Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Plastic debris in the Mediterranean Sea: Types, occurrence and distribution along Adriatic shorelines

Researchers investigated plastic debris in sediments from five beaches on the Northern Adriatic coast, finding a mean density of 12.1 items per kg dry weight and characterising debris types using FT-IR spectroscopy in the first such assessment for this region.

2017 Waste Management 96 citations
Article Tier 2

Analysis of Microplastic at Sea Water and Sediment in the Pasaran Island Bay Using FT-IR

Researchers analysed microplastic particle counts, morphologies, and polymer types in seawater and sediment samples collected from four stations around Pasaran Island Bay using FT-IR spectroscopy. Extraction protocols used 70% ethanol, hydrogen peroxide, and sodium chloride for seawater samples and FeSO4, NaCl, and H2O2 for sediments, characterising the nature and extent of microplastic pollution at this Indonesian marine site.

2024 Jurnal Ilmiah Biologi Eksperimen dan Keanekaragaman Hayati (J-BEKH)
Article Tier 2

Sources and fate of microplastics in marine and beach sediments of the Southern Baltic Sea—a preliminary study

Researchers investigated microplastic sources and distribution in marine and beach sediments of the southern Baltic Sea — one of the most polluted regional seas — using density extraction and FT-IR identification. The study found widespread contamination with significant variability tied to local sources and hydrodynamic transport patterns.

2017 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 320 citations
Article Tier 2

Extraction and determination of microplastics and associated PAHs in seawater and beach sediments from the northwestern part of the Caspian Sea

Researchers collected microplastics and beach sediments from the northwestern Caspian Sea and used GC-MS to characterize polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons adsorbed on the MPs, finding PAH profiles consistent with petroleum combustion sources and documenting MP-PAH co-contamination in this landlocked sea.

2025 Analytical Methods in Environmental Chemistry Journal 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and abundance of macro, meso and microplastics along the coasts of the Persian Gulf (case study: Bushehr Province coast)

This survey of 17 coastal stations in Iran's Bushehr Province on the Persian Gulf documented widespread plastic pollution at macro, meso, and microplastic scales, with fibers making up the majority and fragments under 500 micrometers being most common. Polyethylene, polystyrene, PET, and nylon were the dominant polymer types identified by infrared analysis. The Persian Gulf is a semi-enclosed, heavily industrialized sea, and this data establishes baseline contamination levels needed to track how pollution changes over time.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Differences in distribution and characteristics of microplastics in sediments of the south-eastern part of the Gulf of Trieste

Researchers investigated microplastic distribution and characteristics in sediments across the south-eastern Gulf of Trieste, a semi-enclosed sea with limited prior research. The study aimed to identify sources and spatial patterns of microplastic accumulation in this geomorphologically distinct coastal area.

2024 Frontiers in Marine Science 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Seasonal and spatial distribution of microplastics in sediments by FTIR imaging throughout a continuum lake - lagoon- beach from the Tunisian coast

Researchers investigated seasonal and spatial distribution of microplastics in sediments across a lake-lagoon-beach continuum on the Tunisian coast, using FTIR imaging to characterize plastic types, finding microplastics throughout all ecosystems with variations by season, depth, and proximity to pollution sources.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Analysis at Sea Water and Sediment in the Mahitam Island Lampung Bay using FT-IR

A study at Mahitam Island in Lampung Bay, Indonesia, identified microplastics in both seawater and sediment samples using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Fibers and fragments were the most common types found, indicating that plastic pollution has reached this coastal area.

2023 Jurnal Ilmiah Biologi Eksperimen dan Keanekaragaman Hayati (J-BEKH) 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Xiamen coastal areas: Implications for anthropogenic impacts

Researchers measured both microplastic abundance and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations in surface water and sediments of Xiamen coastal areas in southeast China. The study found that microplastic distribution correlated with urbanization and industrial activity patterns, suggesting that anthropogenic inputs drive co-contamination of coastal environments with both microplastics and chemical pollutants.

2018 The Science of The Total Environment 261 citations
Article Tier 2

Small microplastics (<100 μm), plasticizers and additives in seawater and sediments: Oleo-extraction, purification, quantification, and polymer characterization using Micro-FTIR

Small microplastics below 100 micrometers, plasticizers, and plastic additives were simultaneously quantified in seawater and sediments from Italian transitional water bodies using oleo-extraction and micro-FTIR, revealing that sub-100-micrometer particles and chemical additives represent a substantial and understudied component of total microplastic contamination.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 62 citations
Article Tier 2

Stereomicroscopic and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopic Characterization of the Abundance, Distribution and Composition of Microplastics in the Beaches of Qingdao, China

Microplastics were found on two beaches in Qingdao, China at varying concentrations, with fibers as the most common type. The study used FTIR spectroscopy to identify polymer types including polyester and polypropylene, contributing to the global picture of beach microplastic contamination.

2020 Analytical Letters 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics at the strandlines of Slovenian beaches

Researchers collected sediment samples from nine locations along the Slovenian Adriatic coast and found microplastics at all sites, with 11.3% of isolated particles confirmed as synthetic polymers by ATR-FTIR, dominated by polyethylene and polypropylene fragments and fibers.

