Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

High-mountain lakes as indicators of microplastic pollution: current and future perspectives

This review assessed microplastic pollution in high-mountain lakes, finding these remote ecosystems serve as valuable indicators of atmospheric microplastic transport and global contamination patterns despite limited research to date.

2022 37 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigating microplastic transport in remote ecosystems: High-mountain lakes of the western alps

Researchers investigated microplastic transport in high-mountain lakes in a remote region, examining how atmospheric deposition and watershed processes deliver plastic particles to these sensitive and isolated ecosystems. Microplastics were detected in lake water and sediments, confirming that long-range atmospheric transport is a significant delivery pathway to remote alpine environments.

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

Investigating microplastic transport in remote ecosystems: High-mountain lakes of the western alps

Researchers investigated microplastic transport to and accumulation in high-mountain lakes in remote ecosystems, using atmospheric deposition measurements and lake sediment analysis. Even at elevations above human habitation, microplastics were deposited from the atmosphere, with concentrations tracking regional air circulation patterns.

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

Microplastic pollution in the surface waters of Italian Subalpine Lakes

Surface water samples from Italian subalpine lakes were found to contain microplastics, including fibers and fragments, at concentrations suggesting atmospheric deposition and local tourism as contributing sources. The study extends microplastic monitoring to high-altitude freshwater lakes, showing that even remote mountain water bodies are affected by plastic pollution.

2018 Environmental Pollution 368 citations
Article Tier 2

High-levels of microplastic pollution in a large, remote, mountain lake

Researchers discovered high levels of microplastic pollution in a large, remote mountain lake, finding concentrations comparable to lakes in densely populated areas, suggesting that atmospheric deposition can deliver substantial microplastic loads to even isolated environments.

2014 Marine Pollution Bulletin 1428 citations
Article Tier 2

Remote alpine lakes and microplastic contamination: Insights from sediment analysis of lake cadagno

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in sediments from remote alpine lakes, environments that serve as sensitive indicators of long-range atmospheric transport and global environmental change. Microplastics were detected even in these isolated high-altitude lakes, confirming that atmospheric deposition delivers plastic particles to ecosystems far from direct human activity.

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

Microplastics in a remote lake basin of the Tibetan Plateau: Impacts of atmospheric transport and glacial melting

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in a remote Tibetan Plateau lake basin, finding that both atmospheric transport via rainfall and glacial melting contribute microplastics to this pristine environment, with concentrations increasing in glacial meltwater areas.

2022 112 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in remote alpine lakes

This abstract describes the PLASTILAC project, the first research initiative focused specifically on microplastic contamination in remote alpine lakes in France. The project aims to characterize microplastic sources, degradation pathways, and ecological impacts in high-altitude freshwater environments with minimal direct human activity.

2020 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Heterogenization of microplastic communities in lakes of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau driven by tourism and transport activities

Researchers surveyed microplastic pollution in lakes across the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and found that tourism and transportation activities were the primary drivers of contamination differences between sites. Lakes near tourist attractions had significantly higher and more diverse microplastic communities than remote lakes. The study demonstrates that human activity is introducing heterogeneous microplastic pollution even into high-altitude plateau ecosystems.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 14 citations
Article Tier 2

The effect of tourism on microplastic pollution amount in Baltic Sea Region lakes

Researchers measured microplastic pollution in surface water and sediments from 10 lakes in Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland across spring, summer, and autumn 2023, finding that tourism pressure in lake catchment areas correlates with elevated microplastic contamination levels.

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

Evidence of microplastics in remote alpine lakes of the eLTER network

Researchers detected microplastics in two remote alpine lakes of the European Long-Term Ecological Research (eLTER) network, providing the first evidence of MP contamination in these high-altitude freshwater systems. Atmospheric deposition was identified as the likely transport pathway to these geographically isolated ecosystems.

2025 Environmental Research Communications
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in a Remote Lake Basin of the Tibetan Plateau: Impacts of Atmospheric Transport and Glacial Melting

Microplastics were found in a remote Tibetan Plateau lake basin and the researchers identified both long-range atmospheric transport and glacial meltwater as delivery pathways, with meltwater becoming an increasingly significant release mechanism as climate-driven glacier retreat accelerates.

