Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Short-term microplastic effects on marine meiofauna abundance, diversity and community composition

Researchers examined short-term effects of microplastics on marine meiofauna, measuring changes in abundance, species diversity, and community composition after plastic addition, finding dose-dependent disruption to these ecologically important small invertebrates.

2024 PeerJ 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Organic enrichment can increase the impact of microplastics on meiofaunal assemblages in tropical beach systems

Researchers found that organic enrichment amplifies the negative impact of microplastics on meiofaunal assemblages in tropical beach sediments, with combined pollution causing greater diversity loss than either stressor alone.

2021 Environmental Pollution 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Impacts of macro - and microplastic on macrozoobenthos abundance in intertidal zone

This study assessed how macro- and microplastics affect the abundance of bottom-dwelling invertebrates in an intertidal zone, finding that plastic contamination is linked to reduced invertebrate diversity. The results highlight ecological impacts of plastic pollution in coastal ecosystems that provide food resources for humans.

2018 IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution on sandy beaches of Puerto Rico

Researchers sampled sand from six northern beaches of Puerto Rico to determine microplastic abundance and composition, documenting the extent of microplastic pollution on Caribbean island coastal beaches that are considered biodiversity hotspots.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 36 citations
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

Microplastic-induced shifts in bioturbation and oxygen penetration depth in subtidal sediments

This study examined how microplastics affect meiofauna -- organisms smaller than 500 micrometers living between sediment grains -- and their role in biogeochemical cycling including bioturbation and oxygen penetration in subtidal sediments. Results showed microplastics shifted meiofaunal community structure, with cascading effects on sediment oxygen dynamics.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance, composition, and distribution of microplastics in intertidal sediment and soft tissues of four species of Bivalvia from Southeast Brazilian urban beaches

Researchers found 100% microplastic contamination in intertidal sediments and four bivalve species from urbanized Brazilian beaches, identifying polypropylene, polyethylene, and PET polymers in organisms commonly consumed by humans.

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

Plastic pollution in marine ecosystems: spatiotemporal assessment in beach sediments of protected coastal areas

Researchers conducted a spatiotemporal assessment of plastic pollution including microplastics in beach sediments across 13 beaches in marine protected areas in Colombia and the Canary Islands, Spain, evaluating plastic debris under varying environmental conditions in ecologically sensitive coastal zones.

2025
Article Tier 2

Sediment grain size determines microplastic exposure landscapes for sandy beach macroinfauna

Researchers studied microplastic distribution across sandy beach zones to understand exposure landscapes for intertidal organisms. They found that sediment grain size, rather than beach zonation, was the primary factor determining microplastic abundance, providing important guidance for designing sampling surveys and assessing ecological risk from microplastic pollution on beaches.

2021 Environmental Pollution 60 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Occurrence in Relation to Sediment Granulometry Along the Central Caribbean Coast of Colombia

Scientists found tiny plastic pieces in beach sand along Colombia's coast, with amounts similar to polluted beaches worldwide. The type of sand affects how much plastic builds up - beaches with certain sand textures tend to collect more plastic pollution. This matters because microplastics can enter the food chain through sea life and potentially affect human health when we eat contaminated seafood.

2026
Article Tier 2

The influence of microplastics pollution on the feeding behavior of a prominent sandy beach amphipod, Orchestoidea tuberculata (Nicolet, 1849)

Microplastic pollution was found to reduce feeding activity and slow growth in a beach amphipod (small crustacean), even at environmentally relevant concentrations. This suggests microplastics can disrupt energy balance and population health in small invertebrates that play important roles in sandy beach ecosystems.

2019 Marine Pollution Bulletin 47 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics pollution on Colombian Central Caribbean beaches

Researchers conducted a baseline survey of microplastic contamination on Colombia's Central Caribbean Coast beaches, documenting MP types, sizes, and polymer compositions for the first time in that region and finding primarily secondary microplastics from fragmented larger debris.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 133 citations
Article Tier 2

Marine Litter Impact on Sandy Beach Fauna: A Review to Obtain an Indication of Where Research Should Contribute More

Researchers reviewed how marine litter interacts with sandy beach fauna, including entanglement, ingestion, and habitat effects. The review found that microplastic ingestion by beach invertebrates correlates with urbanization levels and sediment pollution, and that current research approaches have limitations in connecting laboratory exposure studies with real-world field conditions.

2022 Microplastics 64 citations
Article Tier 2

Can Microplastic Pollution Change Important Aquatic Bacterial Communities?

Microplastics in coastal sediments can change the composition of important bacterial communities that cycle nutrients and maintain ecosystem health. Microplastic-associated bacteria differ significantly from natural sediment bacteria, with potential consequences for the chemical processes these communities perform.

2021 Frontiers for Young Minds
Article Tier 2

>b/b<: distribution and levels of contamination on the benthic biodiversity

Researchers assessed environmental health of sandy beaches by measuring microplastic distribution and contamination levels in biological communities, finding that MP abundance correlated with beach use intensity and the presence of nearby stormwater outfalls.

2025
Article Tier 2

Abundance and distribution of microplastics on sandy beaches of Lima, Peru

This survey assessed microplastic pollution on four popular sandy beaches of Lima, Peru, sampling both intertidal and supralittoral zones. Microplastics were found at all sites, with fragments being the most common morphology, and concentrations varying across beach zones and locations.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 147 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodisponibilidad y bioacumulación de microplásticos en el zooplancton marino de un área marina protegida del Caribe

Researchers evaluated microplastic bioavailability and bioconcentration across seven zooplankton taxonomic groups in a Caribbean Marine Protected Area, finding microplastic ingestion during two contrasting hydroclimate seasons using oblique net tows at twelve stations.

2025 Revista de Biología Tropical
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in bivalves: First assessment in three coastal lagoons of the colombian caribbean, south america

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in bivalves from three coastal lagoons, finding that filter-feeding species readily accumulate particles from surrounding water and sediment. The study characterized particle types and polymer compositions across different lagoon environments.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Meta-analysis reveals differential impacts of microplastics on soil biota

Soil microplastic contamination ranged from 0.34 to over 410,000 items/kg across sites, and their presence significantly increased mortality rates and decreased individual numbers, diversity, and reproduction of soil organisms, though biomass was unaffected due to opposing effects on different organism groups.

2022 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 72 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance and characterization of microplastics on sandy beaches along the coastal area of Belize

Researchers quantified and characterized microplastic abundance on sandy beaches along the coastal zone of Belize, establishing baseline contamination data for a region of Central America and the Caribbean where such pollution assessments are critically lacking.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin