Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Quantification and characterization of atmospheric microplastics in a coastal urban area of the city of Lima, Peru

This study quantified and characterized atmospheric microplastic deposition in a coastal urban area of Lima, Peru, finding that microplastics in the air are an emerging but understudied pollution problem in the region. The research addressed a gap in South American data on airborne microplastic behavior and distribution.

2024
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

Microplastics and suspended particles in a strongly impacted coastal environment: Composition, abundance, surface texture, and interaction with metal ions

Researchers analyzed suspended particulate matter composition and microplastic characteristics in the inner zone of Bahia Blanca Estuary, Argentina during winter, finding that microplastics interact with metal ions in this heavily impacted coastal environment and documenting for the first time the combined contamination profile of this industrial waterway.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 77 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of Atmospheric Microplastic Presence at the UPC Villa Campus, Chorrillos District, Lima – Peru

Researchers evaluated atmospheric microplastic deposition at the UPC Villa Campus in Lima, Peru, finding measurable microplastic concentrations in air samples from this urban environment. The study contributes early regional data on airborne microplastic transport and deposition dynamics in South American urban settings.

2025 Repositorio Académico UPC (Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas)
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

Atmospheric microplastics in rainfalls in the megacity of Hangzhou: Morphology, composition, and deposition flux

Microplastics in rainfall across Hangzhou, China were found in all wet deposition samples, with fibers dominating, and deposition flux correlated with rainfall intensity and industrial activity patterns — highlighting urban wet deposition as a significant microplastic transport pathway.

2025 Environmental Pollution 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and particulate matter: assessment of atmospheric pollution in the Region of Hortênsias, Brazil

Researchers measured microplastic concentrations alongside particulate matter in the atmosphere of an urban area, characterizing the size, morphology, and polymer composition of airborne plastic particles and assessing the contribution of different anthropogenic sources to atmospheric MP pollution.

2025 Revista Brasileira de Ciências Ambientais
Article Tier 2

Atmospheric microplastics at a southern China metropolis: Occurrence, deposition flux, exposure risk and washout effect of rainfall

Researchers measured airborne microplastics in Guangzhou, a major city in southern China, finding them throughout the year with higher levels during the rainy season. They estimated that adults in the city inhale tens of thousands of microplastic particles annually through normal breathing. Rainfall helped wash microplastics out of the air, but it also deposited them onto surfaces where they can enter water and soil, creating another pathway for human exposure.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 95 citations
Article Tier 2

Study of a stream in Argentina with a high concentration of microplastics: Preliminary analysis of the methodology

This study assessed microplastic concentrations in a stream in Argentina's Pampas region that receives urban wastewater, finding relatively high levels and developing optimal analysis protocols for local conditions. As one of the first such studies in Argentina, the findings highlight that microplastic contamination of freshwater is a global problem reaching South American rivers.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Temporal patterns in the abundance, type and composition of microplastics on the coast of the Río de la Plata estuary

Researchers monitored microplastic abundance, type, and composition monthly for one year in water and intertidal sediment at an urbanized site on the Río de la Plata estuary in Argentina, finding temporal patterns linked to environmental factors including river flow and seasonal variation.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 37 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

Atmospheric transport and deposition of microplastics in a subtropical urban environment

Researchers measured atmospheric wet and dry deposition of microplastics over one year in Guangzhou, China, a subtropical megacity. They found deposition fluxes ranging from 51 to 178 particles per square meter per day, with fibers, fragments, films, and microbeads all detected, indicating that atmospheric transport is a significant pathway for microplastic distribution in urban environments.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 265 citations
Article Tier 2

Characteristic of microplastics in the atmospheric fallout from Dongguan city, China: preliminary research and first evidence

Researchers characterized microplastics in atmospheric fallout collected in Dongguan City, China, finding that airborne microplastics are deposited daily and that urban areas generate significant atmospheric microplastic emissions.

