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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Navigating the difference of riverine microplastic movement footprint into the sea: Particle properties influence
ClearDisentangling the retention preferences of estuarine suspended particulate matter for diverse microplastic types
Researchers used computer simulations to model how 16 different types of microplastics travel through the Yangtze River estuary in China. They found that lightweight, small-diameter fiber microplastics are most likely to clump together with suspended sediment, while heavier particles move more independently. The study reveals that turbid zones where river water meets the sea act as hotspots for microplastic accumulation.
Microplastic Pathways: Investigating Vertical and Horizontal Movement from Riverine Environments to Oceans
Researchers investigated the vertical and horizontal movement of microplastics in riverine systems en route to the ocean, examining how physical MP characteristics and hydrodynamic conditions govern whether particles settle near riverbeds or float at the surface, and how both gravity-driven and flow-driven transport contribute to their ultimate fate.
Small microplastic particles dominate Yangtze River particulate pollution
Researchers conducted annual monitoring of plastic particle fluxes in the Yangtze River estuary, finding that small microplastic particles dominate particulate pollution and that their distribution varies significantly by location and season, with important implications for estimating riverine plastic inputs to the sea.
Shape- and polymer-considered simulation to unravel the estuarine microplastics fate
Using a shape- and polymer-specific simulation model of the Yangtze River Estuary — the world's largest plastic contributor to the ocean — researchers estimated that approximately 9,766 kg of microplastics pass through the surface layer per month during peak input periods. The study also showed that resuspension of microplastics from intertidal zones significantly affects transport estimates, and introduced a new risk index that factors in particle shape, abundance, and polymer type to better identify estuarine hotspots where removal interventions could be most effective.
Transport dynamics of microplastics from land to sea: the role of particle properties and stream morphology.
Researchers measured how particle properties including size, density, and polymer type interact with stream morphology to determine microplastic transport distances in 15 streams. Both plastic characteristics and stream structure independently influenced how far microplastics travel before settling, with implications for estimating fluxes to the ocean.
Occurrence and fate of microplastic debris in middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River – From inland to the sea
A large-scale survey along the middle and lower Yangtze River found microplastics throughout the water column and sediments, with concentrations increasing toward the river mouth and a clear trend of microplastics moving from inland sources toward the sea. The study provides field evidence for rivers as major pathways for microplastic transport from land to ocean.
The fate of microplastics in estuary: A quantitative simulation approach
Researchers applied quantitative numerical simulation to model microplastic transport and concentration distribution in the Yangtze Estuary, one of the world's largest plastic export pathways. The model used a mass-number method to estimate spatial distribution and risk levels of microplastics in February and May, revealing seasonal variation in transport patterns.
Small microplastic particles dominate Yangtze River particulate pollution
Annual field monitoring of microplastic fluxes in the Yangtze River estuary found that small particles dominated the plastic load and that abundance was spatially and temporally heterogeneous, providing the first systematic estimate of the river's annual plastic contribution to the ocean.
Quantifying the influence of size, shape, and density of microplastics on their transport modes: A modeling approach
Researchers developed a computer model that predicts how microplastics of different sizes, shapes, and densities move through ocean water. The model accurately simulates whether particles float on the surface, stay suspended in the water column, or settle to the bottom. Understanding how microplastics travel through marine environments is important for predicting where contamination accumulates and which seafood sources are most likely to be affected.
Seasonal dynamics, tidal influences, and anthropogenic impacts on microplastic distribution in the Yangtze River estuary: A comprehensive characterization and comparative analysis
Researchers studied microplastic pollution in the Yangtze River estuary and found average concentrations of about 1 particle per cubic meter of surface water, mostly polystyrene, polypropylene, and polyethylene. Microplastic levels were nearly twice as high during flood season compared to dry season and decreased with distance from urban centers. These findings highlight how population density and seasonal water flow influence microplastic distribution in major waterways.
Environmental fate of microplastics in the world's third-largest river: Basin-wide investigation and microplastic community analysis
Researchers conducted a basin-wide investigation of microplastics throughout the entire Yangtze River system, sampling water, sediment, and soil. The study found microplastics in all samples with abundance increasing from upstream to downstream, driven by both geographical and human factors, with major cities at the middle and lower reaches identified as key pollution nodes.
Microplastic pollution in the Yangtze River: Characterization, influencing factors, and scenario-based predictions using machine learning method
Microplastic pollution in the Yangtze River was characterized across multiple sampling sites, documenting spatial patterns in particle abundance, polymer types, and size distributions. As one of the world's largest rivers, the Yangtze's microplastic burden has major implications for plastic delivery to the Pacific Ocean.
