Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastics in sediments: a comparison within zones located worldwide with different impact

Researchers quantified and compared microplastic abundance in marine sediment samples collected from 25 sites across six coastal areas worldwide at depths ranging from 1 to 426 metres during 2022 and 2023. The study found a mean abundance of 308.81 items per kg dry weight across all sites, with concentrations varying substantially by location and reflecting differing levels of anthropogenic influence.

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

The fate of microplastic in marine sedimentary environments: A review and synthesis

A systematic review of 80 papers on microplastics in marine sediments found median concentrations varied widely by sediment environment, with fibers dominating many locations, and showed that sediment grain size and organic carbon content influence microplastic accumulation.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 381 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic distribution in surface sediments along the Spanish Mediterranean continental shelf

Researchers found microplastic contamination in coastal sediments along the Spanish Mediterranean continental shelf between Algeciras and Barcelona, with densities ranging from below detection limits to 1,380 particles per kilogram dry weight, predominantly fibers and fragments.

2019 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 103 citations
Article Tier 2

Ubiquity of microplastics in coastal seafloor sediments

Researchers applied a novel method to quantify microplastic concentrations in seafloor sediments from 42 coastal sites across southeastern Australia. They found microplastics in all samples at an average concentration of 3.4 particles per milliliter of sediment, predominantly as filaments. The study demonstrates that microplastic contamination of coastal seafloor sediments is ubiquitous and that hydrological and sediment properties influence deposition patterns.

2017 Marine Pollution Bulletin 200 citations
Article Tier 2

Global mapping for the occurrence of all-sized microplastics in seafloor sediments

Researchers compiled global seafloor microplastic data from 155 marine sediment samples including detailed sampling metadata and abundance measurements for 20 microplastic categories, providing foundational data for understanding the distribution and uncertainty of microplastic contamination on the seafloor.

2025 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Presence, Spatial Distribution, and Characteristics of Microplastics in Beach Sediments Along the Northwestern Moroccan Mediterranean Coast

Researchers surveyed fourteen beaches along the northwestern Moroccan Mediterranean coast and found microplastics in every sediment sample, averaging about 59 particles per kilogram of dry sand. Fibers were the dominant shape at nearly 78%, with tourism, fishing, and wastewater discharges identified as the most likely pollution sources. The findings indicate moderate but widespread microplastic contamination along this coastline.

2025 Water 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in the Mediterranean Sea: Deposition in coastal shallow sediments, spatial variation and preferential grain size

Researchers sampled Mediterranean coastal shallow sediments and found microplastics throughout, with concentrations and polymer types reflecting land-based inputs and showing that coastal sediments are a significant regional reservoir for plastic debris.

2016 Marine Environmental Research 617 citations
Article Tier 2

An integrated assessment of microplastic pollution in coastal surface water and sediment of Japan

Researchers conducted a comprehensive survey of microplastic pollution across 14 coastal locations around Japan from Hokkaido to Okinawa, measuring concentrations of 288.7 g/km2 in surface water and 1,185 kg/km2 in sediment and characterizing polymer types, shapes, and size distributions.

2025
Article Tier 2

Deep Sea Microplastic Pollution Extends Out to Sediments in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean Margins

Researchers surveyed deep-sea sediments across four areas of the Northeast Atlantic and detected microplastics at 75% of stations sampled, finding no hotspots and no clear correlation with depth or distance from land, demonstrating the widespread extent of deep-sea microplastic contamination.

2022 Environmental Science & Technology 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution and abundance of microplastics in coastal sediments depends on grain size and distance from sources

A large survey of intertidal and subtidal sediments at protected coastal sites in Ireland found microplastics at 87 locations with concentrations correlated to sediment grain size and distance from urbanized areas, suggesting that even habitats within conservation zones accumulate significant microplastic loads from diffuse regional sources.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 90 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution and characterization of microplastics in marine sediments from coastal and offshore in South Korea

Researchers conducted an intensive survey of microplastic levels and distribution in marine sediments from coastal areas, recognizing the seafloor as the ultimate repository for plastic particles. Microplastic concentrations in sediments were highest near urban and industrial coastlines, with fibers and fragments as the most common types.

