Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Characteristics of microplastics in different media in Jiaozhou Bay, China

Researchers characterized microplastics in water, sediment, and biological samples from Jiaozhou Bay in China, finding plastics across all environmental compartments. The study documents spatial variation in contamination and highlights the bay as a site of significant plastic accumulation linked to nearby urban and industrial activity.

2023
Article Tier 2

Occurrenceand characteristics of microplastics in benthic species from mangrove wetlands of Hainan, South China

Researchers found microplastics in 10 species of benthic organisms — including crabs, bivalves, and snails — across seven mangrove areas in Hainan, China, confirming that mangrove ecosystems and the organisms that inhabit them are significantly contaminated by microplastic pollution.

2023 Frontiers in Marine Science 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing the Interrelationship Between Microplastics and Polychlorinated Biphenyls Contamination in Chinese Mangrove Sediment

Researchers quantified polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations on microplastics extracted from mangrove sediments across representative sites in China, investigating the interrelationship between MP pollution dynamics and PCB contamination in these critical intertidal ecosystems. The study reveals how mangrove sediments accumulate both MPs and co-associated hydrophobic organic contaminants, highlighting combined pollution risks.

2024 Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
Article Tier 2

The distribution and ecological effects of microplastics in an estuarine ecosystem

Researchers surveyed 22 intertidal sites and found that microplastic abundance, size, and diversity correlated with benthic microalgal communities and sediment biostabilization properties in an estuarine ecosystem.

2021 Environmental Pollution 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Characteristics of microplastics in different matrices in Jiaozhou Bay, China

Researchers characterized microplastics across multiple matrices (water, sediment, organisms) in Jiaozhou Bay, China to understand coastal pollution patterns. They found widespread microplastic contamination with distinct distribution profiles linked to coastal human activities and identified sources to support pollution mitigation strategies.

2025
Article Tier 2

Microplastic in three urban estuaries, China

Researchers surveyed three urban estuaries in China and found microplastics throughout, with concentrations and types reflecting the combined influence of surrounding city density, stormwater runoff, and tidal mixing.

2015 Environmental Pollution 696 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatial heterogeneity of microplastic pollution and associated emerging contaminants in tropical estuarine environments: Novel insights into distribution, bioavailability, and ecological risk

Scientists found tiny plastic particles in water, mud, and seafood like shellfish and crabs in two river areas in India. These microplastics carry harmful chemicals and are getting into the food chain, which could affect the safety of seafood that people eat. While the current risk appears low, this research shows we need better policies to reduce plastic pollution to protect both ocean ecosystems and human food sources.

2026 Marine Pollution Bulletin
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in the environment and organisms of Xiangshan Bay, East China Sea: An area of intensive mariculture

Researchers assessed microplastic pollution across water, sediment, and marine organisms in Xiangshan Bay, a major mariculture area in China, finding that intensive aquaculture in the enclosed inner bay concentrated microplastics and that fish ingested more particles than other organisms.

2022 Water Research 96 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic characteristics in organisms of different trophic levels from Liaohe Estuary, China

Researchers collected organisms from multiple trophic levels at Liaohe Estuary, China, and measured microplastic ingestion across primary consumers, secondary consumers, and top predators, finding that MP abundance did not increase consistently with trophic level, suggesting complex feeding and depuration dynamics.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 125 citations
Article Tier 2

A systems analysis of microplastic pollution in Laizhou Bay, China

Researchers conducted a systems analysis of microplastic contamination across surface water, sediment, and living fish at 58 sites in Laizhou Bay, China, finding pervasive fiber-dominated microplastic distribution with no significant regional differences, suggesting multiple diffuse pollution sources throughout the semi-closed bay.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 111 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Contamination in Sediments of Xiamen Bay: Investigating Ecological Consequences

Microplastic contamination was assessed in sediments of Xiamen Bay, China, examining spatial and temporal distribution, ecological consequences for sediment biota, and human exposure pathways. Key risk factors were identified based on particle characteristics, with the study providing insights for managing microplastic impacts in this heavily urbanized coastal environment.

2024 Innovation in Science and Technology
Article Tier 2

An evaluation of microplastic contamination in the marine waters and species in the coastal region of the South Yellow Sea, China

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination across water, sediment, fish, and shellfish in the South Yellow Sea, China, finding plastics at every level of the food chain. Contamination was highest near river mouths that drain industrialized areas and decreased further offshore. Fish and bivalves showed significant microplastic uptake in their guts and gills, confirming that microplastics move from polluted rivers into coastal seafood that humans consume.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Status of Microplastic Accumulation in Water and Sediments of Selected Estuarine Ecosystem of Southern Kerala, India

Researchers measured microplastic levels in water and sediment from estuaries in southern Kerala, India, finding significant contamination in both habitats. The study identifies these coastal estuaries as accumulation zones for microplastic pollution, posing risks to local aquatic life and fishing communities.

