Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in urban stormwater inlet sediments influenced by land use type of runoff drainage area

Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in urban stormwater inlet sediments across different land use types in Ma'anshan City, China. They found microplastics present in all locations, with sediments near main roads showing the highest contamination at over 1,100 items per kilogram, roughly double that of other land use types. The study reveals that polypropylene was the dominant polymer across all areas, and that the characteristics of microplastic pollution vary systematically with surrounding land use patterns.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Urban pipeline rainwater runoff is an important pathway for land-based microplastics transport to inland surface water: A case study in Beijing

This study characterized microplastics in urban rainwater pipeline runoff draining from different land-use types, finding that pipelines are an important but understudied pathway for transporting land-based microplastics to surface water. Abundance and polymer composition varied by land use, with commercial and road-adjacent catchments showing the highest loads.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 58 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in sophisticated urban river systems: Combined influence of land-use types and physicochemical characteristics

This study assessed microplastic pollution across an urban river network in China, finding that land-use type and water physicochemical properties jointly influence microplastic distribution, with industrial and residential areas contributing highest loads.

2021 Environmental Pollution 50 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics discharged from urban drainage system: Prominent contribution of sewer overflow pollution

Researchers evaluated the abundance and distribution of microplastics in urban drainage systems in coastal Chinese cities, with a focus on sewer overflow events during storms. The study found that overflow pollution during wet weather is a prominent contributor to microplastic discharge into urban water bodies, with meteorological conditions and land use patterns significantly influencing microplastic transport and release.

2023 Water Research 79 citations
Article Tier 2

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of microplastics in runoff sediments and their correlation with land use and occupation in an urban area in the city of Bauru-SP

Researchers analysed the qualitative and quantitative distribution of microplastics in urban runoff sediments across different land use categories in Bauru, Sao Paulo, Brazil, including social housing, traditional residential, high-income residential, commercial, and industrial zones. Results indicated that microplastic abundance in transported sediments correlated with land use intensity, with more densely populated and active areas generating higher microplastic loads entering urban drainage networks.

2025 LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas)
Article Tier 2

Characterization of microplastics accumulated in sediments of stormwater detention basins, in relation to the land use patterns in the contributing catchment.

Microplastics in stormwater detention basin sediments were characterized and linked to surrounding land use, with roads and residential areas contributing the highest concentrations and most diverse plastic types.

2023
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in sediments of urban rainwater drainage system

Researchers found microplastics in all sediment samples from a university campus rainwater drainage system, with abundances ranging from 80 to 2,610 particles/kg and the highest concentrations in student living areas, suggesting that land use patterns and management practices influence microplastic accumulation in urban stormwater infrastructure.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 13 citations
Article Tier 2

The abundance and characteristics of microplastics in rainwater pipelines in Wuhan, China

Microplastic abundance and characteristics were analyzed in rainwater pipelines draining different land-use areas in Hongshan District, Wuhan, China. The study found microplastics throughout the rainwater drainage network, identifying urban stormwater runoff as a significant pathway for transporting microplastics from land to freshwater bodies.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 169 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Road Sediment of Typical Urban Districts of Beijing: Characteristics and Risk Assessment

Researchers characterized microplastics in road sediments from five functional urban districts in Beijing's Daxing area—business, traffic, residential, leisure, and cultural zones—and compared contamination levels and polymer profiles. Business areas had the highest concentrations at up to 8,680 particles per kilogram, with polypropylene and polyethylene dominating across all zones.

2025
Article Tier 2

Spatial Distribution of Microplastics and Mesoplastics in Sediments across Hsinchu, Taiwan

This study mapped the spatial distribution of microplastics in sediments across urban, suburban, and rural sites in Hsinchu City, Taiwan, finding that microplastics were most abundant near the urban core and near riverine discharge points. The findings indicate that urban plastic use and stormwater runoff are primary drivers of sediment microplastic contamination.

2023 Journal of Student Research
Article Tier 2

Stormwater runoff microplastics: Polymer types, particle size, and factors controlling loading rates

Researchers characterized microplastics in stormwater runoff samples collected at urban outfall locations. The study identified 17 different polymer types across various storm events, with concentrations around 0.99 particles per liter for the 500-1000 micrometer size range, and found that rainfall intensity and land use were key factors controlling microplastic loading rates.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 17 citations
Article Tier 2

[Composition and Distribution of Microplastics in the Water and Sediments of Urban Rivers in Beijing].

Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in water and sediments from eight sampling points along urban rivers in Beijing. Microplastics were widespread, with fibers being the most common type, likely from laundry and textile sources. Urban rivers are important conduits that transport microplastics from cities into larger water bodies and ultimately the ocean.

2021 PubMed 1 citations
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

Microplastics profile in a typical urban river in Beijing

Researchers profiled microplastic pollution along the Qing River, a typical urban river in Beijing receiving effluent from four wastewater treatment plants, investigating how discharged microplastics distribute and transform as they move through an urban riverine system.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 90 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Transport and Accumulation in Rural Waterbodies: Insights from a Small Catchment in East China

Microplastics were sampled from drainage ditch sediments across forest, agricultural, horticultural, and urban areas in a Nanjing catchment, finding 922 MP particles of six dominant polymer types with concentrations varying by land use and pond connectivity within the catchment.

2024 Toxics 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Land use-based characterization and source apportionment of microplastics in urban storm runoffs in a tropical region

Urban stormwater runoff in a tropical monsoon region contained 4.7 particles/L and 3.8 mg/L microplastics on average, with concentrations following land use order of industrial > transportation > commercial > residential, and approximately 85% of sources identifiable by morphology and polymer type.

2023 Environmental Pollution 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in the surface sediments from the Beijiang River littoral zone: Composition, abundance, surface textures and interaction with heavy metals

Researchers characterized microplastics in surface sediments from the Beijiang River in China, finding widespread contamination with characteristics indicating multiple local sources including urban runoff and agricultural activity.

2016 Chemosphere 780 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution Characteristics of Microplastics in Domestic Sewage Waters: A Case Study in Guilin City, China

Researchers collected water samples from 20 sewage outlets in Guilin, China, to characterize microplastic abundance, morphology, and size distribution, and applied multivariate statistical analysis to identify hydrochemical factors influencing microplastic concentrations. The case study provides spatial data on domestic sewage as a microplastic source in a Chinese urban river system.

2024
Article Tier 2

Contribution of different land use catchments on the microplastic pollution in detention basin sediments

Researchers measured microplastic pollution in detention basin sediments receiving runoff from catchments with different land uses — residential, commercial, and industrial — finding that industrial catchments contributed the highest microplastic loads. Particle morphology differed by land use type, with industrial sites associated with more fragments and commercial areas with more fibres.

2024 Environmental Pollution 8 citations
Article Tier 2

The urban microplastic footprint: investigating the distribution and transport

Researchers investigated the distribution and transport of microplastics within an urban environment, mapping the 'urban microplastic footprint' to understand how city infrastructure and land use patterns drive the spatial distribution and downstream export of plastic particles to receiving water bodies.

2025
Article Tier 2

Influence of drainage infrastructure and land use on microplastic contamination in urban watersheds

This field study compared how different types of urban stormwater infrastructure — surface drains versus piped outfalls — contribute to microplastic contamination in streams across two watersheds with contrasting land uses (agricultural/forested versus residential/commercial). Microplastic concentrations and types differed between drainage types and land uses, with developed areas contributing more plastic particles overall. The findings point to stormwater infrastructure design as a lever for reducing the flow of microplastics from cities into freshwater ecosystems.

2025 Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic emission characteristics of stormwater runoff in an urban area: Intra-event variability and influencing factors

Researchers found that stormwater runoff from both industrial and residential urban catchments contained substantial microplastics (54–639 particles per liter), with polypropylene and polyethylene dominating, and that microplastic concentrations peaked early in rain events following longer dry periods.

2023 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatiotemporal dynamics of microplastics in urban stormwater runoff: Functional area effects and transport pathways (Shanghai, China)

During a heavy rainfall event in Shanghai, microplastic concentrations in stormwater peaked within just 5 minutes in dining areas (nearly 690 particles per liter), far exceeding residential and parking zones, driven by a pronounced first-flush effect. The results show that food-service land use is an underrecognized microplastic hotspot, with urban stormwater rapidly exporting these particles to waterways.

2026 Journal of Contaminant Hydrology
Article Tier 2

Characterizing microplastics in urban runoff: A multi-land use assessment with a focus on 1–125 μm size particles

Researchers collected stormwater runoff from three different urban land use types and found microplastics present across all sites, with significant variation in polymer types depending on the area. By using multiple detection techniques, they were able to identify particles as small as 1 micrometer, revealing that the smallest size fractions dominated the total count. The study emphasizes that urban runoff is a major pathway for microplastic pollution reaching waterways.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 18 citations