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

Quantitative assessment of microplastic in sandy beaches of Gujarat state, India

Researchers quantified microplastic contamination across 20 sandy beaches on the Gujarat coast of India, finding average abundances ranging from 1.4 to 26 MPs per kilogram of sediment, with higher concentrations at beaches under greater anthropogenic pressure. Thread/fiber morphologies were the most abundant type, and the spatial distribution reflected local population density and tourist activity.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 75 citations
Article Tier 2

A Comparative Assessment of Microplastic Abundance in Conservation vs. Residential Coastal Sediments in Bitung, North Sulawesi Indonesia

Researchers compared microplastic abundance in coastal sediments at a nature reserve (Tangkoko) versus an industrial port (Maesa) in Bitung, North Sulawesi, finding significantly higher levels at the industrial site, with fibers and fragments as the dominant forms.

2025 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Meso- and microplastic composition, distribution patterns and drivers: A snapshot of plastic pollution on Brazilian beaches

A standardized survey of plastic pollution across 22 sandy beaches spanning over 4600 km of Brazilian coast found widespread contamination in coastal sediments, with polymer type, size, and distribution patterns reflecting diverse sources including fishing activity and urban runoff.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Physical and anthropogenic drivers shaping the spatial distribution of microplastics in the marine sediments of Chilean fjords

Researchers examined microplastic distribution in marine sediments across 35 stations in Chilean Patagonian fjords. The study found microplastics in all samples, averaging 72.2 items per kilogram of dry sediment, with about 40% of the variability in distribution explained by ocean current velocity combined with proximity and intensity of local salmon farming activities.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 73 citations
Article Tier 2

A large-scale study of microplastic abundance in sediment cores from the UK continental shelf and slope

Microplastic abundance was surveyed in sediment cores from three areas of the UK continental shelf, establishing a baseline pollution profile across contrasting coastal environments. Concentrations varied considerably by location and depth, with the data providing a foundation for future risk assessments of seafloor contamination.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 51 citations
Article Tier 2

The role of oceanographic processes and sedimentological settings on the deposition of microplastics in marine sediment: Icelandic waters

Researchers analyzed microplastics from marine sediment cores collected at eight sites on the Iceland continental shelf, examining how oceanographic processes and sedimentological settings influence the deposition and distribution of microplastic debris on the seafloor.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 48 citations
Article Tier 2

Breaking the paradigm: Marine sediments hold two-fold microplastics than sea surface waters and are dominated by fibers

Researchers found that Mediterranean marine sediments contain approximately twice the microplastic concentration of sea surface waters, with fibers dominating across all habitats, challenging the paradigm that surface waters are the primary marine microplastic reservoir.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 92 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence of environmental and anthropogenic factors on the composition, concentration and spatial distribution of microplastics: A case study of the Bay of Brest (Brittany, France)

Researchers surveyed microplastic concentrations in surface water and sediment at nine locations across the Bay of Brest, France, and found that pollution levels were highest near population centers and wastewater outfalls. The study identified both polymer types and size distributions, helping to trace the sources of microplastic contamination in this coastal bay.

2017 Environmental Pollution 422 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic levels on sandy beaches: Are tourism and coastal recreational activities effects really important?

Researchers assessed microplastic levels at six sites across three Argentine sandy beaches with varying tourism intensity, finding concentrations averaged 1,133 items/kg in sand and 12.7 items/m3 in seawater, dominated by PE films and PET/cotton fibers. Contrary to expectations, the highest microplastic concentrations and smallest particles were found at a low-activity 'pristine' site, suggesting river proximity and coastal drift rather than tourism are the dominant local pollution drivers.

2022 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in beach sediments of the Azores archipelago, NE Atlantic

Researchers surveyed 19 beaches across eight islands of the Azores archipelago for microplastic contamination. Fibers, mostly polyester, made up over 80% of the particles found, with the highest concentrations on Terceira Island, showing that even remote oceanic islands in the Atlantic are not spared from widespread microplastic pollution.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 20 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

A large-scale investigation of microplastic contamination: Abundance and characteristics of microplastics in European beach sediment

This large-scale investigation characterized microplastic contamination across a wide geographic area, documenting abundance and polymer types and providing a baseline dataset for tracking pollution trends over time.

2017 Marine Pollution Bulletin 450 citations
Article Tier 2

Coastal gradients of small microplastics and associated pollutants influenced by estuarine sources

Researchers sampled small microplastics in the Gulf of Cadiz at 5 m depth and found higher densities (130 mg/m3) than most other regions worldwide, with concentrations decreasing from the coastline outward and predominantly composed of polymer fragments between 45 and 193 μm.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 23 citations