Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

River inflow of microplastics and their distribution in sea areas on the example of the southern Baltic Sea

This study assessed the transport of microplastics from river inflow to distribution in adjacent sea areas, using the Baltic Sea as a case study. River discharge was found to be a major pathway delivering microplastics to coastal marine environments.

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

Microplastic concentrations in beach sediments along the German Baltic coast

Researchers measured microplastic contamination on beaches along the German Baltic coast near river estuaries and tracked seasonal variation over several months, finding contamination at all sites. The study highlights that river mouths are hotspots for microplastic deposition on coastal beaches.

2015 Marine Pollution Bulletin 500 citations
Article Tier 2

Mapping microplastic pathways and accumulation zones in the Gulf of Finland, Baltic Sea – insights from modeling

A hydrodynamic-particle tracking model of the Gulf of Finland found that rivers contribute 76% of microplastic inputs while wastewater treatment plants account for 24%, with most plastics accumulating within the gulf rather than drifting to the broader Baltic Sea.

2025 Frontiers in Marine Science 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploration of occurrence and sources of microplastics (>10 μm) in Danish marine waters

Microplastics larger than 10 micrometers were quantified in Danish marine waters of the Kattegat and southern Skagerrak, an area receiving Baltic Sea inflow and urban runoff from Copenhagen and Malmö. The study establishes baseline concentrations and identifies urban and riverine inputs as key sources to these regional seas.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 57 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and spatial distribution of microplastics in the surface waters of the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga

Microplastic abundance and composition were compared between the Gulf of Riga and the Eastern Gotland Basin of the Baltic Sea, with higher concentrations in the Gulf of Riga near river mouths and urban coasts, and polypropylene and polyethylene dominating the polymer composition at most sites.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 50 citations
Article Tier 2

Model estimates of microplastic potential contamination pattern of the eastern Gulf of Finland in 2018

This numerical modeling study simulated the transport and distribution of microplastics entering the Gulf of Finland from the Neva, Luga, and Narva rivers, finding that most particles move along the northern coast under typical conditions. The model helps predict where microplastics from urban river sources accumulate in this enclosed semi-inland sea.

2021 Oceanologia 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Study on the Mass Concentration Distributions of Marine Microplastics in Estuaries and Coastal Areas

Researchers characterized the mass concentration distribution of marine microplastics in estuarine and coastal environments, measuring spatial gradients between river mouths and open coastal waters and identifying estuaries as major transition zones for microplastic flux.

2025 Water 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Modeling drift and fate of microplastics in the Baltic Sea

Researchers developed a hydrodynamic model to track the drift and accumulation of microplastics in the Baltic Sea, linking coastal emission sources to offshore accumulation zones and identifying key oceanographic processes that govern the fate of land-derived plastic pollution.

2022 Frontiers in Marine Science 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in sea surface waters in the Southern Bight of the North Sea

Researchers quantified floating microplastics in surface waters of the Southern Bight of the North Sea, finding elevated concentrations near the Belgian and Dutch coasts with size and polymer distributions reflecting riverine and shipping inputs.

2024 Frontiers in Marine Science 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatiotemporal Variability of Microplastics in the Eastern Baltic Sea

Researchers documented spatiotemporal variability of microplastics in the eastern Baltic Sea over five years, finding concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 2.45 particles per cubic meter with patterns linked to proximity to urban areas and riverine inputs.

2022 Frontiers in Marine Science 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Developing Realistic Models for Assessing Marine Plastic Pollution in Semi-Enclosed Seas

Researchers developed realistic modeling approaches for assessing marine plastic pollution in semi-enclosed seas, accounting for plastic transport from land-based sources via rivers and inland pathways to better predict accumulation patterns.

2023 Oceanography 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution of microplastics in upstream and downstream surface waters of the Iranian rivers discharging to the southern Caspian Sea

This study mapped the spatial and seasonal distribution of microplastics in surface waters of 13 rivers discharging into the Caspian Sea in Iran, providing baseline contamination data for a region previously lacking systematic microplastic monitoring.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Riverine transport of microplastics from the Dutch border to the North sea

This conference abstract describes research tracking microplastic concentrations and types as they are transported from the Dutch-German border to the North Sea through river systems. Point sources like wastewater treatment plants and diffuse sources like tire wear were both identified as significant contributors.

