Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Evaluation of nitrate pollution sources in surface water across the typical rural-urban interface: a case study of Wen-Rui Tang River, China

Researchers identified the main sources of nitrate pollution in a rural-urban Chinese river, finding that human sewage and agricultural runoff were the primary contributors. While focused on nitrogen pollution, the study illustrates how mixed land use creates complex water quality challenges in rivers that also carry microplastics.

2021 Research Square (Research Square) 1 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

Distribution Characteristics of Microplastics in Domestic Sewage Waters: A Case Study in Guilin City, China

Researchers collected water samples from 20 sewage outlets in Guilin, China, to characterize microplastic abundance, morphology, and size distribution, and applied multivariate statistical analysis to identify hydrochemical factors influencing microplastic concentrations. The case study provides spatial data on domestic sewage as a microplastic source in a Chinese urban river system.

2024
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in sophisticated urban river systems: Combined influence of land-use types and physicochemical characteristics

This study assessed microplastic pollution across an urban river network in China, finding that land-use type and water physicochemical properties jointly influence microplastic distribution, with industrial and residential areas contributing highest loads.

2021 Environmental Pollution 50 citations
Article Tier 2

Identifying the characteristics of and factors driving spatiotemporal water quality variations in the Yellow River Basin, China, from 2008 to 2020

This study analyzed water quality data from the Yellow River Basin in China from 2008 to 2020, identifying pollution sources and spatial trends across the watershed. While focused on general water quality rather than microplastics specifically, such assessments provide important context for understanding pollution dynamics in large river systems.

2023 Research Square (Research Square)
Article Tier 2

[Microplastic Pollution Status and Ecological Risk Evaluation in Weihe River].

This Chinese study characterized microplastic abundance, shapes, sizes, colors, and polymer types in the Weihe River in northwest China. The findings document significant microplastic contamination in a major regional river that drains one of China's most densely populated agricultural areas, raising concerns about both ecosystem and human health.

2023 PubMed 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in inland freshwater environments with different regional functions: A case study on the Chengdu Plain

Researchers surveyed microplastic pollution in the Minjiang River as it flows through the Chengdu Plain in China, examining abundance, composition, shape, and size in both water and sediments. The study found serious microplastic contamination in urban sections of the river, with differences linked to regional functions such as industrial, agricultural, and residential land use patterns.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 64 citations
Article Tier 2

Characteristics and source-pathway of microplastics in freshwater system of China: A review

This national-scale review examines microplastic characteristics and source-pathway dynamics in Chinese freshwater systems including rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, synthesizing data showing that urban runoff, textile washing, and wastewater discharge are dominant sources. The authors identify key knowledge gaps in understanding microplastic transport from inland waters to the ocean in the world's largest plastic-producing country.

2022 Chemosphere 59 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification of Hydrochemical Characteristics, Spatial Evolution, and Driving Forces of River Water in Jinjiang Watershed, China

This paper is not about microplastic pollution. It analyzes the hydrochemical characteristics of river water in the Jinjiang Watershed in China, identifying rock weathering, mining, agricultural runoff, and domestic pollution as the main factors influencing water chemistry.

2023 Water 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in urban rivers within China's Danxia landforms: Spatial distribution characteristics, migration, and risk assessment

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in surface water, sediment, and groundwater across six cities in China's ecologically fragile Danxia landform region. They found moderate levels of contamination, with urban wastewater and agricultural runoff identified as the primary sources. The study suggests that these unique and ecologically sensitive landscapes face real microplastic pollution risks tied to nearby human activity.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Research Progress of Microplastic Pollution Status and Risk Assessment of Typical Rivers in China

Rivers across China carry substantial microplastic loads, and this review finds that abundance is closely tied to population density, with urban rivers showing higher concentrations than rural ones. More than 60% of microplastics detected in most rivers were smaller than 1 mm — the size range most readily ingested by aquatic organisms and most difficult to remove by conventional treatment. The authors identify sewage plants, surface runoff, and atmospheric deposition as the main sources, and flag gaps in current risk assessment frameworks for river microplastics.

