Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Estudio de microplásticos en muestras de agua y sedimentos de un río urbano del suroccidente de Colombia

Microplastics were detected in both water and sediment samples from the Molino River flowing through Popayán, Colombia, with fibers and fragments being the most common forms found in this urban waterway.

2023 Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja)
Article Tier 2

Characteristics, Contamination Levels, and Ecosystem Risk Assessment of Microplastics in Surface Water of a Highly Urbanized River from a Developing Country

Researchers characterized microplastic contamination in an urban river near a megacity in a developing country, finding concentrations of 350 to 660 particles per cubic meter of water. Polyethylene and polypropylene from household and municipal waste were the most common types, and a risk assessment found concerning contamination levels at several sampling sites. The study highlights how rivers in developing nations can serve as major pathways for microplastics to reach the ocean and enter the food chain.

2024 ACS Omega 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance, Distribution and Drivers of Microplastic Contaminant in Urban River Environments

Researchers surveyed microplastic distribution in urban river environments and identified key drivers of accumulation hotspots, finding that land use, hydrology, and infrastructure factors concentrated microplastics at predictable locations that could inform targeted management interventions.

2018 Preprints.org 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic concentration, distribution and dynamics along one of the largest Mediterranean-climate rivers: A whole watershed approach.

Researchers conducted a comprehensive survey of microplastic pollution across the entire Biobio river watershed in Chile, one of the largest rivers in South America. They found microplastics at all 18 sampling sites, with concentrations linked to urbanization, wastewater discharge, and agricultural activities. The study reveals that both environmental and human factors drive microplastic distribution patterns throughout large river systems.

2022 Environmental Research 52 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic abundance and composition along an anthropogenic pressure gradient in an Andean river (Colombia)

Researchers surveyed microplastic abundance across an altitudinal gradient in a Colombian Andean river, finding highest concentrations in downstream urban and agricultural zones, with fibers and polypropylene dominating across water, sediment, and fish samples—the first report of microplastics in freshwater fish from the Tolima region.

2026 Hydrobiologia
Article Tier 2

Abundance, Distribution, and Drivers of Microplastic Contamination in Urban River Environments

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in sediments from the River Tame and its tributaries flowing through Birmingham, UK, finding microplastics in every sample at an average of 165 particles per 100 grams. The study identified urban density, wastewater treatment plant proximity, and river hydrodynamics as key drivers of microplastic accumulation hotspots in urban rivers.

2018 Water 328 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in tropical Andean rivers: A perspective from a highly populated Ecuadorian basin without wastewater treatment

Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in a highly populated Ecuadorian river basin that lacks wastewater treatment, finding contamination throughout the system and demonstrating that rivers in low-income tropical countries with poor infrastructure are major conduits for microplastics.

2020 Heliyon 66 citations
Article Tier 2

Identifikasi Karakteristik dan Kelimpahan Mikroplastik Pada Sampel Air Kali Surabaya

This Indonesian study characterized microplastic abundance and types in water samples from the Kali Surabaya river in Surabaya. The urban waterway showed widespread plastic contamination, with sources linked to densely populated residential areas along the riverbanks.

2023 Environmental Pollution Journal
Article Tier 2

Cuantificación de la presencia de microplásticos en la cuenca alta del río Guayllabamba

This study quantified microplastics in the upper basin of the Guayllabamba River in Ecuador, finding contamination at multiple sites. The results add to evidence that South American rivers far from major industrial centers are already contaminated with microplastics, which eventually flow toward coastal and marine environments.

2018
Article Tier 2

Spatial distribution of microplastic pollution and its relation to pollution index-based water quality status in Progo River, Indonesia

Researchers mapped microplastic distribution along Indonesia's heavily polluted Progo River, finding 75 to 436 plastic particles per cubic meter of water and showing that lower oxygen levels, higher organic pollution, and faster water flow all correlated with higher microplastic concentrations — evidence that plastic particles actively degrade river water quality.

2025 Emerging contaminants 3 citations
Article Tier 2

[Composition and Distribution of Microplastics in the Water and Sediments of Urban Rivers in Beijing].

Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in water and sediments from eight sampling points along urban rivers in Beijing. Microplastics were widespread, with fibers being the most common type, likely from laundry and textile sources. Urban rivers are important conduits that transport microplastics from cities into larger water bodies and ultimately the ocean.

2021 PubMed 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Urban drainage channels as a pathway for microplastics in riverine systems: A case study of Delhi, India

Researchers measured microplastics in Delhi's Najafgarh drain, secondary drains, and the Yamuna River, finding concentrations of 100-6,700 particles per cubic meter in secondary drains with clear seasonal variation. Urban drainage channels were identified as a major pathway for microplastics from terrestrial sources into the Yamuna River system.