2017 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 912 citations
Article Tier 2

Unexpected deposition by rainfall of globally transportable microplastics (<25 μm) hovering over the megacity of Beijing

Microplastics smaller than 25 micrometers were detected in rainfall in Beijing, confirming that precipitation is a significant pathway for depositing atmospheric microplastics back to Earth's surface in urban megacities.

2023 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Occurrence, distribution, and characterization of suspended microplastics in a highly impacted estuarine wetland in Argentina

Suspended microplastics were characterized in an estuarine wetland in Argentina, with fiber-dominated samples indicating textile and aquatic sources and seasonal variation in concentration linked to river discharge and wind patterns.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 76 citations
Article Tier 2

A nationwide monitoring of atmospheric microplastic deposition

Researchers conducted a year-long nationwide monitoring of atmospheric microplastic deposition across ten urban areas in Spain with varying population sizes, economic activities, and climates. The study provides a systematic quantification of airborne microplastic fallout, contributing to understanding the role of the atmosphere in the transport and distribution of microplastic pollution.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 44 citations
Article Tier 2

The deposition of atmospheric microplastics in Jakarta-Indonesia: The coastal urban area

Researchers characterized atmospheric microplastic deposition in Jakarta, Indonesia over 12 months, finding deposition rates of 3-40 particles per square meter per day with fibers as the dominant shape, and higher deposition during the rainy season compared to the dry season.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 128 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

Assessing urban microplastic pollution in a benthic habitat of Patagonia Argentina

Researchers assessed microplastic pollution in benthic environments near Puerto Madryn, Patagonia, finding microplastics present in mussels, small fishes, and bottom water at all sampled sites, with average concentrations of 1.6 items per gram wet weight in fish and 10.5 items per liter in bottom water.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 78 citations
Article Tier 2

The atmospheric microplastics deposition contributes to microplastic pollution in urban waters

Researchers investigated how atmospheric deposition contributes to microplastic pollution in urban waters. The study found that microplastic deposition fluxes were higher during wet weather than dry weather and showed moderate to strong correlations with atmospheric conditions, demonstrating that airborne microplastic fallout is a meaningful source of contamination in urban water environments.

2022 Water Research 217 citations
Article Tier 2

Land-ocean export of microplastic in central Chile: The contribution of the Biobío River using a particle tracking model approach

Researchers collected water samples across the entire Biobío River basin in Chile during summer and winter to quantify how many microplastics this major river delivers to the Pacific Ocean, finding concentrations roughly 20 times higher in winter due to rain-driven runoff. Particle tracking models confirmed the river as a significant land-to-ocean microplastic transport pathway. The work demonstrates that South American rivers, often understudied, are important contributors to ocean microplastic pollution, especially during seasonal rainfall events.

2025 Environmental Pollution 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic rain—Atmospheric microplastics deposition in urban and peri-urban areas of Patna City, Bihar, India: Distribution, characteristics, transport, and source analysis

Researchers measured microplastic particles falling from the sky in Patna, India, finding nearly 2,000 particles per square meter per day in urban areas. The plastic "rain" was mostly tiny fibers and fragments made of common plastics like PET and polypropylene. This study shows that breathing outdoor air is another way people are exposed to microplastics, especially in cities.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 77 citations
Article Tier 2

Atmospheric deposition of microplastics in shiraz, iran

Researchers measured atmospheric microplastic deposition during successive dry and rainy events over eight consecutive days at six sites in and around Shiraz, Iran, including a remote non-urbanised location. The study found that microplastic abundance and deposition flux increased progressively during dry periods and was similar across urban and remote sites, suggesting widespread atmospheric transport and redistribution of microplastics via rainfall scavenging.

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

Atmospheric deposition of microplastics in urban, rural, forest environments: A case study of Thulamela Local Municipality

Researchers measured airborne microplastic deposition across urban, rural, and forest areas in South Africa and found microplastics falling from the sky everywhere, with urban areas receiving the highest amounts at about 356 particles per square meter per day. This means people are continuously exposed to microplastics through the air they breathe, even in relatively remote locations.

2025 PLoS ONE 16 citations