Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Presence, concentrations and risk assessment of dioxins in bottom sediments of Port of Gdynia

Researchers measured dioxin concentrations in bottom sediments at the Port of Gdynia, Poland, and assessed associated ecological risks. Dioxins are persistent toxic pollutants that, like microplastics, accumulate in marine sediments and can harm aquatic organisms and seafood consumers.

2023 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Harbour Seawaters: A Case Study in the Port of Gdynia, Baltic Sea

Microplastics were measured in five basins of the Port of Gdynia in the Baltic Sea across four seasons, finding concentrations of 0.082-0.524 mg per cubic meter, with polyolefins dominant and fragments and fibres the most common shapes in harbour surface waters.

2023 Sustainability 21 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

The sorption of persistent organic pollutants in microplastics from the coastal environment

Researchers sampled microplastic pellets from six beaches around Taiwan and measured concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (dioxins, PCBs, PBDEs) on their surfaces, finding that pellets accumulated significant POPs loads with concentrations that correlated with proximity to industrial areas.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 100 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

Data on microplastic contamination of the Baltic Sea bottom sediment samples in 2015–2016

Microplastic contamination in Baltic Sea bottom sediments was quantified across 53 samples from three major basins, providing primary data on abundance, distribution, and types of particles. This baseline dataset is important for tracking how microplastic pollution in the Baltic Sea changes over time.

2019 Data in Brief 45 citations
Article Tier 2

Baseline assessment of metal and microplastic pollution in sediments of a small-sized harbor in western Baltic Sea (Kalmar, Sweden)

This study provided a baseline assessment of metal and microplastic contamination in sediments from Kalmar Guest Harbor, Sweden, finding that the busy coastal marina harbors elevated levels of both pollutant types and identifying the likely sources tied to boat maintenance and traffic.

2025 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 3 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

Chronological evidence of microplastic accumulation and contamination onset in Central Baltic Sea sediments

Analysis of well-preserved Baltic Sea sediment cores revealed a 50-year chronological record of microplastic accumulation, showing contamination onset in the mid-20th century with accelerating deposition in recent decades.

2025 Frontiers in Marine Science
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Baltic bottom sediments: Quantification procedures and first results

Researchers developed modified procedures for quantifying microplastics in Baltic Sea bottom sediments, addressing limitations in the standard NOAA methods — particularly the underestimation of fiber counts. The proposed improvements offer a more reliable approach for monitoring sediment contamination in this heavily polluted regional sea.

2016 Marine Pollution Bulletin 259 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in marine bivalves from the Nordic environment

Microplastics were found in four out of five bivalve species sampled at 100 sites across Nordic coastal waters from Norway to the Baltic Sea. Urbanized areas and harbors had the highest concentrations, with 11 different polymer types identified, pointing to diverse urban and industrial sources of plastic contamination.

2020 TemaNord 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Pollution in the Marine Environment: Plastics, Microplastics and Organic Pollutants

This study characterizes marine debris collected from coastal waters, analyzing the types and origins of plastic and organic pollutants found in the marine environment. It combines debris characterization with organic pollutant analysis to understand the compound contamination burden faced by marine ecosystems.

2019 Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Alicante (Universidad de Alicante)
Article Tier 2

Microplastics on sandy beaches of the southern Baltic Sea

Microplastics were detected on all 12 beaches along the Polish Baltic coast at concentrations of 76 to 295 items per kilogram of sediment, with fibers and fragments dominant and no strong relationship to sediment grain size. Urban beaches had the highest concentrations, though beach hydrodynamics also played a significant role in structuring local microplastic distribution.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 141 citations
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Dataset on microplastic concentrations, characteristics, and chemical composition in the marine surface waters of Latvia – the Eastern Gotland basin and the Gulf of Riga

Spectroscopically verified microplastics, both particles and fibers, were found across 44 surface water samples from the Gulf of Riga and Eastern Gotland Basin in the Baltic Sea. The dataset provides polymer-type-confirmed contamination data useful for meta-analysis and microplastic flow calculations in the region.

2023 Data in Brief 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Studying the Concentration of Microplastic Particles in Water, Bottom Sediments and Subsoils in the Coastal Area of the Neva Bay, the Gulf of Finland

Microplastic concentrations in the coastal area of Neva Bay were far higher in bottom sediments and coastal soils than in water, with fibers and fragments as the dominant types. The findings indicate that sediments and soils act as major sinks for microplastic accumulation in this Baltic Sea region.

2020 Water Resources 25 citations
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

Micro- and mesoplastics in the northern Baltic Sea : their fate in the seafloor and effects on benthic fauna

This dissertation examined micro- and mesoplastics in the northern Baltic Sea seafloor and tested their effects on bottom-dwelling organisms. Microplastics accumulated in fine-grained seafloor sediments, and exposure experiments showed negative effects on benthic invertebrates at realistic concentrations. The findings contribute to understanding how plastic pollution is affecting benthic ecosystems in a major semi-enclosed sea with significant human fishing and tourism activity.

2021 Työväentutkimus Vuosikirja 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in ports worldwide: Environmental concerns or overestimated pollution levels?

This review analyzed microplastic pollution data from 78 ports worldwide and found that port environments can harbor significant concentrations of microplastics in water, sediment, and marine life. About 23% of studied ports had microplastic levels in sediment above the threshold predicted to cause ecological harm. Since ports are connected to fisheries and coastal communities, this pollution could affect both marine ecosystems and the seafood supply chain.

2024 Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics distribution in bottom sediments of the Baltic Sea Proper

Researchers found microplastics in Baltic Sea Proper bottom sediments ranging from 103 to 10,179 items per kg dry weight across 53 samples, with abundance increasing significantly with water depth. Fibrous particles dominated at 74.5% and appeared to behave as a distinct type of 'synthetic sediment,' following erosion-transition-accumulation patterns similar to natural sediment.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 32 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

Microplastic in beach sediments of the Isle of Rügen (Baltic Sea) - Implementing a novel glass elutriation column

Researchers investigated the abundance and spatial distribution of microplastics in beach sediments at four sites on the Isle of Rügen in the Baltic Sea, implementing a glass elutriation column for density separation and testing recovery rates for non-buoyant polymers.

2017 Marine Pollution Bulletin 135 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic abundance in beach sediments of the Kiel Fjord, Western Baltic Sea

Microplastic abundance (0.2-5 mm) was assessed in drift line sediments from three Kiel Fjord sites differing in visitor use, proximity to a sewage plant, and nearby large-plastic litter. Results revealed that local sources including sewage infrastructure and beach visitor activity influenced microplastic concentrations at specific sites.

2021 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 64 citations
Article Tier 2

New insights into the role of sediments in microplastic inputs from the Northern Dvina River (Russia) to the White and Barents Seas

Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in the sediments of the Northern Dvina River, a major source of plastic pollution entering the White and Barents Seas. Using advanced analytical methods, the study found up to 350 mg/kg of microplastics in sediments, with the river branching area forming a pollution hotspot. Evidence indicates that river sediments play a critical role as transfer pathways for microplastics moving from inland sources to Arctic marine environments.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 12 citations
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