Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastics in the Taiwan Strait and adjacent sea: Spatial variations and lateral transport

Researchers sampled microplastics from both surface water and seafloor sediments across the Taiwan Strait and surrounding seas, finding average concentrations of 174 particles per cubic meter in water and 121 particles per kilogram in sediment. Polyester and rayon fibers dominated, pointing to domestic wastewater and the synthetic textile industry as primary sources. The study helps map microplastic distribution in a heavily trafficked and economically important sea corridor, where currents spread contamination across national boundaries.

2023 Marine Environmental Research 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in seawater and two sides of the Taiwan Strait: Reflection of the social-economic development

Researchers surveyed microplastic abundance in surface seawater and coastal sediments on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, finding differences in contamination levels that reflected contrasting levels of industrialization and urban development on the Chinese mainland versus Taiwan sides.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 39 citations
Article Tier 2

Marine microplastics in the surface waters of “pristine” Kuroshio

Researchers found microplastic concentrations in Taiwan's coastal waters and the Kuroshio current averaging 0.05 items/m³, with polypropylene and polyethylene dominating, and identified hotspots suggesting rivers and local currents transport plastics into the North Pacific Gyre.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Taking a mass-balance approach to assess marine plastics in the South China Sea

Researchers applied a mass-balance modeling approach to assess marine plastic pollution in the South China Sea, finding critical data gaps on plastic inputs, transfer rates, and sink terms that prevent accurate quantification of this recognized global plastic hotspot.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 48 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution of the Tamsui River and its tributaries in northern Taiwan: Spatial heterogeneity and correlation with precipitation

Researchers investigated microplastic pollution in the Tamsui River and its tributaries in northern Taiwan, collecting samples over three months. They found microplastics in every sample, with concentrations varying widely between rivers, from 2.5 to 83.7 particles per cubic meter. The study found a positive correlation between rainfall and microplastic abundance, suggesting that precipitation washes plastic debris from land into waterways.

2020 Environmental Pollution 201 citations
Article Tier 2

Tide-driven microplastics transport in an elongated semi-closed bay: A case study in Xiangshan Bay, China

Researchers combined field sampling and numerical tidal flow modeling to study microplastic transport in Xiangshan Bay, China, finding that tidal currents play a significant role in redistributing microplastics within this semi-closed coastal bay before they reach the open ocean.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 37 citations
Article Tier 2

Transport mechanism of microplastics from a still water system to a dynamic estuarine system: A case study in Macao SAR

A study in Macao's Pearl River Estuary traced microplastics from still-water ecosystems into the dynamic estuarine system, revealing how hydrodynamic forces transport microplastics from inland reservoirs and ponds to coastal waters and ultimately the South China Sea.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Study of marine debris around a tourist city in East China: Implication for waste management

Marine debris was surveyed in a coastal tourist city in eastern China, revealing patterns driven by tourism, fishing, and poor waste management. The study argues that effective debris management requires understanding local sources, which differ significantly between developed and developing regions.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 66 citations
Article Tier 2

A perspective study on occurance, impacts and sources of microplastics in the marine environment of south China Sea and Gulf of Thailand

A synthesis of published data on microplastics in the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand identified the Pearl River and Mekong River as major plastic inputs, with the Gulf of Thailand showing medium plastic abundance levels, and called for improved management strategies for these sensitive regions.

2023 Research Journal of Chemistry and Environment 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Characteristics and patterns of marine debris in the Chinese beach-sea continuum

Researchers analyzed a 10-year time-series dataset (2012-2021) of marine debris from Chinese beaches and adjacent seas to examine characteristics of debris distribution across the beach-sea continuum. The study investigated the quantitative relationships between debris density and accumulation patterns in coastal and marine zones, finding that floating debris is transported bidirectionally between sea and coast through various oceanographic and meteorological processes.

2022 Frontiers in Marine Science 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Simulation of seasonal transport of microplastics and influencing factors inthe China Seas based on the ROMS model

Researchers used the Regional Ocean Modeling System combined with the LTRANS Lagrangian transport model to simulate seasonal microplastic transport throughout the China Seas, finding that circulation patterns, river discharge, and particle properties drive marked seasonal variations in microplastic pathways and spatial distribution.

2024
Article Tier 2

A critical review on the sources and instruments of marine microplastics and prospects on the relevant management in China

This critical review examined sources, distribution, and monitoring instruments for marine microplastics in China, identifying key knowledge gaps and proposing management strategies to address the country's significant contribution to global ocean plastic pollution.

