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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Distribution of Macro- and Micro-plastics Within the Beach Zones of Intercontinental Seas (case Study for Yuzhne City, Ukraine)
ClearExploring the Microplastics Distribution in the Bottom Sediments of the Western Black Sea
Researchers surveyed the bottom sediments of the western Black Sea and found microplastic particles at every sampling site, with fibers the most common shape and polyethylene/polypropylene the most common polymer types. The widespread presence across the shelf zone, without a clear pattern tied to distance from shore, suggests diffuse anthropogenic inputs rather than a single point source — a finding that complicates clean-up and monitoring efforts for this semi-enclosed sea.
Microplastics in Beach Sediments of the Sea of Azov: Morphological and Morphometric Features
Researchers sampled microplastics from beaches of the Sea of Azov, documenting their concentrations, shapes, sizes, and degradation stages. The study provides important baseline data on microplastic contamination in a semi-enclosed sea that is heavily influenced by river inputs and regional plastic waste.
Microplastic Pollution on the Beaches of the Black Sea in Romania and Bulgaria
Researchers characterized microplastic pollution on beaches along the Black Sea coast in Romania and Bulgaria, finding microplastics at all sampled sites with fragment and fiber morphologies predominating and higher concentrations near tourist and urban areas.
High microplastic pollution in marine sediments associated with urbanised areas along the SW Bulgarian Black Sea coast
Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in beach and seabed sediments along the southwestern Bulgarian Black Sea coast. Urbanized coastal areas had significantly higher microplastic levels than non-urbanized areas, with seabed samples averaging over 800 particles per kilogram of dry sediment. The study identified sewage discharges, urban waste, fisheries, and marine litter accumulation as likely sources of the contamination.
Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Chemically Characterized Microplastics within the Protected Area of Pelagos Sanctuary (NW Mediterranean Sea): Focus on Natural and Urban Beaches
Researchers sampled large microplastics on three Mediterranean beaches within the Pelagos Sanctuary over one year, finding that more urbanized beaches had higher contamination and that abundance varied seasonally. Portable Raman spectroscopy was successfully used for on-site polymer identification, offering a faster field method.
Occurrence and spatial distribution of microplastics in the intertidal sediments along the Oman Sea
This study documented microplastic contamination in intertidal sediments along seven locations on the Oman Sea coast, finding average levels of about 315 particles per kilogram of dry sediment. Fragments and fibers dominated, with polypropylene as the most common polymer identified by Raman spectroscopy. The results confirm that microplastic pollution has reached the Oman Sea coastline and call for regional regulations to reduce plastic inputs into this relatively understudied marine environment.
Microplastic contamination and characteristics spatially vary in the southern Black Sea beach sediment and sea surface water
Microplastic abundance and characteristics were assessed along the southern Black Sea coastline, finding that over 70% of particles were smaller than 2.5 mm, with average concentrations of 64 particles/kg in beach sediment and 18.68 particles/m3 in seawater, and the Marmara region showing highest pollution.
Evaluation of abundance of microplastics in the Bulgarian coastal waters
This study assessed microplastic pollution in Bulgarian Black Sea coastal waters across different site types — protected, aquaculture, and industrial zones — providing one of the first quantitative datasets for this undermonitored region. The presence of microplastics in all areas, including protected sites, indicates that contamination is pervasive and that Black Sea marine organisms face widespread exposure to particles that can also carry adsorbed chemical pollutants.
Occurrence, distribution and provenance of micro plastics: A large scale quantitative analysis of beach sediments from southeastern coast of South Africa
Microplastics were found in high abundance across nine tourist beaches in South Africa, with polypropylene and rayon dominating, and concentrations highest in Durban city beaches influenced by coastal currents and urban plastic inputs. Surface analysis revealed weathering features consistent with long-term environmental exposure.
Characteristics and temporal trends of microplastics in the coastal area in the Southern Black Sea over the past decade
Researchers investigated microplastic abundance, polymer types, and size distributions in seawater at three distances from the southeastern Black Sea coast over a decade (2009-2020). Polyethylene and polyethylene terephthalate dominated at 44.9% and 25.3% respectively, with fragment shapes most common, and no significant spatiotemporal changes in abundance were detected.
Research of Plastics and Microplastics in the Black Sea Geoecosystem as a Component of Its Pollution Assessment
This overview examines the state of research on plastic and microplastic contamination across the Ukrainian portion of the Black Sea, covering both the water column and seafloor sediments. The authors identify monitoring gaps and call for a standardized, European-aligned observation network to track how synthetic polymers move through and accumulate in this ecologically important regional sea.
Distribution and characterization of microplastics in beach sand from three different Indian coastal environments
Beach sands from three locations on the Indian coast were analyzed for microplastics, finding concentrations of 45–220 particles/kg dry sand with polyethylene (43%) as the dominant polymer, followed by PET and polystyrene. The study establishes baseline contamination data for Indian beaches and demonstrates consistent polymer profiles across geographically distinct coastal environments.
