Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Riverbed depth-specific microplastics distribution and potential use as process marker

Researchers examined the depth-specific distribution of microplastics in riverbed sediments, finding that particle concentration and type varied significantly with sediment depth. The findings suggest that riverbeds act as significant microplastic sinks, with deeper layers representing older accumulation zones.

2024 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparison of Microplastic abundance in varying depths of deep-sea sediments, Bay of Bengal

Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in deep-sea sediment samples from the Bay of Bengal at depths of 225 to 1,070 meters, finding the highest concentrations at intermediate depths. The findings add to evidence that microplastics have penetrated into deep-sea environments far from the surface.

2022 OCEANS 2022 - Chennai 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Hotspots lurking underwater: Insights into the contamination characteristics, environmental fates and impacts on biogeochemical cycling of microplastics in freshwater sediments

This review examines how microplastics accumulate in freshwater lake and river sediments, which act as major collection points for these particles. Researchers found that microplastic distribution in sediments varies significantly depending on local conditions, and that the particles can alter nutrient cycling and affect sediment-dwelling organisms. The study highlights freshwater sediments as critical but understudied hotspots for microplastic contamination.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Diving into the Depths: Uncovering Microplastics in Norwegian Coastal Sediment Cores

Researchers analyzed microplastic vertical distribution in sediment cores from five sites along the Norwegian coast extending to Arctic waters, filling a gap in high-resolution depth profile data for European and Arctic sediments. Microplastics were found throughout core depths with concentrations generally increasing toward the surface in patterns reflecting historical plastic production growth.

2024 Environmental Science & Technology 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in deep-sea sediments

Researchers analyzed deep-sea sediment cores and found microplastics present at depth, providing early evidence that deep-sea sediments globally accumulate microplastic pollution far from coastlines and at the seafloor.

2013 Environmental Pollution 1521 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in sediments: A review of techniques, occurrence and effects

This review examined techniques, occurrence data, and ecological effects of microplastics in sediments, synthesizing evidence that sediments act as a major long-term repository for microplastic contamination in both freshwater and marine systems.

2015 Marine Environmental Research 1190 citations
Article Tier 2

New insights into the vertical distribution and microbial degradation of microplastics in urban river sediments

Vertical distribution and microbial degradation of microplastics in sediment cores were investigated, finding that microplastics were present throughout the vertical profile and that indigenous microbial communities were actively interacting with plastic particles. The study provided new insights into how sediment depth, redox conditions, and microbial activity shape microplastic fate in sediment repositories.

2020 Water Research 284 citations
Article Tier 2

Dispersion, accumulation and the ultimate fate of microplastics in deep-marine environments: A review and future directions

This review synthesized existing knowledge on microplastic distribution in deep-marine environments, integrating process-based sedimentological transport models with field data to outline how microplastics disperse, accumulate, and become buried in seafloor sediments, and identifying key gaps for future research.

2019 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Prevalence of small high-density microplastics in the continental shelf and deep sea waters of East Asia

Researchers collected water samples at multiple depth layers across the continental shelf and deep sea of East Asia and found that small, high-density microplastics were more abundant in deeper waters, suggesting vertical sinking pathways concentrate certain particle types in the deep ocean.

2021 Water Research 112 citations
Article Tier 2

Sources, Fate, and Impact of Microplastics in Aquatic Environment

This review summarizes the sources, transport pathways, fate, and ecological impacts of microplastics in aquatic environments, noting that coastal areas have the highest concentrations but that microplastics sink and accumulate in deep sediments after fragmentation. The pervasive contamination of aquatic ecosystems poses threats to marine biota and food webs that ultimately affect human health.

2020 IntechOpen eBooks 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Fate of microplastics in deep-sea sediments and its influencing factors: Evidence from the Eastern Indian Ocean

Surface sediments from 26 sites in the deep basin of the Eastern Indian Ocean were analyzed for microplastics, finding concentrations ranging widely and influenced by water depth, distance from land, and ocean current patterns. The study extends deep-sea microplastic monitoring to the Indian Ocean and identifies oceanographic transport as a key control on plastic distribution.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 70 citations
Article Tier 2

A depth-resolved snapshot of microplastic abundances in riffle heads in a gravelbed river

Researchers took depth-resolved samples from gravel riverbed sediments to map how microplastics distribute vertically through streambeds. They found significant quantities at depth, suggesting that riverbeds act as long-term reservoirs of microplastic pollution rather than just transient transport pathways.

2023 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Distribution at Different Sediment Depths in an Urban Estuary

Researchers sampled sediment cores from an urban estuary to map how microplastic particles are distributed at different depths over time. The study found that microplastic density varied with sediment depth, reflecting historical changes in plastic pollution and urban runoff.