2019 Marine Pollution Bulletin 89 citations
Article Tier 2

Characteristics and distribution of microplastics in the estuarine environment and beach sands of Can Gio, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Researchers assessed the spatiotemporal distribution of microplastics in estuaries and beaches of the Can Gio Biosphere Reserve in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, collecting over 300 water and sediment samples across dry and rainy seasons and characterising particles by size, morphology, and polymer composition using FTIR spectroscopy.

2025 IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and their affiliated PAHs in the sea surface connected to the southwest coast of Taiwan

Researchers sampled microplastics from estuary, fishing port, and harbor entrance waters along the southwestern coast of Taiwan, finding mean abundances of 0.36 items per square meter dominated by small PE and PP fragments. Associated PAH concentrations in MPs ranged from 104 to 3595 ng/g dry weight, with source apportionment indicating predominantly petrogenic (71.4%) and vehicle-related (28.6%) origins.

2020 Chemosphere 98 citations
Article Tier 2

Factors influencing the vertical distribution of microplastics in the beach sediments around the Ras Rakan Island, Qatar

Researchers investigated the vertical distribution of microplastics in beach sediments around Ras Rakan Island, Qatar, sampling to 30 cm depth at 9 locations and using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy to characterise plastic types, identifying key factors that control how microplastics partition through sediment layers.

2021 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 32 citations
Article Tier 2

Detecting and measuring Microplastic pollution in Al Hoceima City's harbor, northern Morocco

Researchers investigated microplastic pollution in surface water and sediment samples collected from Al Hoceima City's harbor in northern Morocco using manta nets, core samplers, and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. They identified polyethylene (70.2%) and polypropylene (20.5%) as dominant polymers, primarily as fibres, fragments, and films ranging from 0.10 to 6 mm, with higher concentrations in sediment than surface water.

2024 Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Karakterisasi Mikroplastik Dari Sedimen Padang Lamun, Pulau Panjang, Jepara, Dengan Ft-ir Infra Red

Researchers identified microplastics in seagrass bed sediments at Panjang Island, Indonesia, using infrared spectroscopy to characterize the types present. The study confirms that microplastic pollution has reached this coastal ecosystem, which provides important habitat for marine life.

2021 Jurnal Sains &Teknologi Lingkungan 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Prevalence of microplastics in the marine waters of Qatar

Researchers documented the first evidence of microplastic occurrence in Qatar's Exclusive Economic Zone, identifying 30 polymer types at an average concentration of 0.71 particles per m3 using ATR-FTIR, with polypropylene, polyethylene, and polystyrene most common and highest concentrations near oil rigs and shipping operations.

2016 Marine Pollution Bulletin 190 citations
Article Tier 2

Concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediments from the Tampamachoco lagoon, Tuxpan River mouth, Gulf of Mexico

This paper is not about microplastics; it characterizes polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contamination in sediments of a Mexican coastal lagoon, focusing on sources like fossil fuel combustion — with no substantive discussion of microplastic pollution.

2023 Arabian Journal of Geosciences 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Pollution in Libyan Port Sediments: Today's Findings and Environmental Impacts

Researchers used FTIR spectroscopy to identify and characterize microplastics in sediment samples collected from three port locations in west Libya near the Mediterranean Sea, providing baseline data on microplastic pollution types and environmental impacts in Libyan coastal environments.

2025
Article Tier 2

Analisis Mikroplastik Pada Air Dan Sedimen Di Pantai Teluk Lampung Dengan Metode Ft-Ir (Fourier Transform Infrared)

Microplastics were analyzed in water and sediment samples from a beach in Lampung Bay, Indonesia, using Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy for polymer identification. Multiple polymer types were detected, with polyethylene and polypropylene among the most common. The study documents microplastic pollution in an Indonesian coastal area and establishes baseline data for future monitoring.

2022 JURNAL SUMBERDAYA AKUATIK INDOPASIFIK 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterization of plastic debris from surface waters of the eastern Arabian Sea–Indian Ocean

Researchers characterized floating plastic debris from surface waters of the eastern Arabian Sea, finding that the microplastic size fraction (0.5-5 mm) was most prevalent at over 50% of total debris, with ATR-FTIR analysis identifying polyethylene and polypropylene as dominant polymer types. The findings document widespread plastic contamination in a poorly studied region of the Indian Ocean.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 42 citations
Article Tier 2

Characteristics of Microplastics and Their Affiliated PAHs in Surface Water in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Researchers characterized microplastics and associated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface water across canals, the Saigon River, and coastal waters in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, finding microplastics at all sites with the highest concentrations in urban canals and detecting co-occurring PAH contamination.

2022 Polymers 25 citations
Article Tier 2

The occurrence of microplastic contamination in littoral sediments of the Persian Gulf, Iran

Researchers surveyed littoral sediments of the Persian Gulf for microplastics, finding plastic particles across all sampling sites with a variety of polymer types. The study provides early baseline contamination data for a region with major petrochemical and industrial activity.

2017 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 202 citations