Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Contributions from typical sources to microplastics in surface water of a semiarid urban river

Researchers quantified the contributions of typical sources to microplastic pollution in the Yellow River's Lanzhou section. The study found that wastewater treatment plant effluent and urban tributaries were the dominant sources, with fibers and fragments composed mainly of polyethylene terephthalate and polyamide, highlighting the role of urban areas in river microplastic contamination.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Pollution characteristics and prospective risk of microplastics in the Zhengzhou section of Yellow River, China

Researchers analyzed microplastic pollution across fourteen sampling sites in the Zhengzhou section of the Yellow River in China. The study found microplastic concentrations ranging from 2.33 to 15.50 particles per liter, higher than other inland Chinese rivers, with fibers and fragments being the dominant types and polyethylene the most common polymer.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution characteristics and ecological risk assessment in the Wuding River Basin, China

Researchers surveyed microplastic pollution in the Wuding River, a tributary of China's Yellow River, collecting samples from 19 sites across water and sediment. They found that microplastic abundance varied significantly across locations, with fibers being the dominant shape, and identified population density and land use as key factors influencing contamination levels. The ecological risk assessment indicated that certain areas of the basin face moderate to high risk from microplastic pollution.

2024 Environmental Pollution 30 citations
Article Tier 2

[Occurrence Characteristics and Ecological Risk Assessment of Microplastic Pollution in the Yellow River Basin].

Researchers examined the spatial distribution, composition characteristics, and ecological risks of microplastic pollution across the Yellow River Basin in China, assessing contamination levels in the nation's historically significant waterway system.

2025 PubMed
Article Tier 2

Temporal and spatial variation of microplastics in Baotou section of Yellow River, China

This study tracked microplastic contamination in the Yellow River near Baotou, China, across different seasons and locations, sampling surface water, sediment, and nearby soil. Researchers found microplastics everywhere they looked, with fibers being the dominant type and concentrations varying by season and proximity to urban areas. The findings highlight that major rivers can serve as pathways carrying land-based microplastic pollution toward the ocean.

2023 Journal of Environmental Management 61 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution of microplastic contamination in the major tributaries of the Yellow River on the Loess Plateau

Researchers investigated microplastic distribution across 96 sampling sites in three major tributaries of the Yellow River on the Loess Plateau, finding that microplastic abundance and characteristics differed among tributaries based on land use and human activity. The study identified environmental factors driving microplastic contamination patterns in these river systems.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution of microplastics in surface water of the lower Yellow River near estuary

Researchers characterized microplastics in surface water of the lower Yellow River near its estuary, finding that 93.12% were fibers, 87.94% were under 200 μm, and the main polymers were polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene. The study provides baseline data on the types and distribution of microplastics entering the Bohai Sea from one of China's major rivers.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 468 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in Yellow River: Current status and research progress of biotoxicological effects

A comprehensive assessment of microplastic pollution in China's Yellow River found average abundances of 5,358–654,000 items/m³ in water and 43.57–615 items/kg in sediment, with fibers dominant in water samples, and reviewed evidence of biotoxicity in fish, invertebrates, and microorganisms.

2021 China Geology 43 citations
Article Tier 2

[Distribution, Sources, and Risk Assessment of Microplastics in Surface Sediments of Yellow River Delta Wetland].

Researchers surveyed microplastic pollution in surface sediments of the Yellow River Delta wetland and found concentrations ranging from 20 to 520 particles per kilogram, primarily consisting of fibers. The dominant polymer types included rayon, polyethylene, polyester, and PET, with most particles larger than 1 mm. Pollution index assessments indicated the wetland was at a slightly polluted level with relatively low ecological risk overall.

2023 PubMed 6 citations
Article Tier 2

[Occurrence Characteristic and Risk Assessment of Microplastics in Sishui River (Xingyang Section)].

Researchers characterized microplastics in water samples from sewage outlet sites along the Sishui River (Xingyang section), a Yellow River tributary, finding predominantly transparent fibers and fragments under 500 micrometers composed mainly of PET and PE polymers and conducting ecological risk assessment.

2024 PubMed 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution, sources and multi-dimensional environmental risk assessment of microplastics in soils and groundwater along the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow river

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in both soil and groundwater along the middle and lower reaches of China's Yellow River. They found soil concentrations ranging from 426 to over 3,000 particles per kilogram, with fibers being the dominant shape in both soil and groundwater. A novel risk assessment approach revealed that while soil contamination was mostly moderate, nearly a quarter of groundwater samples reached high-risk levels.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and distribution of microplastics in surface sediments of a typical river with a highly eroded catchment, a case of the Yan River, a tributary of the Yellow River

Microplastic contamination was characterized in riverbed sediments of rivers on the Loess Plateau in northwest China, an area subject to heavy erosion, finding widespread contamination dominated by polyethylene and polypropylene fragments. The study fills a gap in knowledge on microplastic pollution in inland arid and semi-arid river systems.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 51 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatial distributions of macronutrients, heavy metals and microplastics in surface sediments of the mainstem and lakes in the middle part of the Yellow River Basin

Researchers mapped the distribution of macronutrients, heavy metals, and microplastics in sediments along the middle section of the Yellow River and adjacent lakes in China. They found that microplastic concentrations ranged from 233 to 3,333 items per kilogram in river sediments, with nylon as the dominant polymer type. Contamination levels increased significantly after the river flowed through intensive agricultural areas, with urban lakes showing the highest heavy metal concentrations.