2017 Frontiers in Marine Science 271 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence of microplastics in the water column and sediment in an inland sea affected by intensive anthropogenic activities

The first survey of microplastics in the water column and sediments of an inland sea affected by heavy anthropogenic activity found microplastics at all depths and in all sediment layers, with higher concentrations at the bottom. The results demonstrate that microplastic contamination in heavily used water bodies extends through the entire water column rather than being confined to the surface.

2018 Environmental Pollution 359 citations
Article Tier 2

The fate of microplastic in marine sedimentary environments: A review and synthesis

A systematic review of 80 papers on microplastics in marine sediments found median concentrations varied widely by sediment environment, with fibers dominating many locations, and showed that sediment grain size and organic carbon content influence microplastic accumulation.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 381 citations
Article Tier 2

Dispersion, Accumulation, and the Ultimate Fate of Microplastics in Deep-Marine Environments: A Review and Future Directions

This review synthesizes knowledge about how microplastics are transported to and accumulate in deep-marine environments, which may serve as the ultimate sink for ocean plastic pollution. Researchers integrated sedimentological models to explain how ocean currents, density flows, and settling processes deliver microplastics to the seafloor. The study highlights that deep-sea environments, often considered pristine, are increasingly contaminated with microplastic particles.

2019 Frontiers in Earth Science 436 citations
Article Tier 2

Making waves: Unraveling microplastic deposition in rivers through the lens of sedimentary processes

Researchers examined how sedimentary processes in rivers control where microplastics are deposited and how long they remain buried. They reviewed existing work on water-sediment exchange of microplastic particles and identified key gaps in understanding deposition dynamics. The study highlights that rivers serve as major pathways for transporting microplastics from land to oceans, and that sediment processes play a critical role in determining their fate.

2024 Water Research 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastics from Surface to Seabed: Vertical Distribution of (Micro)plastic Particles in the North Pacific Ocean

Researchers investigated the vertical distribution of microplastics across the water column and deep-sea sediments (>5 km) in the North Pacific Ocean, finding concentrations of 8-2600 items/m3 in the water column and 1100-3200 items/kg in sediments, with distinct patterns across the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, Papahanaumokuakea Monument, and a less-polluted open ocean site.

2025 Environmental Science & Technology
Article Tier 2

Diving into the deep: unveiling small microplastics in Norwegian coastal sediment cores

Researchers examined the vertical distribution of small microplastics in five sediment cores from the Norwegian Coastal Current, using advanced analytical methods down to 11 micrometers combined with radiometric dating, finding widespread microplastic presence across sediment layers up to 19 cm depth and providing insights into historical deposition rates.

2025
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in deep-sea sediments and organisms of the Western Pacific Ocean

Researchers collected deep-sea sediment and organism samples from multiple sites in the western Pacific Ocean and found microplastics at all locations sampled, with depth, distance from land, and current patterns influencing accumulation, confirming the western Pacific deep sea as a significant microplastic sink.

2020 Environmental Pollution 378 citations
Article Tier 2

Elucidating the vertical transport of microplastics in the water column: A review of sampling methodologies and distributions

This review synthesized sampling methodologies and findings on microplastic vertical distribution in the water column, identifying that surface trawl studies dramatically underestimate total water column burdens and that sinking behavior, biofouling, and hydrodynamic processes create complex depth-dependent distribution patterns.

2020 Water Research 93 citations
Article Tier 2

The Environmental Impacts and Remediation Strategies of Microplastics in Aquatic Sediments

This review comprehensively examines microplastic contamination in aquatic sediments worldwide, where concentrations are typically three to five orders of magnitude higher than in the water above — making sediments the dominant reservoir of plastic pollution in rivers, lakes, and oceans. The paper covers how microplastics enter and accumulate in sediments, how they bind to other contaminants like heavy metals and pesticides, and the ecological risks to bottom-dwelling organisms. It identifies major gaps in monitoring and calls for standardized methods to make global comparisons possible.

2026 Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management
Article Tier 2

Vertical distribution of microplastics in the sediment profiles of the Lake Taihu, eastern China

Researchers analyzed vertical microplastic distribution in sediment cores from Lake Taihu, China, finding microplastics at all depths down to 50 cm with total abundances of up to 8,100 particles/kg dry weight, suggesting that surface sediment sampling significantly underestimates total microplastic storage.

2022 Sustainable Environment Research 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Unveiling the deep-sea microplastic Odyssey: Characteristics, distribution, and ecological implications in Pacific Ocean sediments

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in deep-sea sediments from the Pacific Ocean at depths reaching nearly 7,000 meters. They found microplastics at every sampling site, predominantly polyester and rayon fibers, with the highest concentrations in the Western Pacific. The study highlights that microplastic pollution has reached some of the most remote deep-sea environments on Earth, raising concerns about its ecological impact.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 10 citations