Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Occurrence and sources of micro-plastics in various water bodies, sediments, and fishes in Ansan, South Korea.

This study measured microplastic contamination in four rivers, waterways, sediments, and fish in Ansan, South Korea, finding strong correlations between plastic levels in the water and in carp and river crabs. The results confirm that microplastics transfer from aquatic environments into freshwater organisms, raising concerns about food safety for people consuming locally caught fish and shellfish.

2023 Environmental science and pollution research international
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and characteristics of microplastics in fish of the Han River, South Korea: Factors affecting microplastic abundance in fish

Microplastics were detected in 106 fish from 22 species at three sites in South Korea's Han River, with an average of 16-20 particles per individual and downstream sites showing the highest contamination, reflecting greater human activity and urban inputs near the river mouth.

2021 Environmental Research 57 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence of microplastics in the Han River and riverine fish in South Korea

Researchers surveyed microplastic pollution in the Han River and its tributaries in South Korea, as well as in six species of freshwater fish. They found microplastics at all sampling sites, with polyethylene, silicone, and polystyrene being the most common polymer types. Fish intestines contained an average of 22 microplastic particles per individual, predominantly fragments, indicating widespread contamination of the freshwater food web.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 329 citations
Article Tier 2

Distributions of Microplastics in Surface Water, Fish, and Sediment in the Vicinity of a Sewage Treatment Plant

Researchers examined the spatial and temporal distribution of microplastics in surface water, fish, and sediment upstream and downstream of a sewage treatment plant (STP) discharging into the Tanchon stream in South Korea. They found that the STP was a significant point source of microplastics, with downstream concentrations elevated in water and sediment, and microplastics detected in fish gut contents at both sites.

2020 Water 96 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic characterization in small freshwater fishes collected in Gyeongan-cheon, a tributary stream of Han River in South Korea: Ingestion and depuration study of Nylon

Researchers characterized microplastic distribution in freshwater fishes from Gyeongan-cheon, a Han River tributary in South Korea, finding 34-284 particles per individual with fibers and fragments predominating, and conducted nylon ingestion and depuration experiments to assess clearance rates.

2024 Environmental Pollution 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in Surabaya River Water and Aquatic Biota, Indonesia

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in the Surabaya River and its aquatic organisms in Indonesia, finding MPs in water, sediment, and multiple fish species, with fiber concentrations highest near densely populated urban areas and fish tissue contamination raising concerns for human exposure through seafood consumption.

2021 IOP Conference Series Materials Science and Engineering 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Distribution and Characteristics in Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) from Han River, South Korea

Researchers examined microplastic distribution in common carp from the Han River in South Korea, analyzing contamination in gills, intestines, and muscle tissue. The study found microplastics present across all tissue types, with fibers being the most common form, suggesting that this widely consumed fish species may represent a pathway for human exposure to microplastics.

2023 Water 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics Contamination in Wild Fish Caught from Urbanised Sepanggar River of Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

Researchers examined microplastic contamination in wild fish caught from the urbanized Sepanggar River in Malaysia, finding MPs in all sampled fish with polymer types consistent with urban runoff, domestic sewage, and fishing gear as dominant sources.

2025 Journal of Tropical Biology & Conservation (JTBC)
Article Tier 2

Assessment of microplastics pollution in aquatic species (fish, crab, and snail), water, and sediment from the Buriganga River, Bangladesh: An ecological risk appraisals

Researchers assessed microplastic pollution across water, sediment, fish, crab, and snail from Bangladesh's Buriganga River, finding widespread contamination with fibers and fragments along with elevated heavy metal concentrations on microplastic surfaces.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 147 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in water, sediment and fish from the Fengshan River system: Relationship to aquatic factors and accumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by fish

Microplastics were found throughout the Fengshan River system in Taiwan in water, sediment, and fish, with demersal fish at higher trophic levels accumulating more particles, and high concentrations of harmful PAH compounds also found in fish muscle. The study connects microplastic distribution to river pollution indicators and fish feeding ecology.

2020 Environmental Pollution 245 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in rivers: a survey from the Nan River, Thailand

A survey of the Nan River in northern Thailand found microplastics in surface water, sediment, and the gastrointestinal tracts of five aquatic species including fish and snails, with polypropylene, nylon, and acrylic polymers most common. The presence of microplastics across multiple ecosystem compartments and aquatic organisms highlights the ecological risks in this biodiversity-important river system and the need for expanded freshwater monitoring in Southeast Asia.