2025 Geoscience Frontiers 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution and risk assessment of microplastics in Liujiaxia Reservoir on the upper Yellow River

Researchers conducted the first systematic survey of microplastics in Liujiaxia Reservoir on the upper Yellow River, finding PET, polystyrene, and polypropylene as dominant polymer types with abundances up to 12 items per liter in surface water.

2023 Chemosphere 58 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence of microplastics in the headwaters of Yellow River on the Tibetan Plateau: Source analysis and ecological risk assessment

Researchers documented microplastic contamination in the headwaters of the Yellow River on the Tibetan Plateau, a remote area often considered pristine. They found polypropylene and polyester particles to be the most common types, with sources linked to both local human activities and atmospheric transport. The study suggests that even remote high-altitude ecosystems are not immune to microplastic pollution and face associated ecological risks.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution, Sources, and Ecological Risk Assessment of Microplastics in the Lower Minjiang River

Researchers characterized microplastic abundance, morphology, and polymer composition in surface water and sediments from the lower Minjiang River in China, then used pollution load indices and ecological risk assessments alongside socioeconomic data to identify likely pollution sources and ecological impacts.

2025 Toxics
Article Tier 2

Co-occurrence of microplastics and heavy metals in sediments of the Lanzhou section of the Yellow River: Distribution characterizations and comprehensive ecological risk assessment

Researchers assessed the co-occurrence of microplastics and heavy metals in sediments from the Yellow River's Lanzhou section, finding microplastic abundance ranging from 243 to 4,289 items per kilogram, predominantly small fragments under 100 micrometers. The study developed an optimized two-dimensional index for evaluating combined pollutant risks and found severe composite pollution, with copper and cadmium showing the highest contamination levels. The findings highlight the need for integrated risk assessment frameworks in urban river systems.

2026 Marine Pollution Bulletin
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in water and sediment in the Henan section of the Yellow River based on the MultiMP comprehensive evaluation method

Researchers surveyed microplastic pollution in the Henan section of the Yellow River, analyzing both surface water and sediment samples using the MultiMP risk assessment method. The study found microplastics throughout the river system, with fiber-shaped particles in the 25-150 micrometer range being most common, and the findings suggest moderate ecological risk that warrants continued monitoring.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence, impact factors, and pollution risk assessment of microplastics in a typical semi-arid urban river in northwest China

Rivers in semi-arid regions of northwest China have received less attention in microplastics research, but this study found significant contamination in the Huangshui River, with plastic fragments and fibers detected in both surface water and riverbed sediments. Pollution levels were highest near urban centers and in areas with intensive agriculture, pointing to runoff and wastewater discharge as key sources. A risk assessment indicated that microplastic concentrations in the river pose a moderate ecological risk to aquatic organisms.

2025 The Science of The Total Environment 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in Chinese Rivers: A detailed analysis of distribution, risk factors, and ecological impact

Researchers aggregated data from 2,474 microplastic samples across 165 publications to assess ecological risk in Chinese rivers, finding widespread contamination with average abundance varying substantially by watershed characteristics. A revised risk assessment accounting for particle morphology and polymer toxicity raised concern levels beyond previous estimates.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterization and risk assessment of microplastics in shoreline sediments of the Yellow River Delta

Microplastics were characterized in shoreline sediments from the Yellow River Delta in northern China, with polyethylene and polypropylene fibres and fragments predominating. Source analysis linked MPs to agricultural activities, riverine transport, and fishing, while ecological risk assessment indicated moderate-to-high risk for the delta ecosystem.

2024 Marine Environmental Research 4 citations
Article Tier 2

[Microplastics pollution in the Yellow River basin: current status and control strategy].

This review summarizes microplastic contamination in the Yellow River basin, finding that pollution increases from upstream to downstream with the highest concentrations in the Yellow River Delta wetland, and that both sediment and surface water are impacted at levels posing risks to aquaculture and human health.

2023 PubMed
Article Tier 2

Identifying the characteristics of and factors driving spatiotemporal water quality variations in the Yellow River Basin, China, from 2008 to 2020

This study analyzed water quality data from the Yellow River Basin in China from 2008 to 2020, identifying pollution sources and spatial trends across the watershed. While focused on general water quality rather than microplastics specifically, such assessments provide important context for understanding pollution dynamics in large river systems.

2023 Research Square (Research Square)
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and distribution of microplastics in the adjacent environment of Yellow River Delta, China

Researchers assessed microplastic pollution across water, sediment, and soil samples in the Yellow River Delta of China. The study found microplastic concentrations ranging from 0.5 to nearly 8 particles per liter in water and up to 4,200 particles per kilogram in sediments, with polyethylene and polypropylene being the most common polymer types, indicating widespread plastic contamination in this coastal environment.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 10 citations