Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Interventions of river network structures on urban aquatic microplastic footprint from a connectivity perspective

Researchers analyzed microplastic distribution across a Nanjing, China urban river network using multiple detection methods, finding ubiquitous and abundant microplastics with distinct hotspots and heterogeneous characteristics linked to how river infrastructure structures such as weirs and gates interrupt microplastic connectivity and flow.

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

Interventions of river network structures on urban aquatic microplastic footprint from a connectivity perspective

Researchers analyzed how urban river network structures influence microplastic distribution in Nanjing, China, finding that river connectivity patterns significantly affect the spatial variability of microplastic footprints in urban waterways.

2023 Water Research 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance, Distribution and Drivers of Microplastic Contaminant in Urban River Environments

Researchers surveyed microplastic distribution in urban river environments and identified key drivers of accumulation hotspots, finding that land use, hydrology, and infrastructure factors concentrated microplastics at predictable locations that could inform targeted management interventions.

2018 Preprints.org 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution and characteristics of microplastics in an urban river: The response to urban waste management

Microplastics were detected throughout surface water and sediments of an urban Chinese river (Nanming River) in both dry and wet seasons, with 25 different polymer types identified and the highest concentrations near sewage discharge points and plastic waste dump sites. The study shows that urban river management practices — particularly wastewater handling — are critical in controlling how much plastic reaches downstream ecosystems.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in sophisticated urban river systems: Combined influence of land-use types and physicochemical characteristics

This study assessed microplastic pollution across an urban river network in China, finding that land-use type and water physicochemical properties jointly influence microplastic distribution, with industrial and residential areas contributing highest loads.

2021 Environmental Pollution 50 citations
Article Tier 2

Coupled effects of urbanization level and dam on microplastics in surface waters in a coastal watershed of Southeast China

Researchers analyzed the distribution of microplastics across 17 sampling sites in the Minjiang River Watershed in southeast China, finding that microplastic concentrations were positively correlated with urbanization indicators and that dams influenced spatial distribution patterns.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 101 citations
Article Tier 2

Prevailing impacts of river management on microplastic transport in contrasting US streams: Rethinking global microplastic flux estimations

Researchers compared microplastic transport in managed versus unmanaged US streams, finding that river management practices like channelization and damming significantly alter MP distribution patterns, suggesting global microplastic budgets need to account for river infrastructure.

2023 Water Research 50 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution Patterns of Microplastics Pollution in Urban Fresh Waters: A Case Study of Rivers in Chengdu, China

Researchers surveyed microplastic pollution in urban rivers of Chengdu, China, finding concentrations of 5 to 10.5 items per liter, predominantly transparent fragments and fibers, with spatial distribution influenced by urbanization and wastewater discharge.

2022 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatial distribution and vertical characteristics of microplastics in the urban river: The case of Qinhuai River in Nanjing, China

Researchers investigated the spatial distribution and vertical characteristics of microplastics in the Qinhuai River in Nanjing, China. The study found an average concentration of about 668 microplastic items per liter, with abundance patterns varying between surface and deep water at different points along the river, and identified correlations between microplastic presence and shifts in microbial community structure.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 16 citations
Article Tier 2

The urban microplastic footprint: investigating the distribution and transport

Researchers investigated the distribution and transport of microplastics within an urban environment, mapping the 'urban microplastic footprint' to understand how city infrastructure and land use patterns drive the spatial distribution and downstream export of plastic particles to receiving water bodies.

2025
Article Tier 2

The role of water management and its effect on microplastic transport and fate

Researchers examined how water management practices affect the transport and fate of microplastics in river networks, which serve as both conduits and sinks for plastic pollution. The study found that flow regulation and water management interventions significantly influence how far microplastics travel and where they accumulate.

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

Occurrence of microplastic pollution in rivers globally: Driving factors of distribution and ecological risk assessment

Researchers constructed a global dataset of microplastic pollution across 862 river water and 445 sediment samples, identifying population density, GDP, and plastic waste generation as key driving factors of riverine microplastic distribution and ecological risk.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 43 citations
Article Tier 2

[Occurrence, Driving Factors, and Risk Assessment of Microplastics in Surface Water of Typical River Basins in the Yangtze River Delta, China].