2024 Water Science & Technology 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in sediments in the urban section of the Qara Su River, Iran

Researchers sampled 15 sites along the Qara Su River in Iran and found microplastics in all sediment samples, with fibers making up 53% of particles and 92% of pieces smaller than 5 millimeters — the first microplastic survey of this river and a sign that urban wastewater treatment is not removing these pollutants effectively.

2022 Applied Water Science 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence of microplastic pollution in rivers globally: Driving factors of distribution and ecological risk assessment

Researchers constructed a global dataset of microplastic pollution across 862 river water and 445 sediment samples, identifying population density, GDP, and plastic waste generation as key driving factors of riverine microplastic distribution and ecological risk.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 43 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplásticos en sedimentos fluviales en la cuenca baja del río Rímac, Perú

Microplastics were detected in river sediments from the lower Rímac River basin in Peru, with concentrations linked to upstream urban and industrial plastic waste that enters the river system without adequate treatment.

2023 Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja)
Article Tier 2

Lead levels and abundance of microplastics in surface water and sediment along a rural–urban river gradient

Researchers sampled water and sediment along a rural-to-urban river and found microplastics at every location, with concentrations decreasing downstream in surface water but not following a clear pattern in sediment. They also found that higher microplastic levels in sediment were linked to higher lead concentrations, suggesting the two pollutants tend to accumulate together.

2024 Discover Water 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluación De La Presencia De Microplásticos En Playas Del Río Del La Plata: Ciudad De Buenos Aires Y Alrededores

Microplastics were found in beach sediments along the Río de la Plata near Buenos Aires in both winter and spring surveys, confirming urban plastic pollution has reached coastal environments close to one of South America's largest cities.

2022 Revista AIDIS de Ingeniería y Ciencias Ambientales Investigación desarrollo y práctica 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantification and composition analysis of plastic pollution in riverine beaches of the lower Paraná River, Argentina

Researchers found macro-, meso-, and microplastics along riverbanks near Rosario city on the lower Paraná River in Argentina, with single-use items being dominant. The study highlights that South American freshwater rivers are important conduits for plastic pollution entering the ocean.

2020 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence of Urbanization and Seasonality on Microplastics in a Small Brazilian Inland Stream

Researchers sampled a small Brazilian inland stream upstream and downstream of an urban center during dry and rainy seasons, finding urbanization significantly increased microplastic abundance from 1.7 to 2.6 particles per liter during the dry season, while rainfall effects were less consistent.

2025 Microplastics
Article Tier 2

Quantifying fluxes of microplastics from the magdalena river into the caribbean sea

This study quantified how many microplastics the Magdalena River — Colombia's largest river — carries into the Caribbean Sea, establishing a baseline for understanding South America's contribution to marine plastic pollution. River-to-ocean flux measurements like this are essential for building accurate global models of how plastic pollution accumulates in marine ecosystems.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Abundance, distribution, and characteristics of microplastics in coastal surface waters of the Colombian Caribbean and Pacific

This study documented microplastic abundance, distribution, and characteristics across Colombian Caribbean and Pacific coastal surface waters during the 2017 rainy season, finding concentrations up to 8.96 items per square meter and establishing the first national baseline for microplastic pollution in Colombian coastal waters.

2021 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 76 citations
Article Tier 2

Anthropogenic Litter in Urban Freshwater Ecosystems: Distribution and Microbial Interactions

Researchers quantified anthropogenic litter in urban rivers and streams and found that microplastics dominated by mass and particle count compared to macroplastic items. The study highlights urban freshwater systems as major conduits for plastic pollution moving toward marine environments and documents distinct microbial communities on plastic surfaces.

2014 PLoS ONE 287 citations
Article Tier 2

The effects of riverside cities on microplastics in river water: A case study on the Southern Jiangsu Canal, China

Researchers studied microplastic contamination in the Southern Jiangsu Canal in China and found that riverside cities significantly increase microplastic levels in river water, with abundance rising by 26% to 211% after flowing through urban areas. The study found that microplastic concentrations correlated with regional GDP and population density, with PET, polycarbonate, and polyethylene being the most common polymer types detected.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 47 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic is an Abundant and Distinct Microbial Habitat in an Urban River

Researchers demonstrated that microplastic surfaces in an urban river host a microbial community that is distinct from surrounding water and sediment communities, establishing microplastic as an abundant and ecologically distinct habitat for river microorganisms.

2014 Environmental Science & Technology 1428 citations