Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in lacustrine sediments in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau: Current status and transfer mechanisms

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in lacustrine sediments across the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, finding abundances ranging from 17 to 2,644 items/kg dry weight and identifying atmospheric deposition and river transport as key transfer mechanisms to these remote high-altitude lakes.

2022 China Geology 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution of microplastics in benthic sediments of Qinghai Lake on the Tibetan Plateau, China

Researchers mapped the distribution of microplastics in the bottom sediments of Qinghai Lake on the Tibetan Plateau, sampling from shore to center. The study found microplastics throughout the lake sediments even in this remote, high-altitude location, with abundance patterns influenced by factors such as tourism activity and water currents rather than simply decreasing from shore to center.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 47 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Small Ruminants I

A study in Guayas Province, Ecuador, found microplastics in every sample collected from 200 sheep feces, water, and feed samples, with water origin and feed category as the primary sources of microplastic contamination in small ruminant farming.

2025
Article Tier 2

Potential ecological risk of microplastics contamination to environment in protect area lakes

Researchers studied microplastic contamination in protected area lakes on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and found that even these remote, supposedly pristine environments contain microplastics. The study compared protected lakes with those outside protected areas and found contamination levels varied by region and economic development. This shows that microplastic pollution reaches even the most isolated freshwater sources, which could affect drinking water quality for surrounding communities.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in surface water and sediments of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau: Current status and causes

A survey of microplastic pollution across rivers and lakes on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau found surface water concentrations averaging 856 items/m³ and sediment concentrations averaging 362 items/m², with river sediments more contaminated than lake sediments and domestic wastewater and tourism identified as primary sources.

2021 China Geology 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Characteristics in Equus kiang (Tibetan Wild Ass) Feces and Soil on the Southern Tibetan Plateau, China

Researchers found microplastics in the feces of Tibetan wild asses and in soil on the remote Tibetan Plateau, one of the most isolated regions on Earth. The animals had about 25 times more microplastic particles in their feces than found in surrounding soil, mostly tiny fibers. This study demonstrates that microplastic contamination has reached even the most remote wildlife populations far from industrial activity.

2023 Environmental Science & Technology 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Prevalence of microplastics in animal-based traditional medicinal materials: Widespread pollution in terrestrial environments

Researchers found microplastics in all 20 types of traditional Chinese medicinal animal materials tested, with an average occurrence rate of 94.67% and polyethylene terephthalate (40.45%) as the dominant polymer. The findings indicate that terrestrial environments are significantly contaminated with microplastics and raise concerns about health exposure through traditional medicine consumption.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 84 citations
Article Tier 2

Alpine ponds as overlooked hotspots of microplastic hazards: Evidence from the Eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in alpine ponds on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau across zones of varying human activity, finding ubiquitous microplastic pollution (up to 594 items/L in water) that directly correlated with anthropogenic pressure, identifying high-altitude ponds as overlooked microplastic hotspots.

2025 Environmental Pollution
Article Tier 2

New insights into the distribution, potential source and risk of microplastics in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Researchers surveyed microplastic pollution across the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, one of the world's most remote regions, and found contamination in water, sediment, and soil samples. Water samples had the highest concentrations, averaging over 7,000 particles per cubic meter. The presence of microplastics even in this isolated high-altitude environment shows how far plastic pollution has spread globally.

2023 Environment International 59 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau lakes, China

Researchers surveyed microplastic pollution in lakes across two major Chinese plateaus and found contamination even in these remote, high-altitude environments. Lakes near more human activity (Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau) had significantly higher microplastic levels than the more remote Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, with sewage, agriculture, and fishing being the main sources. The study shows that microplastic pollution reaches even supposedly pristine environments, largely through human activity and atmospheric transport.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Characteristic study of microplastics distribution and response to human activities in nine highland lakes in Yunnan province

Researchers characterized microplastic distribution patterns across nine highland lakes in Yunnan Province, China, examining abundance, morphology, and polymer types while investigating how human activities influence contamination levels across lakes with differing land-use pressures. The study found that microplastic abundance correlated with proximity to human settlements and agricultural activity, with fibers and fragments as the dominant morphotypes across the surveyed lakes.

2022 International Journal of Health Sciences 3 citations
Article Tier 2

The occurrence of microplastics in farmland and grassland soils in the Qinghai-Tibet plateau: Different land use and mulching time in facility agriculture

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in farmland and grassland soils on the remote Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in China. The study found an average of about 50 microplastic particles per kilogram of soil, with plastic film and polyester being the most common types. Notably, longer use of plastic mulch in farming was linked to higher microplastic levels, suggesting that agricultural plastic use is a key source of soil contamination even in remote regions.

2021 Environmental Pollution 225 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification, characterization, and quantification of microplastics in water and sediments of high-altitude Himalayan Dal Lake

Scientists found tiny plastic particles called microplastics in both the water and bottom sediments of Dal Lake, a high-altitude lake in the Himalayas. This discovery is concerning because it shows plastic pollution has reached even remote mountain areas, and these microscopic plastic pieces can enter our food chain through fish and drinking water. The findings suggest that microplastic contamination is more widespread than previously thought, potentially affecting water sources that communities depend on for drinking and fishing.

