Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Challenges on environmental regulation and monitoring of microplastics: the case of the State of São Paulo (Brazil)

Researchers examined the challenges of developing standardised regulatory frameworks and monitoring programmes for microplastics in Brazil, using the State of Sao Paulo as a case study and describing the role of the HydroPoll Network in facilitating science-policy interaction. The study identified key barriers to reproducible long-term monitoring including the lack of harmonised sampling, analysis, and reporting protocols, and proposed a framework for bridging scientific evidence and environmental regulation.

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

Microplastics as contaminants in the Brazilian environment: an updated review

A comprehensive review of 79 Brazilian microplastic studies published between 2018 and 2022 found microplastics widespread across marine and terrestrial environments, with marine coastal studies dominating the literature and polyethylene and polypropylene fragments being the most common types detected. The review highlights significant gaps in inland and atmospheric monitoring and a lack of standardized methods that hinders cross-study comparisons — critical issues for a country with one of the world's longest coastlines and major river systems.

2023 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 12 citations
Article Tier 2

A breakthrough in the harmonization of microplastics monitoring protocols in latin american region

This paper describes progress toward harmonizing microplastic monitoring protocols across Latin American countries, aiming to create consistent, comparable data from a region with significant plastic pollution challenges but historically fragmented scientific approaches. Standardized monitoring is a prerequisite for effective regional policy and for understanding how plastic pollution flows through South and Central American river systems.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

A breakthrough in the harmonization of microplastics monitoring protocols in latin american region

This paper describes progress toward harmonizing microplastic monitoring protocols across Latin American countries, aiming to create consistent, comparable data from a region with significant plastic pollution challenges but historically fragmented scientific approaches. Standardized monitoring is a prerequisite for effective regional policy and for understanding how plastic pollution flows through South and Central American river systems.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Methodological similarities and discrepancies among studies on microplastics in South American continental aquatic environments

Researchers conducted a systematic review of 57 studies on microplastic pollution in South American continental aquatic environments, identifying significant methodological discrepancies in sampling, detection limits, and sample preparation that limit cross-study comparability and proposing standardization approaches.

2025 Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in brazilian marine environments: a study on beaches in São Francisco do Sul - SC

Beach surveys along São Francisco do Sul in southern Brazil confirmed widespread microplastic presence in coastal sediments, with polymer composition reflecting regional plastic waste streams. The study adds to the body of evidence that Brazilian coastlines are significantly contaminated and calls for national monitoring standards to track and manage the problem.

2023 LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas)
Article Tier 2

Advancing the quality of environmental microplastic research

This review examines the rapidly growing field of environmental microplastic research, discussing the methodological inconsistencies that limit comparability across studies and calling for improved quality standards to support robust regulatory and scientific conclusions.

2017 Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 167 citations
Article Tier 2

Disparities in Methods Used to Determine Microplastics in the Aquatic Environment: A Review of Legislation, Sampling Process and Instrumental Analysis

This review examined the wide disparities in sampling, processing, and analytical methods used across microplastic studies, highlighting how inconsistent approaches make it difficult to compare results and calling for standardized international protocols and regulatory frameworks.

2021 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 45 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics, Contaminants, and Waste Hotspots: Divergences and Faults in Prioritizing Control Efforts

Using Brazil as a case study, this paper classified hotspots and priorities for reducing plastic emissions and mismanaged waste, arguing that microplastics' classification as emerging contaminants requires clearer information tools to guide government intervention and pollution control efforts.

2025 International Journal of Oceanography & Aquaculture
Article Tier 2

An ecotoxicological approach for criteria and standards of sanitary effluent control in Brazil

A review of ecotoxicological criteria for effluent release in Brazil found only six states have more protective legislation than federal standards, with emerging contaminants including microplastics not addressed by conventional sewage treatment or most current regulations.

2024 Ciência e Natura
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Pollution in Freshwater – Regulatory Barriers for Better Water Protection

This review examines regulatory barriers to freshwater microplastic protection, analyzing the limitations of existing water quality frameworks in addressing microplastic pollution in rivers and lakes. The authors argue that jurisdictional fragmentation, lack of standardized monitoring methods, and absence of enforceable microplastic-specific limits prevent effective water protection.

