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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Comparative Analysis of Riverine Plastic Pollution Combining Citizen Science, Remote Sensing and Water Quality Monitoring Techniques
ClearComparative Analysis of Riverine Plastic Pollution Combining Citizen Science, Remote Sensing and Water Quality Monitoring Techniques
Researchers combined citizen science reports, remote sensing imagery, and water quality monitoring to compare riverine plastic pollution along the Tisza River across five countries from 2016 to 2022, finding over 3,200 litter accumulation zones. The study demonstrates the value of integrating multiple data sources for large-scale plastic pollution assessment.
Spatial distribution of microplastics in the fluvial sediments of a transboundary river – A case study of the Tisza River in Central Europe
This case study mapped microplastic distribution in the fluvial sediments of the transboundary Tisza River in Central Europe, finding that microplastic abundance varied with land use, human population density, and hydrological conditions across national borders.
Insights into suspended sediment and microplastic budget of a lowland river: integrating in-situ measurements, Sentinel-2 imagery, and machine learning
Researchers combined river measurements, satellite imagery, and machine learning to track how much microplastic the Tisza River in Hungary carries downstream each day. They found that flood events spike microplastic transport five-fold, meaning a small number of high-water days drive the majority of plastic particles reaching the sea.
Machine learning-based detection and mapping of riverine litter utilizing Sentinel-2 imagery
Researchers used satellite imagery and machine learning to detect and map litter accumulation in the Tisza River, Hungary, finding that dams are major hotspots and that flood events drive litter transport. While models performed well in controlled tests, real-world accuracy was moderate, highlighting the challenge of using satellite data to monitor riverine plastic pollution at scale. This matters because rivers are a primary pathway for plastic and microplastic debris reaching the ocean.
Schoolchildren discover hotspots of floating plastic litter in rivers using a large-scale collaborative approach
A large-scale citizen science project involving schoolchildren detected microplastic hotspots in rivers across multiple European countries, demonstrating that collaborative monitoring can generate spatially extensive data on riverine plastic pollution.
Exploring the abundance and characteristics of litter in Lithuanian riversides: a citizen science approach
Using citizen science litter surveys on Lithuanian riversides, researchers documented litter composition, abundance, and spatial patterns, finding plastic dominates riverbank litter and that proximity to populated areas predicts higher accumulation.
Comparison of the macro-, meso- and microplastic pollution in French riverbanks and beaches using citizen science with schoolchildren
Researchers conducted a citizen science initiative with French schoolchildren to compare macro-, meso-, and microplastic pollution across 86 riverbank and beach sites, finding that riverbanks accumulated distinct plastic assemblages compared to beaches. The study demonstrated that schoolchildren can generate reliable comparative litter data, and highlighted rivers as underrepresented yet critical plastic transport pathways to the ocean.
High spatiotemporal resolution analysis on suspended sediment and microplastic transport of a lowland river
Researchers conducted dense spatial and time-series monitoring of microplastic and suspended sediment transport along Hungary's Tisza River, finding that microplastic concentrations closely tracked sediment levels during floods but diverged during low water. Most detected particles were fibers likely from wastewater, and the data showed that floods, tributaries, and river dams all influence how microplastics move through river systems.
Assessment of Different Sampling, Sample Preparation and Analysis Methods Addressing Microplastic Concentration and Transport in Medium and Large Rivers Based on Research in the Danube River Basin
Monitoring microplastics in rivers is hampered by the lack of standardized methods, making it difficult to compare results across studies. This research tested three common sampling approaches on the Danube River and its tributaries, finding that each method produced meaningfully different estimates of microplastic concentrations and transport. The results underscore the urgent need for agreed-upon protocols so that data from different countries and research groups can be reliably combined to track river-to-ocean plastic pollution.
Comparison of macrolitter and meso- and microplastic pollution on French riverbanks and coastal beaches using citizen science with schoolchildren
A citizen science project with 3,113 French schoolchildren sampled 81 riverbanks and 66 coastal beaches, collecting 55,986 plastic pieces, and found that riverbanks had comparable plastic pollution levels to beaches, highlighting rivers as underrecognized plastic accumulation zones.
Plastic Hotspot Mapping in Urban Water Systems
A simple citizen science method for mapping plastic hotspots in urban waterways was tested in two Dutch cities, finding similar average plastic densities but different spatial distributions. The study highlights the need for long-term monitoring to better understand how cities contribute to plastic pollution in rivers and oceans.
