Papers

61,005 results
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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

Lake sediments as microplastic sink: The case of three lakes from Northern and Central Poland

Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in bottom sediments from three lakes in northern and central Poland with low surrounding human activity, finding between 4 and 21 microplastic particles per kilogram of wet sediment. These values were low compared to lakes in urbanized areas, suggesting anthropogenic pressure significantly drives sediment microplastic accumulation.

2024 Quaestiones Geographicae 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Sources Affecting Microplastic Contamination in Mountain Lakes in Tatra National Park

Analysis of 11 Tatra National Park mountain lakes found that global atmospheric transport was the dominant microplastic source rather than local tourism activity, with lake morphometry and elevation influencing contamination levels in these UNESCO-protected alpine ecosystems.

2024 Resources 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Litter per liter – Lakes' morphology and shoreline urbanization index as factors of microplastic pollution: Study of 30 lakes in NE Poland

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination across 30 lakes in northeastern Poland during summer stagnation, examining how lake morphology and shoreline urbanization influence pollution levels. The study found microplastics in every lake sampled, with concentrations ranging from 0.27 to 1.57 particles per liter, and observed gradual accumulation patterns linked to human activity and lake characteristics.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Review of microplastics in lakes: sources, distribution characteristics, and environmental effects

This review analyzes microplastic pollution in lakes worldwide and finds that contamination levels are higher in shallower lakes near populated areas with more human activity. Microplastics accumulate heavily in lake sediments and can also be trapped in seasonal ice, only to be released during warming periods. Since many communities rely on lakes for drinking water and fishing, understanding how microplastics concentrate in these freshwater systems is critical for protecting public health.

2023 Carbon Research 77 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing the Occurrence and Distribution of Microplastics in Surface Freshwater and Wastewaters of Latvia and Lithuania

Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in surface water and wastewater across four Baltic cities in Latvia and Lithuania, finding an average of 16.63 particles/L with fibers as the dominant shape and polyethylene terephthalate as the most common polymer, with municipal and hospital wastewater identified as the primary contamination sources.

2023 Toxics 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterization of microplastics in sediments and surface waters of Turkish lakes

Researchers surveyed seven lakes in Turkey and found microplastics in all of them, with polyethylene and polypropylene being the most common types. Human activities like tourism, fishing, and urban waste disposal were identified as major sources, showing that even protected lake areas are contaminated with plastic particles that can enter drinking water supplies.

2025 Journal of Contaminant Hydrology 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution of the Vistula Lagoon and Baltic Sea: A comparison study

Researchers compared microplastic levels in the Vistula Lagoon and the nearby Baltic Sea, finding higher concentrations in the more enclosed lagoon where particles accumulate rather than dispersing. Fibers were the dominant type in both locations, with notably longer fibers trapped in the lagoon, establishing a first baseline for plastic pollution in this understudied region.

2025 Environmental Pollution and Management 2 citations
Article Tier 2

A comparative review of microplastics in lake systems from different countries and regions

Researchers reviewed microplastic contamination data from lake systems across multiple countries, finding that abundance, size, and polymer type varied widely by region and identifying land use, population density, and hydrological connectivity as key drivers of lake microplastic levels.

2021 Chemosphere 206 citations
Article Tier 2

Monitoring of microplastic concentrations in 132 Iowa lakes in relation to abiotic, biotic, and anthropogenic factors

Researchers surveyed microplastic concentrations in 132 lakes across Iowa, examining how biological, physical, and human factors influence plastic levels. Lakes near populated areas and with greater human activity showed higher microplastic concentrations, demonstrating that freshwater lakes are broadly contaminated by plastic pollution.

2023 1 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2025 Civil Engineering Journal 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in coastal sediments of Ełckie Lake (Poland)

Scientists sampled sediments around a Polish lake and found microplastics across all areas, with the highest concentrations near urban and tourist zones. Lake sediments are increasingly recognized as microplastic sinks, accumulating plastic that enters from surrounding land use activities.

2021 Studia Quaternaria 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in lakes: Distribution patterns and influencing factors

This review analyzed 84 studies across 64 lakes worldwide to understand where microplastics tend to concentrate in freshwater systems. Microplastic levels were highest near areas of heavy human activity and water inflows, and concentrations in lake sediments have been increasing over time, which matters because lakes are important sources of drinking water.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Why sampling season and location matter for monitoring micro and mesoplastics on the beach

Researchers analyzed microplastic pollution across 11 marine beaches in Latvia over four seasons from autumn 2022 to summer 2023, demonstrating how sampling season and location significantly influence measured pollution levels in the Baltic Sea region due to seasonal weather patterns and local hydrodynamics.