2026 Environmental Research Water
Article Tier 2

Presence of Microplastics in Livestock Production: A Challenge for Animal Health and Sustainability

This review examines microplastic contamination in livestock production systems, summarizing evidence of microplastic presence in feed, water, and animal tissues, and discussing implications for animal health, food safety, and sustainability.

2025
Article Tier 2

Unmasking Microplastic Pollution: A Study on the Distribution and Impact of Microplastics in Yuehai Lake, China

This study surveyed microplastic characteristics and distribution across water samples from Yuehai Lake in China, finding widespread contamination with fragments and fibers, and identifying local anthropogenic activities and atmospheric deposition as primary sources.

2025 Science Letters
Article Tier 2

Multidimensional risk assessment and source analysis of micro- and nanoplastics in dairy cattle farms: An Inner Mongolia case study

Researchers investigated microplastic and nanoplastic pollution across nine large-scale dairy farms in Inner Mongolia, China, analyzing soil, feed, and atmospheric samples. They found that feed contained the highest microplastic abundance, with fragment-shaped particles smaller than 100 micrometers dominating all sample types. While all sites were assessed as low ecological risk, the study provides a comprehensive baseline for understanding plastic contamination sources in livestock farming environments.

2025 The Science of The Total Environment 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic assessment in remote and high mountain lakes of Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in eight remote, high-altitude lakes in the mountains of northern Pakistan, finding plastic particles in both water and sediment at all locations. Despite the lakes being far from major population centers, microplastics were present at measurable levels, likely transported by wind and water from lower elevations. The contamination of these pristine mountain lakes is concerning because they serve as water sources for local communities.

2024 Chemosphere 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of lakeshore landcover types and environmental factors on microplastic distribution in lakes on the Inner Mongolia Plateau, China

This study measured microplastic contamination in lakes across the Inner Mongolia Plateau and found levels ranging from 0.5 to 12.6 particles per liter in water, with polypropylene being the most common type. Lakes near farmland and human activity had the highest contamination, showing that agriculture and tourism are major sources of microplastic pollution. The findings are relevant because these lakes serve as water sources for surrounding communities.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 49 citations
Article Tier 2

An integrated evaluation of potentially toxic elements and microplastics in the highland soils of the northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Researchers conducted the first integrated assessment of toxic elements and microplastics in grassland and farmland soils on the northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. They found microplastic abundances ranging from 200 to over 3,600 particles per kilogram, with polypropylene dominating in grasslands and polyethylene in farmlands. The study reveals that even remote highland ecosystems on the Tibetan Plateau are not immune to microplastic contamination.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Potential risk of microplastics in plateau karst lakes: Insights from metagenomic analysis

Researchers surveyed microplastic pollution in remote alpine lakes on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau, finding concentrations of 20 to 59 particles per liter in water and up to 997 particles per kilogram in sediments. Using metagenomic analysis, they discovered that microplastic surfaces harbored distinct microbial communities carrying antibiotic resistance and virulence genes. The study suggests that even pristine high-altitude ecosystems are affected by microplastic contamination with potential ecological risks.

2025 Environmental Research 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of microplastic concentration on soil nematode communities on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau: Evidence from a field-based microcosms experiment

Researchers conducted a one-year field experiment on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to study how different concentrations of microplastics affect soil nematode communities. They found that nematode abundance and diversity showed a hump-shaped response, peaking at low microplastic concentrations but declining at higher levels, with the lowest biomass observed at the highest treatment. The study suggests that microplastics directly influence soil fauna communities, particularly fungivore and omnivorous nematodes, with implications for understanding ecological impacts on soil ecosystems.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in a Remote Lake Basin of the Tibetan Plateau: Impacts of Atmospheric Transport and Glacial Melting

Microplastics were found in a remote Tibetan Plateau lake basin and the researchers identified both long-range atmospheric transport and glacial meltwater as delivery pathways, with meltwater becoming an increasingly significant release mechanism as climate-driven glacier retreat accelerates.

2021 Environmental Science & Technology 97 citations
Article Tier 2

First insights into plastic and microplastic occurrence in biotic and abiotic compartments, and snow from a high-mountain lake (Carnic Alps)

This study provided first data on plastic and microplastic occurrence in both biotic and abiotic samples from high-mountain lakes on the Tibetan Plateau, one of the most remote freshwater ecosystems on Earth. Plastics larger than 5 mm and microplastics were found in lake water and biota, demonstrating that even pristine high-altitude freshwater systems are not free from plastic contamination.

2020 Chemosphere 132 citations
Article Tier 2

Analysis of microplastics in a remote region of the Tibetan Plateau: Implications for natural environmental response to human activities

Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in a remote region of the Tibetan Plateau and found plastic particles in surface water, sediment, and soil even in this sparsely populated area. Tourism was identified as the primary source of water contamination, while agriculture and historical industrial activity contributed to soil pollution. The study demonstrates that microplastic pollution from human activities extends even to some of the most remote environments on Earth.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 304 citations