2020
Article Tier 2

Knowledge about Microplastic in Mediterranean Tributary River Ecosystems: Lack of Data and Research Needs on Such a Crucial Marine Pollution Source

This review surveys the limited literature on microplastic pollution in freshwater rivers feeding the Mediterranean Sea, finding major gaps in data and inconsistent methods. The authors call for standardized monitoring protocols to better understand how rivers transport microplastics from land to the ocean.

2020 Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 42 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in the tropical Northwestern Pacific Ocean and the Indonesian seas

Researchers measured microplastic abundance in the tropical Northwestern Pacific and Indonesian seas, finding very low concentrations in open-ocean currents but an order of magnitude higher levels in the Indonesian straits due to river runoff and current convergence patterns.

2023 Journal of Sea Research 50 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic in the Baltic Sea: A review of distribution processes, sources, analysis methods and regulatory policies

This review examined microplastic distribution, sources, analytical methods, and regulatory policies specific to the Baltic Sea, a semi-enclosed body of brackish water particularly vulnerable to contamination. The study found that the Baltic Sea is a hotspot for microplastic pollution, with sources including wastewater, shipping, and coastal activities, and highlights the need for standardized monitoring and stronger regulatory frameworks.

2022 Environmental Pollution 42 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution of Microplastics in Freshwater, Brackish Water, and Seawater Along the Lower Nakdong River

Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in freshwater, brackish water, and seawater along the lower Nakdong River in South Korea, finding higher concentrations in seawater. The study documents how microplastics accumulate as river water transitions to the sea, contributing to understanding of how plastic pollution is distributed through coastal ecosystems.

2023 Journal of the Korean Society for Environmental Technology
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in the Weser estuary and the German North Sea

Microplastics were characterized in water and sediment samples from the Weser estuary and German North Sea coast, with concentrations decreasing offshore and fibers dominating in all matrices, consistent with urban and industrial river inputs as the primary source of coastal North Sea microplastic contamination.

2021 Environmental Pollution 75 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Surface Waters of the Russian Arctic Seas: Distribution, Concentration, Identification, and Eco-Risks for Fish

Microplastics were detected across surface waters of the Russian Arctic seas, with concentrations and polymer types varying by region and season. The findings document that even high-latitude Arctic waters are not spared from microplastic contamination, likely transported by ocean currents and rivers.

2025 Journal of Ichthyology 1 citations
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

Assessment of input of organic micropollutants and microplastics into the Baltic Sea by urban waters

This study assessed how microplastics and chemical pollutants enter the Baltic Sea through urban wastewater streams, including treated and untreated sewage and stormwater runoff. Combined sewer overflows during rain events were identified as a major uncontrolled source of both microplastics and micropollutants.

2019 Marine Pollution Bulletin 54 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics profile along the Rhine River

Researchers measured microplastic concentrations along the Rhine River from source to sea, finding a downstream increase in abundance that reflected cumulative inputs from cities and tributaries, with the Rhine acting as a major conduit delivering plastics to the North Sea.

2015 Scientific Reports 967 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic fate in Arctic coastal waters: accumulation hotspots and role of rivers in Svalbard

Microplastic sampling in Svalbard fjords found surface MPs concentrated along river plume borders in populated areas (up to 71,400 items/km²), while intense riverine discharge during summer flushed MPs away from unpopulated fjords, highlighting the dual role of rivers as both sources and transporters of Arctic microplastics.

2024 Frontiers in Marine Science 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Freshwater River in Rio de Janeiro and Its Role as a Source of Microplastic Pollution in Guanabara Bay, SE Brazil

Researchers found widespread microplastic contamination in three rivers flowing into Guanabara Bay, Brazil, with an average of 3,651 particles per cubic meter dominated by fibers, identifying these freshwater systems as major sources of coastal microplastic pollution.

2023 Micro 40 citations