Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Assessment of Microplastic Abundance and Discharge from Greywater of Ships

Researchers quantified microplastics in ship greywater from showers, washbasins, laundry, and dishwashers and found that laundry sources produced the highest microplastic concentrations. Since greywater can be discharged to the sea without treatment in most areas, ships contribute substantially to marine microplastic pollution. The study supports the case for regulating greywater discharge from vessels.

2023
Article Tier 2

Microplastic generation and emission from ship's greywater

Researchers measured microplastic abundances and characteristics in greywater from different vessel types — a research vessel, a container ship, and passenger ships — and estimated global microplastic emissions from the discharge of untreated ship greywater. They found a mean abundance of 135,563 particles/m3 in research vessel greywater with fibers comprising about 66% of particles, identifying greywater discharge as a significant and largely unregulated sea-based microplastic source.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Microplastic generation and emission from ship's greywater

Researchers investigated microplastic concentrations and characteristics in greywater discharged from three vessel types - a research vessel, a container ship, and passenger ships - and estimated total microplastic emissions from global commercial shipping. The study found that untreated ship greywater represents a significant but unregulated sea-based microplastic source, with passenger vessels generating the highest microplastic loads per volume of discharge.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and characteristics of microplastics in greywater from a research vessel

Microplastics were found in greywater from a research vessel across multiple water usage types, with laundry water showing the highest microplastic concentrations, identifying ships as an underappreciated sea-based source of microplastic pollution.

2023 Environmental Pollution 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Ship Sewage and Solutions to Limit Their Spread: A Case Study

Researchers found microplastic particles in both grey water and post-treatment sewage from transport ships, with mean concentrations of 72 particles per litre in grey water and 51 per litre in treated sewage, demonstrating that ships represent a significant and underregulated source of microplastic pollution in protected marine areas.

2022 Water 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Sources and Leakages of Microplastics in Cruise Ship Wastewater

Researchers investigated microplastic sources and leakages from cruise ship wastewater systems, finding that onboard laundry, food waste processing, and sewage treatment all contribute microplastics to discharge, with poorly filtered grey water representing a significant and underregulated pathway to the ocean.

2022 Frontiers in Marine Science 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and Characteristics of Microplastics in in a Ship’s Greywater According to Usage Patterns

This study sampled greywater from different ship compartments — galleys, laundries, showers, and washbasins — and found that microplastics were present in all compartments, with laundry being the largest source. The results show that ships discharge significant quantities of microplastics through greywater, which can be legally released directly to the sea in most ocean zones. The findings highlight ships as an important but underregulated source of marine microplastic pollution.

2023
Article Tier 2

Investigation of plastic and microplastic waste from ships in the marine environment

Researchers investigated plastic and microplastic waste originating from ships in the marine environment, examining the types, quantities, and pathways by which vessel operations contribute to marine plastic pollution. The study addresses a relatively underexplored source of marine plastic contamination compared to land-based inputs.

2024 Istanbul Technical University Academic Open Archive (Istanbul Technical University)
Article Tier 2

Gray Water from Ships: A Significant Sea-Based Source of Microplastics?

This viewpoint argues that gray water discharged from ships is a significant but underappreciated sea-based source of microplastics, as laundry and dishwashing effluents contain synthetic fibers and plastic fragments that are released directly to ocean waters without treatment.

2021 Environmental Science & Technology 40 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantification of microplastics in ship-generated greywater and their contribution to Baltic marine pollution

Ships are a poorly studied but potentially significant source of microplastic pollution in enclosed seas. This study measured microplastic concentrations in eight greywater (sink, shower, and laundry) discharge streams from five vessels operating in the Baltic Sea, finding concentrations up to 600,000 particles per cubic meter in laundry wastewater. PET fibers from synthetic textiles dominated the samples. Extrapolating to the entire Roll-on/Roll-off ferry fleet operating in the Baltic, the researchers estimated a substantial annual microplastic load entering one of Europe's most ecologically sensitive and contaminated marine environments.