Researchers investigated microplastic occurrence, spatial distribution drivers, and risk assessment in surface water of Taihu Lake, Taipu River, and Huangpu River in China's Yangtze River Delta using field sampling, stereomicroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Network analysis was applied to identify driving factors behind the spatial distribution patterns of microplastic pollution across these interconnected freshwater systems.

2025 PubMed
Article Tier 2

[Microplastic Characteristics and Risk Assessment in Multigate Dam-type River].

Researchers assessed microplastic abundance, composition, and ecological risk in surface water and sediments across ten dams on the Shaying River, China, finding that dam construction complicates microplastic distribution patterns and increases retention of particles in reservoir environments.

2024 PubMed
Article Tier 2

Spatiotemporal dynamics of microplastics in an urban river network area

Researchers investigated microplastic dynamics in an urban river network in eastern China, finding abundances of 2.3 to 104.6 particles per liter that were significantly higher during wet seasons and concentrated near commercial, industrial, and wastewater discharge areas.

2022 Water Research 161 citations
Article Tier 2

The effects of riverside cities on microplastics in river water: A case study on the Southern Jiangsu Canal, China

Researchers studied microplastic contamination in the Southern Jiangsu Canal in China and found that riverside cities significantly increase microplastic levels in river water, with abundance rising by 26% to 211% after flowing through urban areas. The study found that microplastic concentrations correlated with regional GDP and population density, with PET, polycarbonate, and polyethylene being the most common polymer types detected.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 47 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

Occurrence and distribution of plastic particles (10–25,000 μm) and microfibers in the surface water of an urban river network in Japan

This study assessed the occurrence and distribution of plastic particles (10-25,000 micrometers) and microfibers in the surface water of an urban river network in Japan, finding that plastic abundance was closely tied to urban land use and proximity to discharge points.

2023 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution characteristics of microplastics in urban rivers in Chengdu city: The influence of land-use type and population and related suggestions

Researchers surveyed microplastic concentrations in urban rivers of Chengdu, China, finding MP abundances of 20-763 items per liter in water and linking higher concentrations to dense residential areas and industrial land use. Polyethylene and polypropylene fibers dominated the MP assemblage, consistent with textile laundering and household waste as primary sources.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 53 citations
Article Tier 2

Anthropogenic Litter in Urban Freshwater Ecosystems: Distribution and Microbial Interactions

Researchers quantified anthropogenic litter in urban rivers and streams and found that microplastics dominated by mass and particle count compared to macroplastic items. The study highlights urban freshwater systems as major conduits for plastic pollution moving toward marine environments and documents distinct microbial communities on plastic surfaces.

2014 PLoS ONE 287 citations
Article Tier 2

Variance and precision of microplastic sampling in urban rivers

Researchers assessed the variance and precision of microplastic sampling methods in urban rivers, finding that high spatial and temporal variability in microplastic concentrations requires carefully designed sampling strategies to obtain representative measurements and reliable data for river microplastic assessments.

2022 Environmental Pollution 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatial analysis of the influence on “microplastic communities” in the water at a medium scale

Spatial analysis of microplastic communities in Hubei Province, China found that microplastics were more abundant in rivers than lakes (average 1.74 items/L), negatively correlated with distance from residential areas, and that anthropogenic land cover increased abundance while natural vegetation decreased it.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Tracing microplastic sources in urban water bodies combining their diversity, fragmentation and stability

Researchers developed a new approach to trace the sources of microplastics in Beijing's urban waterways by analyzing the diversity and fragmentation patterns of plastic particles. They found that rivers and lakes shared similar microplastic compositions, suggesting common pollution sources including road runoff and wastewater. The method offers a practical way for cities to identify where microplastic contamination originates and prioritize cleanup efforts.

2024 npj Clean Water 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in an urbanized river affected by water diversion: Combining with active biomonitoring

This study investigated microplastics in an urbanized river subject to water diversion in China, combining passive and active biomonitoring with water and sediment sampling to show that water management practices affect microplastic distribution patterns.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 83 citations