brazil
The first microplastic study in the Central Amazon found 202 plastic particles — mostly blue fibers and fragments — in the sediments of five recreational bathing areas in Itacoatiara, Brazil. Contamination was significantly higher inside the bathing zones than in adjacent areas, suggesting human recreational activity itself is a meaningful source of microplastic pollution even in remote and ecologically critical freshwater environments.
Microplastics in distal sediments from the mouth of the Amazon River
Researchers conducted a preliminary assessment of microplastic distribution in distal sediments from the mouth of the Amazon River, motivated by prior evidence that the Amazon plume is the largest source of organic plastic additives in the tropical North Atlantic region.
Zooplankton exposure to microplastic contamination in a estuarine plume-influenced region, in Northeast Brazil
Researchers examined microplastic contamination in estuarine plume waters off the coast of northeastern Brazil and its relationship with zooplankton. The study found significantly higher microplastic abundance during the high rainfall season, with fibers and fragments being the dominant types, and elevated concentrations in river plume areas compared to reef-adjacent waters, indicating land-based sources as major contributors.
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.
Microplastics in Brazilian rivers: An overview and a study of floating particle accumulation on the coast of Santa Catarina state
This review of 35 studies found widespread microplastic contamination across Brazilian rivers, with polyethylene and polypropylene fibers being the most common types. Mathematical modeling of floating particle dispersion along the Santa Catarina coast revealed specific accumulation zones, highlighting how river-borne microplastics concentrate in coastal areas where people live and fish.
Microplastics in Freshwater River in Rio de Janeiro and Its Role as a Source of Microplastic Pollution in Guanabara Bay, SE Brazil
Researchers found widespread microplastic contamination in three rivers flowing into Guanabara Bay, Brazil, with an average of 3,651 particles per cubic meter dominated by fibers, identifying these freshwater systems as major sources of coastal microplastic pollution.
Microplastic pollution in Brazil's coastal marine surface waters: The first macroregional baseline from the global south
Researchers conducted the largest microplastic survey in the Global South, sampling 4,134 surface water sites across 7,500 km of Brazilian coastline, finding the highest concentrations in the Eastern Coastline (16.87 MPs/L) and lowest in the Amazonian Equatorial region (1.29 MPs/L), with spatial patterns driven by hydrodynamic conditions, salinity, proximity to sewage, and anthropogenic inputs.
Microplastics and the Amazon: from the Rivers to the Estuary
This review described the main routes of microplastic input into Amazonian rivers and how local environmental characteristics affect the transformation and transport of plastics through the Amazon basin to the estuary.
Study on the Mass Concentration Distributions of Marine Microplastics in Estuaries and Coastal Areas
Researchers characterized the mass concentration distribution of marine microplastics in estuarine and coastal environments, measuring spatial gradients between river mouths and open coastal waters and identifying estuaries as major transition zones for microplastic flux.
Ecological footprint of microplastics in coastal and estuarine environments of India: Sediment-water interface analysis
This study mapped microplastic pollution across 16 coastal and estuarine sites along India's coastline, finding contamination everywhere with concentrations varying based on local human activities like port operations, tourism, and fishing. The microplastics were mostly small fibers and fragments under 500 micrometers, and certain plastic types were especially good at absorbing heavy metals. This means microplastics in coastal waters serve as carriers that can transport toxic metals into the seafood chain and ultimately into human diets.
Linking the Tourism Activity to the Occurrence and Distribution of Microplastics
Researchers assessed microplastic abundance, type, and spatial distribution in coastal water, sediments, and fish across three zones of Gili Trawangan, Indonesia, finding that tourism-related activities concentrated microplastics at recreational beaches with concentrations reaching 19.25 particles/L.
Habitat Integrity and Microplastic Contamination in Amazonian Streams: Assessment of Water, Sediment, and Fish and Identification of Predominant Polymers
Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in Amazonian streams by sampling water, sediment, and fish, and characterised predominant polymer types, finding that contamination was widespread across all environmental compartments regardless of habitat integrity, suggesting that even well-preserved stream habitats are not protected from microplastic pollution.