2024 The Lancet Planetary Health 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigation of microplastic ingestion in commercial fish from Surabaya river, Indonesia

Researchers examined microplastic contamination in commercial fish species from the Surabaya River in Indonesia, a major urban waterway used for both clean water supply and fisheries. They found microplastics present in all fish studied, with variations in abundance linked to feeding behavior and habitat. The findings raise concerns about food safety for communities that rely on river fish as a dietary staple.

2023 Environmental Pollution 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in the sediments of small-scale Japanese rivers: Abundance and distribution, characterization, sources-to-sink, and ecological risks

Researchers characterized microplastic pollution in sediments of four small-scale Japanese rivers, finding widespread contamination and identifying polymer types and potential sources, highlighting that even small river systems serve as microplastic transport pathways.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 109 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in freshwater wild and farmed fish species of Bangladesh

Researchers evaluated microplastic contamination in freshwater wild and farmed fish species across multiple rivers and farms in Bangladesh, comparing contamination levels between wild-caught and aquaculture-raised fish of the same species.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Presence of Microplastics in Water, Sediment, and Fish in Ancar Rivers Mataram City, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Microplastics were detected in water, sediment, and fish samples from the Ancar River in Mataram City, Indonesia, with fish inadvertently ingesting plankton-sized plastic particles—demonstrating microplastic contamination in a freshwater urban river system and its transfer into local fish species consumed by residents.

2025 Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries
Article Tier 2

Spatiotemporal distribution and annual load of microplastics in the Nakdong River, South Korea

Microplastics were measured seasonally and spatially throughout the Nakdong River in South Korea, finding 293–4,760 particles/m³ in water and 1,970 particles/kg in sediment, with concentrations three times higher at the surface than mid-water in downstream areas and an estimated annual load of 15.45 billion particles to the sea. The study provides comprehensive temporal and spatial microplastic flux data for a major Korean river.

2019 Water Research 556 citations
Article Tier 2

Different land uses influenced on characteristics and distribution of microplastics in Qarasu Basin Rivers, Gorgan Bay, Caspian Sea

Researchers surveyed microplastics in sediments and fish from rivers in the Qarasu Basin flowing into the Caspian Sea across three land use types: forest, residential, and agricultural. Agricultural areas showed the highest microplastic concentrations in both sediments and fish, and 87% of all fish examined contained microplastics.

2022 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Tracing the invisible microplastics in river water and fish organs and its implication of riverine ecosystem integrity

Researchers analyzed microplastics in river water and fish organ tissues from a river in South Asia, finding contamination throughout the aquatic food web. The study used the plastisphere framework to discuss how microbial communities colonizing microplastics may influence particle fate and biological effects.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
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

Abundance, distribution and composition of microplastics in sediment and fish species from an Urban River of Bangladesh

Researchers examined microplastic contamination in both river sediment and fish from the Turag River in Bangladesh, which separates an industrial city from the capital Dhaka. They found microplastics in all sediment and fish gut samples, with fragment-type particles dominating in sediment and fibers most common in fish. The study highlights that urban rivers in densely populated areas can serve as significant conduits of microplastic exposure for both aquatic life and the people who consume river fish.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 85 citations
Article Tier 2

Temporal and spatial distribution of microplastic in the sediment of the Han River, South Korea

The first comprehensive survey of microplastic temporal and spatial distribution in Han River sediment in South Korea found microplastics at all sites with concentrations varying by season and proximity to urban areas, with polyethylene and polypropylene fragments and fibers as the dominant types.

2023 Chemosphere 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and characterization of microplastic content in the digestive system of riverine fishes

Researchers found microplastics in 93.8% of riverine fish examined, with polystyrene, polyethylene, and nylon being the most common polymer types concentrated near urban and industrial areas, and small particles (0.025-1 mm) predominating across species.

2021 Journal of Environmental Management 32 citations
Article Tier 2

Evidence of microplastic contamination in the food chain: an assessment of their presence in the gastrointestinal tract of native fish

Researchers found microplastics, mainly polyethylene and polypropylene, in the guts of fish from the Swat and Kabul rivers in Pakistan. These rivers are primary freshwater sources for the region, and the contaminated fish are regularly consumed by local communities. The findings confirm that freshwater fish from polluted rivers are a pathway for microplastic exposure in people's diets.

2024 Italian Journal of Food Science 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification and Quantification of Microplastic Pollution in Water Samples and Four Species of Fish from the Mississippi River

Microplastics were found in water samples and in four fish species from the Mississippi River, the largest North American river draining a densely populated watershed. The findings confirm that one of the world's major river systems is contaminated with microplastics, which are likely entering the Gulf of Mexico.

2020 4 citations