2026 Environmental Pollution
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Pollution in Ship-Sourced Wastewater: Assessment of Pollution Load Risk for Ballast and Bilge Water

A study of ship-generated wastewater found substantial microplastic contamination in both ballast water and bilge water, identifying maritime transport as an underappreciated pathway for spreading microplastic pollution across ocean environments. The findings suggest that current international shipping regulations may be insufficient to prevent microplastic dispersal from vessel operations.

2026 Journal of Naval Architecture and Marine Technology
Article Tier 2

Characterization of microplastic distribution, sources and potential ecological risk assessment of domestic sewage from ships

Researchers characterized microplastic pollution in domestic sewage from ships, analyzing both black water and gray water using infrared spectroscopy. They found significant quantities of microplastics, primarily fibers and fragments from synthetic textiles and packaging materials. The study highlights ship-generated wastewater as an underrecognized source of microplastic contamination entering marine environments.

2025 Environmental Research 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Research progress in sources, analytical methods, eco-environmental effects, and control measures of microplastics

This review synthesizes global research on microplastic sources, analytical methods, ecological effects, and governance, calling for unified quantitative analysis methods and clearer traceability tools. The authors emphasize that controlling microplastics requires integrated management combining organizational cooperation, technological development, and regulatory frameworks.

2020 Chemosphere 289 citations
Review Tier 2

A Review of Microplastics Research in the Shipbuilding and Maritime Transport Industry

This review examined microplastic research specifically focused on the shipbuilding and maritime transport industry, an underexplored source of plastic contamination in marine environments. The authors found that ship maintenance, antifouling paint degradation, and fiber rope wear generate significant quantities of microplastics that largely escape current monitoring frameworks.

2025 Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
Article Tier 2

Fate and transport of micro- and nanoplastics in graywater, fresh and marine water systems

This review chapter summarizes research on how micro- and nanoplastics move through graywater, freshwater, and marine water systems. The particles enter these systems from multiple sources — consumer products, wastewater, and plastic degradation — and are incompletely removed by conventional treatment. The review highlights the persistence and wide distribution of these particles as major challenges for water quality management.

2021 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Qualitative and quantitative assessment of microplastics derived from antifouling paint in effluent from ship hull hydroblasting and their emission into the marine environment

Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination generated during ship hull hydroblasting, a common maintenance procedure. They found that a single vessel produced billions of paint-derived particles, with the vast majority smaller than 5 millimeters and composed primarily of acrylic polymers. The study identifies ship maintenance activities as a significant but often overlooked source of microplastic emissions into marine environments.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics: Classification, Sources, Characterisation, Fate, and Control Measures

This review examines the classification, sources, characterisation, fate, and control measures for microplastics, synthesising recent literature on their detection in marine water, freshwater, wastewater, food, air, and drinking water, and identifying terrestrial runoff and wastewater effluent as key pollution pathways.

2024 UTTAR PRADESH JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
Article Tier 2

Estimating total microplastic loads to the marine environment as a result of ship biofouling in-water cleaning

Researchers estimated that the global shipping industry could be releasing thousands of tons of microplastics annually through the wear, maintenance, and cleaning of marine coatings on commercial vessels. Predictive modeling showed that bulk carriers are the largest contributors, and manual biofouling cleaning by divers generates more microplastics than mechanized cleaning systems with debris capture. The study highlights ship coatings as an underappreciated but substantial source of marine microplastic pollution.

2024 Frontiers in Marine Science 14 citations
Article Tier 2

The Current and Prospective State of Microplastic Contamination in the Marine Ecosystem

This review assesses the current state of microplastic contamination research in marine ecosystems, identifying strengths and gaps in published literature and recommending new focus areas including marine polymer degradation, advanced sampling methods, and the consequences of research-generated microplastic pollution.

2023 Journal of Science Innovations and Nature of Earth
Article Tier 2

Strategies for Monitoring and Reducing Microplastic Pollution in Oceans

This review examined the sources, distribution, and ecological health impacts of marine microplastic pollution over the past five years, and discussed monitoring technologies and governance strategies needed to reduce microplastic contamination in ocean environments.

2025 International Journal of Marine Science