2023 UTTAR PRADESH JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
Article Tier 2

Potential risk of co-occurrence of microplastics and chlorinated persistent organic pollutants to coastal wetlands: Evidence from a case study

Researchers investigated the co-occurrence of microplastics and chlorinated persistent organic pollutants in coastal wetlands of Zhejiang, China, finding microplastics in 100 percent of samples. Although wetland microplastic levels were lower than other land types, the plastics showed strong capacity to adsorb and concentrate toxic organic chemicals. The study highlights the combined contamination risk that microplastics and persistent pollutants pose to sensitive coastal ecosystems.

2023 Environmental Pollution 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution and characteristics of microplastics in 16 benthic organisms in Haizhou Bay, China: Influence of habitat, feeding habits and trophic level

Researchers examined microplastic contamination in 16 species of bottom-dwelling marine organisms in Haizhou Bay, China, and found plastics in every species tested, averaging about 9 particles per individual. The type of habitat, feeding strategy, and position in the food chain all influenced how much microplastic each species accumulated. The study confirms that benthic organisms are reliable indicators of microplastic pollution and that contamination is at a moderately high level by international standards.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics contamination in tidelands of the Osaka Bay area in western Japan

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in the mudflats of four Osaka Bay tidelands in Japan, finding that concentrations in sediment increased with proximity to urban areas, and detected microplastics in 10% of bivalves, 6.7% of crabs, and in the stomach of a tufted duck. The results suggest biomagnification potential in the food web, with higher-order predators potentially accumulating greater microplastic loads in tideland ecosystems near cities.

2019 Water and Environment Journal 27 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

Microplastics in sediments of the Changjiang Estuary, China

Researchers sampled sediments in the Changjiang Estuary and found microplastics throughout, with concentrations and polymer types reflecting inputs from the Yangtze River and coastal human activities.

2017 Environmental Pollution 774 citations
Article Tier 2

A review of microplastic pollution in seawater, sediments and organisms of the Chinese coastal and marginal seas

This review compiled microplastic abundance and characteristics data from seawater, sediments, and marine organisms across China's coastal and marginal seas, finding widespread contamination linked to China's extensive plastic production and mismanaged waste streams.

2021 Chemosphere 211 citations
Article Tier 2

Distinct microplastic patterns in the sediment and biota of an urban stream

Researchers found distinct microplastic contamination patterns between sediments and aquatic biota in an urban stream, with sediments accumulating more particles while biota showed selective uptake based on particle size and shape, highlighting the complex dynamics of microplastic distribution in urban freshwater systems.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatial Distribution, Key Influencing Factors, and Ecological Risk of Microplastics in Pearl River Estuary Water and Sediments

Researchers mapped the distribution of microplastics in the water and sediments of the Pearl River Estuary in China and identified the key factors driving contamination levels. Fibers were the most common microplastic type found, and human activity along the coast strongly influenced pollution patterns. The study also assessed ecological risks and provides a framework for understanding how microplastics accumulate in heavily populated estuarine environments.

2025 Water 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in the Belawan Estuary, Indonesia: Evidence from aquatic biota and polymer characterization

Researchers investigated microplastic pollution in the Belawan Estuary, Indonesia, by sampling aquatic biota and characterizing polymer types using spectroscopic methods. They found widespread microplastic contamination across multiple species, with polymer composition reflecting local plastic waste sources and demonstrating bioaccumulation of microplastics through the estuarine food web.

2025 Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity
Article Tier 2

Characteristics, influencing factors, and ecological risks of microplastics in the north branch tidal marshes of the Yangtze River estuary

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in tidal marshes at the Yangtze River estuary and found an average of about 507 particles per kilogram of sediment. The distribution was strongly influenced by salinity and vegetation type, with freshwater areas dominated by reeds containing more microplastics than saltwater zones. The study highlights how seawater intrusion and plant communities shape where microplastics accumulate in these ecologically sensitive coastal wetlands.

2025 Environmental Pollution 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic-associated bacterial assemblages in the intertidal zone of the Yangtze Estuary

Researchers used high-throughput DNA sequencing to profile bacterial communities colonizing microplastics in the intertidal zone of China's Yangtze Estuary, finding that plastisphere community composition reflected the particles' sedimentary versus aquatic origins and included keystone taxa adapted to surface-colonization as well as potential pathogens hitchhiking on plastic surfaces.

2017 The Science of The Total Environment 356 citations