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

Tracing microplastic pathways: assessing pollution in a freshwater lake with high tourist activity

Lake Gölcük in western Turkey, a freshwater lake under growing pressure from tourism and development, was found to contain microplastics across all sampled compartments—water, sediments, fish muscle, fish digestive tracts, and invertebrate tissues. Tourist-heavy areas of the lake showed the highest contamination, suggesting recreational human activity is a major local source. The presence of microplastics in fish muscle tissue is particularly significant because it indicates that plastic particles can enter the human food chain through locally caught fish.

2026 Environmental Sciences Europe
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination of sandy beaches of national parks, protected and recreational areas in southern parts of the Baltic Sea

Researchers found microplastic contamination in all 51 surface beach sand samples across seven sites along the southern Baltic Sea, including national park and protected areas, at a mean of 68 items/kg dry weight. Expanded polystyrene fragments were the most common type (~38%), and protected areas did not differ substantially from recreational beaches.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic contamination of sandy beaches along the southern Baltic – a one season field survey results

Researchers surveyed microplastic and macroplastic contamination along the Polish Baltic Sea coast, finding microplastic concentrations of 118–1,382 pieces/kg in beach sand and 0.61–2.76 pieces/dm3 in coastal waters, with sub-1 mm blue fibers dominating across all sites and suggesting a common fibrous source throughout the Polish coastal zone.

2022 Oceanologia 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Research status and prospects of microplastic pollution in lakes

This review systematically covers microplastic pollution research in lakes, including sampling and identification methods, distribution patterns, ecological effects, and knowledge gaps, identifying lakes as important but understudied sinks for microplastic contamination.

2023 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro- and Mesoplastic Monitoring on Beaches: Understanding Seasonal and Spatial Distribution Patterns

Researchers monitored microplastic abundance and composition across 11 Latvian Baltic Sea beaches over four seasons from autumn 2022 to summer 2023, finding that seasonal climate patterns and proximity to the Gulf of Riga influence both microplastic load and spatial distribution along the northeastern European coastline.

2025
Article Tier 2

Variability of microplastic loading and retention in four inland lakes in Minnesota, USA

Researchers measured microplastic levels in four small lakes in Minnesota and found that watershed size and urban development were the biggest factors driving contamination. Surface water concentrations varied widely, and sediment levels did not directly correlate with what was found in the water above. The study highlights how local land use patterns influence where microplastics end up in freshwater ecosystems.

2023 Environmental Pollution 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatial Variations in Microplastics in the Largest Shallow Lake of Central Europe and Its Protecting Wetland Area

Researchers measured microplastic concentrations across Lake Balaton, the largest shallow lake in Central Europe, and its protecting wetland area. The study found spatial variations in microplastic pollution, with the wetland and river inflow areas showing distinct contamination patterns compared to the open lake.

2024 Water 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Does tourism enhance microplastic pollution in the ecologically critical areas of Bangladesh? Evidence from Tanguar Haor, Kaptai Lake, and the Sundarbans

Researchers assessed microplastic pollution at three prominent tourist destinations in Bangladesh—Tanguar Haor, Kaptai Lake, and the Sundarbans—finding 3–25 particles per liter, with PETE most common and contamination levels correlating with tourism activity and proximity to human pollution sources.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances
Article Tier 2

Effects of lakeshore landcover types and environmental factors on microplastic distribution in lakes on the Inner Mongolia Plateau, China

This study measured microplastic contamination in lakes across the Inner Mongolia Plateau and found levels ranging from 0.5 to 12.6 particles per liter in water, with polypropylene being the most common type. Lakes near farmland and human activity had the highest contamination, showing that agriculture and tourism are major sources of microplastic pollution. The findings are relevant because these lakes serve as water sources for surrounding communities.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 49 citations
Article Tier 2

The microplastic pattern in Turkish lakes: sediment and bivalve samples from Çıldır Lake, Almus Dam Lake, and Kartalkaya Dam Lake

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in sediments and bivalves from three Turkish lakes, finding 19-156 microplastics per kilogram in sediments and varying levels in different bivalve species, with fibers and fragments as dominant shapes.

2022 TURKISH JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY 28 citations