2025 Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Law = Agrár- és Környezetjog
Article Tier 2

Integrated occurrence of contaminants of emerging concern, including microplastics, in urban and agricultural watersheds in the State of São Paulo, Brazil

Researchers measured contamination from microplastics and other emerging pollutants in both urban and agricultural watersheds in the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo. They found microplastics in all sampled locations, along with pesticides, caffeine, and other chemicals, with pollution patterns differing between urban and farming areas. The study shows that microplastic contamination is widespread in Brazilian water systems used for drinking and irrigation, contributing to human exposure through multiple pathways.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Ecuador: A review of environmental and health-risk assessment challenges

This review summarizes the current state of microplastic research in Ecuador, covering contamination in marine, freshwater, and terrestrial environments as well as potential health effects. Researchers found that while evidence of microplastic pollution across Ecuador is growing, significant gaps remain in monitoring coverage and risk assessment methods. The study calls for standardized sampling and analysis protocols to better understand the scope of microplastic contamination in the country.

2023 Heliyon 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Contamination by plastics and microplastics: (re)knowing the lived reality.

This Brazilian literature review examines the environmental impact of plastics and microplastics across different pollution scenarios, discussing the history of plastic production and consumption, relevant environmental legislation, and the importance of recycling in addressing plastic contamination.

2023 LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas)
Article Tier 2

Presence and Quantification of Microplastic in Urban Tap Water: A Pre-Screening in Brasilia, Brazil

Researchers sampled tap water from Brasilia, Brazil and detected microplastics in all samples, with fibers as the dominant type and concentrations higher than many previous studies from other cities, highlighting the need for treatment infrastructure improvements and standardized monitoring.

2021 Sustainability 47 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in the environment: Challenges in analytical chemistry - A review

This review examined the analytical chemistry challenges of detecting and characterizing microplastics in environmental samples, highlighting ongoing issues with standardization, method sensitivity, and comparability across studies.

2018 Analytica Chimica Acta 807 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Contamination: An Introduction to an Emerging Issue

This review examines microplastics as emerging environmental pollutants, covering their persistence in the environment, accumulation in aquatic organisms, and the need for standardized detection and monitoring approaches to address growing contamination concerns.

2025
Article Tier 2

Exploring how municipalities address microplastics pollution in stormwater – a case study in a Swedish municipality

Researchers investigated how one Swedish municipality has approached the problem of microplastic pollution in stormwater, finding that most actions targeted rubber crumb infill from artificial turf fields and plastic litter. Despite political prioritization and a formal action plan, limited resources constrained implementation of broader measures. The study offers a practical example of how local governments navigate emerging pollutants that lack strict regulatory frameworks, which is relevant for developing national microplastics policy.

2024 Journal of Environmental Planning and Management 2 citations
Article Tier 2

How natural and anthropogenic factors should drive microplastic behavior and fate: The scenario of Brazilian urban freshwater

This review examines the factors driving microplastic contamination in Brazilian freshwater systems, including the country's massive plastic production and limited recycling infrastructure. Researchers highlight that more than half of post-consumer plastic packaging in Brazil goes unmonitored, and most microplastic research has focused on marine environments while freshwater data remains scarce. The study calls for more systematic monitoring of Brazilian rivers and lakes, especially given the country's continental-scale waterways and diverse ecosystems.

2023 Chemosphere 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Updated review on microplastics in water, their occurrence, detection, measurement, environmental pollution, and the need for regulatory standards

This review examines microplastic occurrence, detection methods, and measurement techniques in aquatic environments, highlighting the urgent need for explicit regulatory frameworks to address the growing threat of microplastic pollution in water systems.

2021 Environmental Pollution 130 citations
Article Tier 2

Improving monitoring, analysis and reporting to assess plastic pollution: a matter of comparability

This review examines two decades of microplastic monitoring in aquatic systems, identifying persistent challenges in harmonizing methodologies for sampling, analysis, and reporting that hinder data comparison, and proposing improvements to create comparable datasets for assessing plastic pollution from river basins to the ocean.

2025
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

Microplastics on Santos Beach: Sources of Pollution, Waste Characteristics and Possible Collection Solutions

Researchers characterized microplastics collected from three zones of Santos beach in Brazil, finding contamination dominated by fragments and films near sewage outfalls. The study highlights inadequate waste management as the primary driver of beach microplastic accumulation and assessed feasibility of mechanical collection interventions.

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

A critical review of microplastics characterisation in aquatic environments: recent trends in the last 10 years

This critical review assessed current approaches to characterizing microplastics in aquatic environments, evaluating sampling methods, extraction protocols, and analytical techniques. It identified persistent inconsistencies in methodology and recommended standardization practices to improve data comparability.

2024 Analytical Methods 4 citations