Microplastics in the surface waters of the South China sea and the western Pacific Ocean: Different size classes reflecting various sources and transport
Researchers investigated microplastic distribution in the South China Sea and western Pacific Ocean, finding that different size classes reflect distinct sources and transport mechanisms, with higher concentrations in the northern South China Sea linked to riverine inputs.
Physical transport properties of marine microplastic pollution
Researchers reviewed the physical transport properties of marine microplastics — including buoyancy, settling velocity, and biofouling effects — and developed models predicting the dispersal of both pelagic and benthic plastic pollution from land-based sources across different ocean regions. The study highlights how hydrodynamic behavior varies by polymer type and particle size, leading to differential accumulation patterns in surface waters, the water column, and seafloor sediments.
Characteristics and Distribution of Microplastics in Shoreline Sediments of the Yangtze River, Main Tributaries and Lakes in China—From Upper Reaches to the Estuary
Scientists measured microplastic concentrations in sediments along 54 sites spanning the Yangtze River system in China, from the upper reaches to the estuary. Microplastics were found throughout, with higher concentrations near urban and industrial areas, showing how large rivers distribute plastic pollution across vast distances.
Modeling impacts of river hydrodynamics on fate and transport of microplastics in riverine environments
Researchers built a computer model to simulate how microplastics travel and transform in river systems, accounting for particle aggregation and breakage driven by water flow. They found that microplastics clump together significantly in the early stages after entering a river, which changes the size distribution of particles flowing downstream. The study suggests that river conditions play a major role in determining what size and form of microplastics eventually reach the ocean.
Microplastic pollution in the Yangtze River Basin: Heterogeneity of abundances and characteristics in different environments
Researchers compiled microplastic data from 624 sampling sites across the Yangtze River Basin covering water, sediment, soil, and biota, revealing heterogeneous contamination patterns driven by local land use, population density, and wastewater infrastructure.
Trajectory, fate, and magnitude of continental microplastic loads to the inner shelf: A case study of the world's largest coastal shallow lagoon
Researchers modeled the continental-scale transport and eventual fate of microplastics, estimating how particles move from terrestrial sources through river systems to coastal and open ocean environments. The analysis highlights oceans as the ultimate sink for a large fraction of land-derived microplastics.
Effect of Physical Characteristics and Hydrodynamic Conditions on Transport and Deposition of Microplastics in Riverine Ecosystem
This review examined how microplastic physical characteristics like density, shape, and size interact with hydrodynamic conditions to govern their transport and deposition patterns in riverine ecosystems, highlighting key processes that determine where plastics accumulate.
Occurrence and characteristics of microplastics across the watershed of the world’s third-largest river
Researchers conducted a large-scale survey of microplastic pollution across the entire Yangtze River watershed, the world's third-largest river. They found microplastics throughout the river system, with concentrations decreasing from upstream to downstream, and fiber-shaped particles smaller than 1 mm being most common. The study provides important baseline data showing that even remote upstream areas of major river systems carry significant microplastic contamination.
Dispersal and transport of microplastic particles under different flow conditions in riverine ecosystem
Researchers developed a particle-tracking model combined with hydrodynamic simulation to study how microplastics travel through river systems under different water flow conditions. They found that flow speed, turbulence, and river channel features significantly influence where microplastics accumulate and how far they travel. The study provides a useful tool for predicting microplastic transport patterns and identifying pollution hotspots in river ecosystems.
How the Yangtze River transports microplastic to the east China sea
Researchers used interpolation and input-output modeling to estimate how the Yangtze River transports microplastics seasonally from land to the East China Sea, finding that MP loads varied substantially by month with peak transport during high-flow periods. Tributary contributions and agricultural runoff were identified as major factors controlling MP flux to the estuary.
A critical review of environmental factors influencing the transport dynamics of microplastics in riverine systems: implications for ecological studies
This review examines how environmental factors like river flow, channel shape, vegetation, and sediment influence where microplastics accumulate and how they travel through river systems. The authors found that microplastic transport is far more complex than previously assumed, with particles behaving differently based on their size, shape, and density. Understanding these dynamics is essential for predicting where microplastics end up and designing effective cleanup strategies.
Design of model microplastics to study their transport in urban waters
Researchers designed model microplastic particles with controlled physical properties to systematically study their transport behavior in urban water systems. The work provides a foundation for understanding how microplastic size, density, and shape influence fate and transport in stormwater and urban drainage networks.