2021 Environmental Science & Technology 97 citations
Article Tier 2

First study on microplastic contamination in French lacustrine environments, in the alpine and subalpine zones

This French-language study reports the first assessment of microplastic contamination in Alpine and sub-Alpine lakes in France. The findings show that even remote mountain lakes have detectable microplastic pollution, suggesting that atmospheric deposition carries plastics to areas far from urban sources.

2023 SPIRE - Sciences Po Institutional REpository
Article Tier 2

Remote alpine lakes and microplastic contamination: Insights from sediment analysis of lake cadagno

Researchers analyzed sediment cores from remote alpine lakes for microplastic contamination, finding evidence of long-range atmospheric transport delivering particles to these isolated high-altitude ecosystems. Microplastic concentrations in the sediments increased over time, mirroring historical trends in global plastic production.

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

Travertine deposition rather than tourism activity is the primary contributor to the microplastic risks in alpine karst lakes

Researchers studied microplastic contamination in alpine karst lakes in China and found that natural travertine deposition, rather than tourism activity, was the primary driver of microplastic accumulation and associated microbial risks. Microplastics served as surfaces for microbial colonization, including potentially harmful organisms. The study challenges the assumption that human visitors are the main source of microplastic pollution in these protected natural heritage sites.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic convergence in high-altitude lakes of the Tibetan Plateau: Mechanisms, indicators, and risk stratification

Researchers assessed microplastic pollution in 14 high-altitude freshwater lakes above 4,500 meters on the Tibetan Plateau, a region far from major human activity. Microplastics were detected at every site, with PET as the dominant polymer type, suggesting long-range atmospheric transport and local textile sources. The study developed a geospatial risk model showing that precipitation, surface runoff, and proximity to roads are key factors driving microplastic accumulation even in these remote environments.

2026 Journal of Hazardous Materials
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in mountain terrains and foothills: A review on source, extraction, and distribution of microplastics in remote areas

This review examines microplastic pollution in mountain terrains and foothills, finding that atmospheric transport and tourism are major sources, with snow samples containing the highest concentrations compared to streams or ice cores.

2021 Environmental Research 161 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination of supraglacial debris differs among glaciers with different anthropic pressures

Researchers found that microplastic contamination in supraglacial debris varied significantly among three glaciers in the Italian Alps, with levels correlating to proximity of human activity and tourism pressure, confirming that anthropogenic influence shapes microplastic deposition even in remote high-mountain environments.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Potential ecological risk of microplastics contamination to environment in protect area lakes

Researchers studied microplastic contamination in protected area lakes on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and found that even these remote, supposedly pristine environments contain microplastics. The study compared protected lakes with those outside protected areas and found contamination levels varied by region and economic development. This shows that microplastic pollution reaches even the most isolated freshwater sources, which could affect drinking water quality for surrounding communities.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in lacustrine sediments in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau: Current status and transfer mechanisms

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in lacustrine sediments across the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, finding abundances ranging from 17 to 2,644 items/kg dry weight and identifying atmospheric deposition and river transport as key transfer mechanisms to these remote high-altitude lakes.

2022 China Geology 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Remote Alpine Lakes and Microplastic Accumulation: Insights from Sediment Analysis of Lake Cadagno

Researchers analyzed sediments from remote alpine Lake Cadagno to assess microplastic contamination in an environment far from direct human activity. The study found that even this isolated lake contains microplastics, demonstrating that atmospheric transport and other long-range pathways carry plastic pollution to remote mountain ecosystems.

2025 Microplastics 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau lakes, China

Researchers surveyed microplastic pollution in lakes across two major Chinese plateaus and found contamination even in these remote, high-altitude environments. Lakes near more human activity (Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau) had significantly higher microplastic levels than the more remote Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, with sewage, agriculture, and fishing being the main sources. The study shows that microplastic pollution reaches even supposedly pristine environments, largely through human activity and atmospheric transport.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic and Fibre Contamination in a Remote Mountain Lake in Switzerland

Researchers investigated microplastic and fiber contamination in a remote, uninhabited alpine lake in Switzerland (Sassolo), finding that even this isolated high-altitude environment contained microplastics, indicating long-range atmospheric transport.

2020 Water 112 citations
Article Tier 2

Altitudinal variation of microplastic abundance in lakeshore sediments from Italian lakes

Microplastic abundance was measured in lakeshore sediments from Italian lakes across an altitudinal gradient, finding that elevation influenced contamination levels and that even high-altitude lakes in remote areas contained plastic particles.

2024 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 4 citations