Integrated Approaches to Monitoring Microplastics in the Geological Component of Marine Environment
This study presents integrated approaches for monitoring microplastics in the geological components of marine environments, including bottom sediments and coastal accumulative sediments in the Black Sea shelf areas. Researchers from MariGeoEcoCenter (Ukraine) outline a multi-method analytical workflow combining extraction, optical visualization, and spectrometric identification to characterize microplastic composition, shape, and size in sediment matrices.
Microplastics on sandy beaches of the southern Baltic Sea
Microplastics were detected on all 12 beaches along the Polish Baltic coast at concentrations of 76 to 295 items per kilogram of sediment, with fibers and fragments dominant and no strong relationship to sediment grain size. Urban beaches had the highest concentrations, though beach hydrodynamics also played a significant role in structuring local microplastic distribution.
Assessment of micro and macroplastics along the west coast of India: Abundance, distribution, polymer type and toxicity.
This study assessed the abundance and types of micro- and macroplastics on ten beaches along India's west coast, finding plastic in all locations with fragments being the most common form. Polymer analysis revealed polypropylene, polyethylene, and polystyrene as the dominant types, and toxicity testing indicated the plastic-contaminated sediments posed ecological risks.
Microplastics in the Black Sea sediments
Microplastics in Black Sea sediments were characterized by occurrence, morphology, and polymer type for the first time, using samples collected across a depth range of 22 to 2131 meters. The study tested a non-invasive filtration method and found microplastics across the sampled depth range, demonstrating vertical distribution of plastic pollution in the Black Sea.
Characterisation of floating microplastic in Romanian coastal waters, Western Black Sea
Researchers characterized floating microplastic distribution in Romanian coastal waters of the western Black Sea, analyzing 2,526 particles collected from five locations in March 2024. They found an average concentration of 3.07 particles per cubic meter, with fibers as the most common morphotype, and documented the polymer composition and color distribution across coastal sites.
Occurrence and distribution of microplastics on recreational beaches of Haichow Bay, China
Microplastic occurrence and distribution were examined on recreational beaches of Haichow Bay, China, a heavily visited coastal area. The study found microplastics throughout the beach environment with patterns linked to beach use intensity, wave energy, and sediment type, establishing contamination data for a tourist-frequented coastline.
Characterisation of floating microplastic in Romanian coastal waters, Western Black Sea
Researchers characterized floating microplastic distribution in Romanian coastal waters of the western Black Sea, analyzing 2,526 particles collected from five locations in March 2024. They found an average concentration of 3.07 particles per cubic meter, with fibers as the most common morphotype, and documented the polymer composition and color distribution across coastal sites.
Plastic waste: assessment of the prosesses of its formation and management in the North-Western Black Sea Coast Regions
Researchers assessed plastic waste formation, composition, and management practices in cities along the northwestern Black Sea coast of Ukraine, finding that plastics constitute 10-12% of municipal solid waste with polyethylene and PET comprising over 60% of plastic waste. The study highlighted that recycling rates remain at only 4-8%, leading to ongoing accumulation of plastic waste in the environment.
Factors Influencing the Three-dimensional Distribution of Microplastics on Sandy Beaches: A Case Study from the Turkish Coast of the Black Sea
A study of nine Black Sea beaches in Turkey found that microplastic abundance varied significantly with beach width, sand grain size, organic content, and tourism pressure, revealing that local physical and human factors shape how microplastics accumulate across the three-dimensional sediment profile. These findings help explain why microplastic hotspots form on particular beaches and can guide targeted cleanup and monitoring efforts.
Occurrence and distribution of microplastics in marine sediments along the Belgian coast
Researchers surveyed marine sediments along the Belgian coast and found microplastics distributed across all sampled sites, documenting their occurrence and characteristics in this heavily trafficked North Sea coastal environment.
Plastic contamination of sandy beaches along the southern Baltic – a one season field survey results
Researchers surveyed microplastic and macroplastic contamination along the Polish Baltic Sea coast, finding microplastic concentrations of 118–1,382 pieces/kg in beach sand and 0.61–2.76 pieces/dm3 in coastal waters, with sub-1 mm blue fibers dominating across all sites and suggesting a common fibrous source throughout the Polish coastal zone.
Microplastics and floating litter pollution in Bulgarian Black Sea coastal waters
Researchers conducted a pilot study of floating marine litter and microplastics along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, finding high quantities of floating litter (60.3-93.8 items per km) and microplastic concentrations of 0.114 to 1.91 x 10 items per km. Concentrations were on average lower than in other parts of the Black Sea, Baltic Sea, and Mediterranean Sea, though observed ranges were comparable.