Papers

20 results
|
Article Tier 2

Distribution Characteristics and Source Analysis of Microplastics in Urban Freshwater Lakes: A Case Study in Songshan Lake of Dongguan, China

Researchers found microplastics in both surface water and sediments of Songshan Lake, an urban freshwater lake in China, identifying fiber shapes as dominant and using principal component analysis to trace sources including atmospheric deposition, runoff, and recreational activities.

2022 Water 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Sediment and Surface Water of West Dongting Lake and South Dongting Lake: Abundance, Source and Composition

Microplastics were found in both surface water and sediments of West Dongting Lake and South Dongting Lake in China, with fibers and fragments as the dominant types and concentrations influenced by proximity to urban and agricultural land use. The study provides the first data on microplastic contamination in China's second-largest freshwater lake system.

2018 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 204 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of lakeshore landcover types and environmental factors on microplastic distribution in lakes on the Inner Mongolia Plateau, China

This study measured microplastic contamination in lakes across the Inner Mongolia Plateau and found levels ranging from 0.5 to 12.6 particles per liter in water, with polypropylene being the most common type. Lakes near farmland and human activity had the highest contamination, showing that agriculture and tourism are major sources of microplastic pollution. The findings are relevant because these lakes serve as water sources for surrounding communities.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 49 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution and sedimentation of microplastics in Taihu Lake

Researchers surveyed microplastic abundance in water, sediment, and inflowing rivers of Taihu Lake, China's third-largest freshwater lake, finding widespread contamination with fibers as the dominant type and higher concentrations near urban and agricultural shorelines.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 142 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigation on microplastic pollution of Dongting Lake and its affiliated rivers

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in Dongting Lake and its affiliated rivers in China, collecting 15 surface water and 15 sediment samples from across the lake district and finding microplastic abundances of 0.62-4.31 items/m3 in water and 21-52 items/100 g dry weight in sediments. Fibers dominated and the results indicate the lake system is a significant microplastic sink fed by surrounding river networks.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 113 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic distribution in large shallow lake sediments: Variations with offshore distance and implications for microbial communities

Researchers analyzed microplastic distribution in sediments of Taihu Lake at varying distances from shore and examined the effects on microbial communities. They found that microplastic abundance decreased with increasing distance from the shoreline, ranging from 240 to 1,120 items per kilogram. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in lake sediments can significantly alter the composition and diversity of local microbial communities.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterization and traceability analysis of dry deposition of atmospheric microplastics (MPs) in Wuliangsuhai Lake

Atmospheric microplastic dry deposition was characterized at six sites around Wuliangsuhai Lake in China from March to June 2021, and source traceability analysis identified local agricultural plastic use and urban areas as major contributors to atmospheric MP loading.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparison of the abundance of microplastics between rural and urban areas: A case study from East Dongting Lake

Researchers surveyed microplastic pollution in the lakeshore sediment of East Dongting Lake in China, comparing urban and rural areas. They found moderate levels of contamination dominated by small, transparent fibers, with eight different polymer types identified. Surprisingly, the study found that rural areas had higher microplastic abundance than urban areas, potentially due to differences in environmental protection measures between the two settings.

2019 Chemosphere 174 citations
Article Tier 2

Variability of microplastic loading and retention in four inland lakes in Minnesota, USA

Researchers measured microplastic levels in four small lakes in Minnesota and found that watershed size and urban development were the biggest factors driving contamination. Surface water concentrations varied widely, and sediment levels did not directly correlate with what was found in the water above. The study highlights how local land use patterns influence where microplastics end up in freshwater ecosystems.

2023 Environmental Pollution 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Analysis on advances and characteristics of microplastic pollution in China’s lake ecosystems

Statistical data on microplastic pollution were compiled and analyzed for 86 lakes across China's lake ecosystems over the past five years, revealing widespread contamination with concentrations generally higher in lakes near urban and industrial areas. The review identifies China's heavily polluted eastern lake region as a priority for microplastic monitoring and management intervention.

2022 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 46 citations
Article Tier 2

Rainfall is a significant environmental factor of microplastic pollution in inland waters

Researchers investigated the role of rainfall as a driver of microplastic pollution in inland waters, a factor that had been largely overlooked in previous studies focused on human activities. The study found that rainfall is a significant environmental factor influencing microplastic distribution in freshwater systems, suggesting that non-anthropogenic processes play an important role in how microplastics move through watersheds.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 280 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics pollution in inland freshwaters of China: A case study in urban surface waters of Wuhan, China

Researchers characterized microplastic pollution in inland freshwaters across urban suburban areas of China, finding contamination that reflected land use intensity and population density in the surrounding catchments.

2016 The Science of The Total Environment 1061 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatiotemporal Patterns, Characteristics, and Ecological Risk of Microplastics in the Surface Waters of Shijiu Lake (Nanjing, China)

Researchers surveyed surface waters of Shijiu Lake and its tributaries in Nanjing, China, during dry and rainy seasons, finding microplastic abundances of 17–31 items/L, with higher concentrations during the rainy season and small particles (38–75 μm) as the dominant fraction.

2025 Water
Article Tier 2

Distribution and characteristics of microplastics in the sediments of Poyang Lake, China

Researchers found microplastic contamination in sediments across Poyang Lake, China, with abundances ranging from 11 to 3,153 items per kilogram dry weight, and identified significant spatial variability linked to human activity and hydrological conditions.

2019 Water Science & Technology 102 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in surface waters of Dongting Lake and Hong Lake, China

Researchers sampled surface waters of Dongting Lake and Hong Lake in China and found microplastic contamination at both sites, with fibers as the dominant type and concentrations reflecting nearby human population density and land use.

2018 The Science of The Total Environment 517 citations
Article Tier 2

Global microplastic contamination in freshwater lakes: Spatial patterns, environmental drivers, and methodological challenges

This review systematically analyzed 84 studies covering more than 300 lakes worldwide to assess global microplastic contamination in freshwater lake systems. Surface water MP concentrations ranged from below 0.001 to over 200 MP/L, with fibers and fragments dominating, polyethylene and polypropylene most common, and highest levels found in shallow, lowland, and eutrophic systems near urbanized shorelines.

2025 Environmental Research
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in lakeshore and lakebed sediments – External influences and temporal and spatial variabilities of concentrations

This study examined spatial and temporal variation in microplastic concentrations in lakeshore and lakebed sediments, finding that external inputs, lake hydrodynamics, and seasonal factors all contributed to heterogeneous distribution patterns.

2021 Environmental Research 69 citations
Article Tier 2

[Characterization of Microplastic Pollution of Sediments from Urban Lakes].

Sediments from urban lakes in Maanshan City, China contained microplastics in both spring and summer, with fragments and fibers as the most common types. Local industrial and domestic activities were identified as the likely sources, adding to evidence of widespread microplastic contamination in freshwater sediments.

2020 PubMed 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Source or sink role of an urban lake for microplastics from Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao greater bay area, China

Researchers investigated whether an urban lake in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area acts as a source or sink for microplastics, finding that urbanization-driven inputs and hydrological dynamics determine the lake's shifting role in microplastic cycling.

2023 Environmental Research 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Taihu Lake, China

Researchers surveyed Taihu Lake in China — one of the largest freshwater lakes in the country — and found microplastics throughout, with concentrations and polymer composition reflecting surrounding urban and industrial inputs.

2016 Environmental Pollution 1165 citations