2024 Journal of Physics Conference Series 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution and characteristics of microplastics in an urban river: The response to urban waste management

Microplastics were detected throughout surface water and sediments of an urban Chinese river (Nanming River) in both dry and wet seasons, with 25 different polymer types identified and the highest concentrations near sewage discharge points and plastic waste dump sites. The study shows that urban river management practices — particularly wastewater handling — are critical in controlling how much plastic reaches downstream ecosystems.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 10 citations
Review Tier 2

Distribution, characteristics, and research status of microplastics in the trunk stream and main lakes of the Yangtze River: A review

This review synthesizes research on microplastic distribution, characteristics, and sources in the Yangtze River trunk stream and its major lakes, identifying industrial discharges, urban runoff, and agricultural films as dominant pollution sources affecting one of the world's most populated river basins.

2022 China Geology 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics profile in a typical urban river in Beijing

Researchers profiled microplastic pollution along the Qing River, a typical urban river in Beijing receiving effluent from four wastewater treatment plants, investigating how discharged microplastics distribute and transform as they move through an urban riverine system.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 90 citations
Article Tier 2

The occurrence and abundance of microplastics in surface water and sediment of the West River downstream, in the south of China

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in surface water and sediment of the West River downstream in southern China. They found microplastics in all samples, with concentrations ranging widely and fibers being the dominant shape. The study suggests that the downstream section of the West River serves as both a conduit and accumulation zone for microplastic pollution heading toward coastal waters.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 200 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in the Yangtze River Basin: Heterogeneity of abundances and characteristics in different environments

Researchers compiled microplastic data from 624 sampling sites across the Yangtze River Basin covering water, sediment, soil, and biota, revealing heterogeneous contamination patterns driven by local land use, population density, and wastewater infrastructure.

2021 Environmental Pollution 112 citations
Article Tier 2

Temporal and Spatial Distribution Characteristics of Microplastics and Their Influencing Factors in the Lincheng River, Zhoushan City, China

Researchers analyzed temporal and spatial distribution patterns of microplastics in the Lincheng River in Zhoushan, China, finding that microplastic abundance is influenced by seasonal runoff, land use, and proximity to urban and industrial sources before entering the ocean.

2023 Processes 8 citations
Article Tier 2

The effects of land use types on microplastics in river water: A case study on the mainstream of the Wei River, China

Researchers studied how different land use types along China's Wei River, a major tributary of the Yellow River, influence microplastic concentrations in the water. The study found that urban and agricultural areas contributed more microplastics than other land use types, with seasonal variations also playing a role, highlighting how human activities directly shape plastic pollution patterns in river systems.

2024 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic in tropical island estuaries in China: Source identification and management framework development

Researchers found surprisingly higher microplastic concentrations in the less-urbanized Wanquan River Estuary compared to the Nandu River Estuary in Hainan Island, China, suggesting that tourism and agricultural activities may contribute more significantly to microplastic pollution than urbanization alone.

2025 Marine Environmental Research
Article Tier 2

Pollution characteristics and source analysis of microplastics in the Qiantang River in southeastern China

Researchers found that microplastic abundance in the Qiantang River near Hangzhou, China, ranged from 1.5 to 9.4 items per liter, with higher levels during dry periods and concentrations correlated with local GDP and industrial manufacturing activity.

2022 Chemosphere 111 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatial distribution and potential sources of microplastics in the Songhua River flowing through urban centers in Northeast China

Microplastics were sampled from river water and wastewater treatment plant effluents at five cities along the Songhua River in northeast China, finding polyethylene and polypropylene as dominant polymers and identifying urban WWTPs as the primary point sources of microplastic input to the river.

2021 Environmental Pollution 50 citations
Article Tier 2

Characteristics and sources of microplastic pollution in the water and sediments of the Jinjiang River Basin

Researchers characterized microplastic pollution across surface water, groundwater, and sediments throughout the Jinjiang River Basin in China, tracing sources via principal component analysis and documenting contamination from inland areas to the estuary.

2022 China Geology 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatiotemporal dynamics of microplastics in an urban river network area

Researchers investigated microplastic dynamics in an urban river network in eastern China, finding abundances of 2.3 to 104.6 particles per liter that were significantly higher during wet seasons and concentrated near commercial, industrial, and wastewater discharge areas.

2022 Water Research 161 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Pollution in China’s Aquatic Systems: Spatial Distribution, Transport Pathways, and Controlling Strategies

This review synthesizes recent findings on microplastic pollution across China's rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and coastal waters. Researchers found that contamination levels vary dramatically by location, with urban waterways showing the highest concentrations and polypropylene and polyethylene being the most common polymer types. The study identifies rivers as major transport pathways carrying microplastics from inland areas to the sea and evaluates strategies for reducing this pollution.

2025 Microplastics 2 citations