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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Reservoir sediments in central Europe as archives of human-environmental interaction during the past 115 years - the example of the Urft Reservoir
Clear115 years of sediment deposition in a reservoir in Central Europe: Effects of the industrial history and environmental protection on heavy metals and microplastic
Researchers analyzed 115 years of sediment layers in a German reservoir to track historical patterns of heavy metal and microplastic pollution. They found that heavy metal contamination peaked during the industrial era and declined after environmental regulations were enacted, while microplastics appeared only in more recent decades. The study provides a long-term historical record showing how industrial activity and environmental policy have shaped pollutant accumulation over more than a century.
115 years of sediment deposition in the Urft reservoir (Eifel Mountains, western Germany)
Scientists analyzed 115 years of sediment layers in a German reservoir to track how industrial and human activities have changed environmental conditions over time. Sediment archives like this can reveal when microplastics first appeared in the environment and how their concentrations have changed.
Human-environment interactions in the Anthropocene – a case study on reservoir sediments in Central Europe
Researchers analyzed sediment cores from Central European reservoirs to reconstruct a century of changing sediment fluxes, heavy metal contamination, and microplastic inputs linked to human land use change and climate-driven erosion. Microplastics appeared in cores beginning in the mid-20th century, with accelerating accumulation rates tracking regional industrialization and plastic production growth.
Tracking the microplastic accumulation from past to present in the freshwater ecosystems: A case study in Susurluk Basin, Turkey
Researchers tracked the historical accumulation of microplastics in freshwater lake sediment cores, finding a steady increase in particle deposition corresponding to rising plastic production since the mid-20th century and demonstrating that sediment archives can reconstruct the timeline of freshwater microplastic pollution.
Temporal distribution of microplastics and other anthropogenic particles in four marine species from the Atlantic coast (France)
Researchers examined how microplastic and other anthropogenic particle abundances in lake sediments have changed over time using sediment cores, linking increases to historical industrialization and urbanization. The temporal record provides context for understanding how plastic pollution has accelerated in recent decades.
Tracing the Anthropocene through microplastic sedimentary records: Drivers and spatiotemporal heterogeneity in Baiyangdian Lake, North China
Scientists found that tiny plastic pieces in lake sediment can track how human activities have changed over the past 80 years, with plastic pollution spiking after dam construction in 1963 and again around 2000 due to increased development. The study shows that microplastics are now everywhere in our environment, even in protected nature areas, though at lower levels than in more developed zones. This matters because these tiny plastics can enter our food and water supply, and understanding where they accumulate most helps us better protect both ecosystems and human health.
Lake sedimentary archives of medieval mining and smelting in Sweden : tracking environmental changes from site to landscape
This thesis used lake sediment records to track environmental changes caused by medieval mining and smelting in Sweden, demonstrating that human-caused pollution predates the industrial era. The research contextualizes modern microplastic pollution within a longer history of human environmental impact.
210Pb chronology in sediment cores evidencing the historical pollution of microplastics in reservoirs in the São Paulo State, Brazil
Using radioactive lead dating of sediment cores, researchers traced a 50-year history of microplastic accumulation in São Paulo reservoirs, showing contamination increased sharply after the 1970s as plastic production scaled up.
Historical trends of microplastic pollution in the Seine River (France) from 1960 to 2020 through the study of sedimentary archives
Researchers reconstructed the historical trend of microplastic pollution in the Seine River basin from 1960 to 2020 by analyzing sedimentary archives, using sediment cores as long-term records to track how contamination levels have changed upstream of Paris over six decades.
Decadal changes in microplastic accumulation in freshwater sediments: Evaluating influencing factors
Researchers analyzed decadal trends in microplastic accumulation using freshwater sediment cores, examining how land use, hydrological factors, and global plastic production influenced deposition over time. Microplastic concentrations increased consistently across cores, with local factors modulating the rate of accumulation at individual sites.
Potential role of microplastic in sediment as an indicator of Anthropocene
Researchers reviewed global data on microplastic deposits in lake and ocean sediment cores, arguing that microplastics have the potential to serve as a geological marker for the Anthropocene — the human-dominated era — because they are widespread, persistent, and tightly linked to human industrial activity. Alpine lake sediments are recommended as ideal sites for this research due to their stable, high-resolution depositional records.
Sedimentary record of microplastics in coastal wetland, eastern China
Researchers analyzed sediment cores from coastal wetlands in Yancheng, China, to reconstruct the history of microplastic pollution and its connection to economic development and policy changes. Evidence indicates that microplastic accumulation patterns in wetland sediments closely track shifts in plastic production, waste management practices, and regional policy interventions over time.