Microplastic Contamination of Fine-Grained Sediments and Its Environmental Driving Factors along a Lowland River: Three-Year Monitoring of the Tisza River and Central Europe
Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in fine-grained river sediments over three years (2020-2022) along a large river system, examining environmental driving factors including hydrology, land use, and sediment transport dynamics. The study found that hydrological and geomorphological processes are key determinants of where microplastics accumulate and are remobilized.
Spatial Variations in Microfiber Transport in a Transnational River Basin
Researchers conducted repeated measurements of microfiber transport at 26 sites along the 946-km Tisza River across three countries in 2021 and 2022, finding average concentrations of 19 items/m3 that increased 17% year-on-year, with the most polluted sections corresponding to areas with inadequate wastewater treatment in Ukraine, Hungary, and Serbia.
A watershed-scale, citizen science approach to quantifying microplastic concentration in a mixed land-use river
Trained citizen scientists collected water samples at 72 sites across the Gallatin River watershed in Montana and found microplastics at all locations, with higher concentrations in areas downstream of urban land use. The study demonstrates that citizen science can effectively generate watershed-scale microplastic data while also linking plastic pollution to land use patterns.
A multidimensional approach for microplastics monitoring in two major tropical river basins, Malaysia
Researchers conducted a multidimensional assessment of microplastic distribution in surface waters of two major Malaysian river basins, providing much-needed field data on microplastic emissions from Asian rivers known to be major contributors to ocean pollution.
Citizen Science for Monitoring Plastic Pollution from Source to Sea: A Systematic Review of Methodologies, Best Practices, and Challenges
This systematic review examines how citizen science programs track plastic pollution from land to sea. The research found that while public participation greatly expands data collection, inconsistent methods and data quality issues limit the scientific usefulness of the results. Better-designed citizen science programs could help communities monitor and respond to the microplastic pollution in their local environments.
Terenowe metody badania zanieczyszczenia rzek makroplastikiem
This paper reviews field methods for measuring macroplastic pollution in rivers, discussing their environmental impacts on living organisms and the aesthetic degradation of riparian landscapes, as well as the downstream connection to microplastic generation.
Have You Ever Seen a Microplastic? A Collaborative High School–Academia Approach for Identification, Quantification and Raising Awareness of Microplastics in a River Crossing Urban Area
Researchers designed a high school–university collaboration where students collected water samples from an urban river, identified microplastics by microscopy, and contributed to local pollution mapping — demonstrating that student-led citizen science can meaningfully advance microplastic monitoring while raising environmental awareness.
Relative contributions of different local sources to riverborne microplastic in a mixed landuse area within a tropical catchment
Researchers quantified the relative contributions of different land-use sources to riverborne microplastics in a tropical catchment, providing data to help prioritize pollution reduction measures for protecting human and ecological health.
Microplastic pollution in two remote rivers of Türkiye
Researchers documented microplastic pollution in two remote rivers of Turkey, finding that even waterways far from major urban centers contain significant microplastic contamination, highlighting the widespread reach of plastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems.
Evaluation of riverine macro- and mesoplastic monitoring approaches.
This review evaluated and compared existing monitoring approaches for riverine macro- and mesoplastics, identifying key methodological inconsistencies that limit cross-study comparisons and calling for standardization to improve understanding of plastic transport and accumulation in freshwater river systems.
Significant regional disparities in riverine microplastics
Researchers built a comprehensive framework to compare microplastic pollution across 76 rivers spanning Asia, Europe, and Africa, revealing significant regional differences. Rivers in Asia tended to have higher microplastic concentrations than those in Europe, and land use patterns strongly influenced contamination levels. The study highlights the need for standardized methods to enable meaningful global comparisons of riverine microplastic pollution.
Making citizen science count: Best practices and challenges of citizen science projects on plastics in aquatic environments
This paper reviews best practices and challenges for citizen science projects focused on plastic pollution in aquatic environments, finding that while citizen science can effectively gather large-scale data and raise public awareness, data quality and consistency remain significant challenges.
Can we investigate microplastic pollution with school students? Experiences from eight years of citizen science research
Researchers shared eight years of experience from the Plastic Pirates citizen science program involving over 24,000 school students and teachers in microplastic research across Germany, addressing challenges of contamination prevention, particle size, and sample processing in non-laboratory settings. The study evaluated the feasibility and scientific validity of engaging young citizen scientists in standardized riverine microplastic monitoring.