2018 Waste Management & Research The Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economy 157 citations
Article Tier 2

Can microplastics in offshore waters reflect plastic emissions from coastal regions?

Researchers found a significant negative correlation between coastal plastic discharge amounts and offshore microplastic abundance in Chinese waters, indicating that hydrodynamic conditions rather than proximity to pollution sources primarily determine microplastic distribution.

2022 Chemosphere 26 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2022 Chemosphere 85 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in the western Pacific and South China Sea: Spatial variations reveal the impact of Kuroshio intrusion

Surface microplastic distribution in the western Pacific and South China Sea was strongly influenced by Kuroshio Current intrusion, with stations affected by Kuroshio showing distinct polymer composition and concentration patterns from those outside its influence, demonstrating that major western boundary currents redistribute microplastics across ocean basin scales.

2021 Environmental Pollution 57 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantifying Transboundary Plastic Pollution in Marine Protected Areas Across the Mediterranean Sea

Researchers used a Lagrangian drift model to quantify transboundary plastic pollution in Mediterranean marine protected areas, finding that 13 of 15 countries had at least one MPA where over 55% of macroplastic originated from foreign sources.

2022 Frontiers in Marine Science 35 citations
Article Tier 2

The characteristics and potential transport trajectory of epimicroplastic red tide species in the Taiwan Strait

Researchers investigated the characteristics and transport trajectories of red tide microalgal species attached to microplastics in the Taiwan Strait, combining field sampling from Dongshan Bay and Quanzhou Bay with Lagrangian particle tracking simulations to predict how microplastics may facilitate dispersal of harmful algal bloom species.

2025 Frontiers in Marine Science
Article Tier 2

Rastreando microplásticos em águas costeiras: um estudo de fatores ambientais usando canoa havaiana

Researchers tracked microplastic (MP) pollution in coastal waters using Hawaiian outrigger canoes, studying how environmental factors influence MP distribution in zones where terrestrial and marine sources intensely interact. The work aimed to better understand MP dynamics in biodiverse coastal ecosystems subject to tourism, fishing, and navigation.

2025 LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas)
Article Tier 2

The difficulties and path of China’s NGOs participating in marine plastic waste governance

Researchers examined the challenges and pathways for Chinese non-governmental organizations to participate effectively in marine plastic waste governance, analyzing organizational capacity, regulatory frameworks, and stakeholder relationships. The study found that NGOs face significant institutional barriers and recommends policy reforms that provide clearer roles and stable funding for civil society engagement in ocean plastic management.

2024 Marine Development 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Kepadatan dan pola transport sampah laut terapung di pesisir barat perairan Teluk Ambon Luar

This Indonesian study measured the density and transport patterns of floating marine litter on the western coast of Outer Ambon Bay, finding high volumes of plastic debris with clear spatial patterns driven by currents and tides. The data can inform placement of debris interception systems in this Indonesian coastal city.

2021 Jurnal Penelitian Sains 11 citations
Article Tier 2

The geopolitical economy of Thailand's marine plastic pollution crisis

Researchers examined the geopolitical and economic factors driving Thailand's status as one of the world's largest contributors to ocean plastic pollution, finding that governance failures, economic development pressures, and global plastic supply chains are key structural drivers that environmental management has not adequately addressed.

2020 Asia Pacific Viewpoint 76 citations
Article Tier 2

Two-dimensional distribution and abundance of micro- and mesoplastic pollution in the surface sediment of Xialiao Beach, New Taipei City, Taiwan

Researchers systematically mapped microplastic and mesoplastic pollution across Xialiao Beach in Taiwan, recovering 1,939 particles from 80 samples and finding that the backshore contained significantly more plastic than intertidal zones, with extrapolation suggesting approximately 6.8 million particles (≥1 mm) across the beach surface.

2019 Marine Pollution Bulletin 72 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic in tropical island estuaries in China: Source identification and management framework development

Researchers found surprisingly higher microplastic concentrations in the less-urbanized Wanquan River Estuary compared to the Nandu River Estuary in Hainan Island, China, suggesting that tourism and agricultural activities may contribute more significantly to microplastic pollution than urbanization alone.

2025 Marine Environmental Research
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in the surface seawater in Zhongsha Atoll, South China Sea

The first comprehensive survey of microplastics in Zhongsha Atoll in the South China Sea documented the occurrence and distribution of plastic particles in surface seawater across temporal and spatial scales. The study extends microplastic monitoring to a remote atoll environment and identifies ocean current transport as the main driver of plastic accumulation at this distant location.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 41 citations