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.
Reconstructing the first record of historical microplastic accumulation from lake sediments in Aotearoa New Zealand: A case study at Lake Wiritoa.
Researchers reconstructed historical microplastic accumulation records from lake sediment cores, establishing the first temporal record of MP deposition in a freshwater lake system. The sediment record revealed accelerating MP accumulation over the 20th century, mirroring global plastic production trends and marking the onset of plastic pollution in the stratigraphy.
Unveiling historical suspended sediment concentrations: Tracing microplastics and microfibers in a mediterranean lowland river
Researchers examined historical suspended sediment samples from a Mediterranean river catchment for microplastics, establishing a baseline of contamination dating back to 2005 and tracking changes over the study period. The retrospective analysis revealed that microplastic concentrations in riverine sediment have increased over time.
New developments in paleo-ecotoxicology: Emerging approaches in applying lake sediment archives to assess impacts from aquatic pollution
This review examines how lake sediment archives (paleolimnology) can be used to reconstruct historical trends in aquatic pollution impacts, including how contaminant exposure has driven shifts in biological communities over decades. It discusses emerging analytical methods including microplastic analysis in dated sediment cores as tools for assessing long-term ecological change.
Microplastics in Sediment Cores from Asia and Africa as Indicators of Temporal Trends in Plastic Pollution
By extracting microplastics from dated sediment cores in Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, and South Africa, researchers reconstructed the historical increase in plastic pollution over decades. The study shows that microplastic accumulation in sediments tracks the global rise in plastic production, making sediment cores a useful record of pollution history.
A temporal record of microplastic accumulation in sediment cores of the Great Lakes, North America, reflects macroeconomic and regional influences
Researchers analyzed sediment cores from Lake Huron and Lake Ontario spanning several decades to track historical trends in microplastic accumulation in the Great Lakes. They found that microplastic levels increased steadily from the 1960s through the late 1980s, mirroring global plastic production rates, with subsequent fluctuations reflecting economic shifts and regional factors. The study demonstrates that lake sediment records can serve as proxies for tracking both global and local changes in plastic pollution over time.
Human activities affect the multidecadal microplastic deposition records in a subtropical urban lake, China
Researchers analyzed sediment cores from a subtropical urban lake in China to reconstruct 64 years of microplastic deposition history. They found that microplastic concentrations in the sediment increased significantly over the decades, correlating closely with urbanization, population growth, and economic development. The study provides evidence that human activities are the primary driver of long-term microplastic accumulation in freshwater lake environments.
The Paleoecology of Microplastic Contamination
This paper reviews how paleoecological methods — using naturally accumulating environmental archives like sediment cores — can be applied to reconstruct the historical timeline of microplastic contamination. Long-term records are needed to establish baselines and understand how rapidly microplastic pollution has escalated over the past century.
Retrospective trend analysis of biocides in suspended particulate matter of major German rivers
Researchers conducted a retrospective analysis of biocide contamination in suspended particles from major German rivers over two decades. While this study focused on chemical biocides rather than microplastics specifically, the findings provide context for understanding how persistent pollutants accumulate on particulate matter in waterways. The results revealed distinct temporal trends for different biocide classes, highlighting the value of long-term environmental specimen banking for monitoring emerging contaminants.
Historical trends of microplastic pollution in the Seine River (France) from 1960 to 2020 through the study of sedimentary archives
Researchers reconstructed the spatial and temporal history of microplastic pollution in the Seine River basin from 1960 to 2020 using sedimentary archives, characterizing contamination trends across the watershed to provide a long-term pollution record for a major European river system.
Characterizing the temporal trends in the concentration and composition of microplastics over the 20th century to present in the Chesapeake Bay region
Researchers analyzed sediment cores from intertidal wetlands and estuaries in the Chesapeake Bay region to reconstruct microplastic concentration and composition trends since the early 20th century, finding that abundance closely tracks historical plastic production rates with shifts in polymer composition reflecting changes in industrial use.
Historical reconstruction of microplastic accumulation in shallow lake sediments and its anthropogenic drivers: A case study in Lake Liangzi
Scientists studied lake sediments in China and found that tiny plastic particles (microplastics) have been building up dramatically since the 1980s, with the biggest increases linked to plastic production, population growth, and urban development. This matters because microplastics in freshwater lakes can enter our drinking water and food chain, and this study shows the problem is getting much worse as human activities increase. The research provides clear evidence that our daily activities are the main cause of plastic pollution accumulating in the water sources we depend on.