Papers

61,005 results
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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

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

Spatiotemporal dynamics of microplastics in an urban river network area

Researchers investigated microplastic dynamics in an urban river network in eastern China, finding abundances of 2.3 to 104.6 particles per liter that were significantly higher during wet seasons and concentrated near commercial, industrial, and wastewater discharge areas.

2022 Water Research 161 citations
Article Tier 2

[Pollution Status and Pollution Behavior of Microplastic in Surface Water and Sediment of Urban Rivers].

Researchers surveyed microplastic pollution in surface water and sediments of eight rivers across urban and suburban areas of Shanghai, finding widespread contamination that varied by location and urbanization level. The study provides a detailed picture of how urban rivers act as pathways for microplastics moving from land to sea.

2020 PubMed 21 citations
Article Tier 2

[Microplastic Pollution Status and Ecological Risk Evaluation in Weihe River].

This Chinese study characterized microplastic abundance, shapes, sizes, colors, and polymer types in the Weihe River in northwest China. The findings document significant microplastic contamination in a major regional river that drains one of China's most densely populated agricultural areas, raising concerns about both ecosystem and human health.

2023 PubMed 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in Chinese Rivers: A detailed analysis of distribution, risk factors, and ecological impact

Researchers aggregated data from 2,474 microplastic samples across 165 publications to assess ecological risk in Chinese rivers, finding widespread contamination with average abundance varying substantially by watershed characteristics. A revised risk assessment accounting for particle morphology and polymer toxicity raised concern levels beyond previous estimates.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin 3 citations
Article Tier 2

[Basin Distribution and Ecological Risk of Microplastics in Surface Water Bodies in China].

A comprehensive analysis of data from China's ten major river basins (2014–2023) found microplastic contamination in rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and estuaries across the country, with microplastic abundance strongly correlating with population density and economic output. Polypropylene and polyethylene were the dominant polymers, and the Haihe River Basin near Beijing was classified as high ecological risk. The study also highlighted a major data gap: far less is known about microplastics in China's less-populated northwestern regions. These findings provide a national-scale picture of where microplastic pollution is most severe and what types of plastics are driving the ecological risk.

2025 PubMed 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution characteristics of microplastics in urban rivers in Chengdu city: The influence of land-use type and population and related suggestions

Researchers surveyed microplastic concentrations in urban rivers of Chengdu, China, finding MP abundances of 20-763 items per liter in water and linking higher concentrations to dense residential areas and industrial land use. Polyethylene and polypropylene fibers dominated the MP assemblage, consistent with textile laundering and household waste as primary sources.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 53 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

Spatial and Temporal Distribution Characteristics and Potential Sources of Microplastic Pollution in China’s Freshwater Environments

Researchers surveyed microplastic pollution across freshwater environments in 21 major Chinese cities and found an average concentration of about 3,500 particles per cubic meter. The most common types were fibers, and concentrations generally increased from western to eastern China, closely tracking levels of human activity. The study found that microplastic abundance peaked in summer, likely driven by increased rainfall washing particles into waterways.

2024 Water 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution Patterns of Microplastics Pollution in Urban Fresh Waters: A Case Study of Rivers in Chengdu, China

Researchers surveyed microplastic pollution in urban rivers of Chengdu, China, finding concentrations of 5 to 10.5 items per liter, predominantly transparent fragments and fibers, with spatial distribution influenced by urbanization and wastewater discharge.

2022 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence, potential sources, and ecological risk assessment of microplastics in the inland river basins in Northern China

Researchers surveyed microplastic pollution in a typical urban river system in Northern China, examining both surface water and sediment samples. They found that river sediments contained dramatically more microplastics than surface water, acting as a sink for this pollution, with polypropylene and polyethylene being the most common types. The study suggests that small fiber and fragment-shaped particles under 0.5 mm dominate these environments, likely originating from everyday plastic products and wastewater discharge.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Pollution in China’s Aquatic Systems: Spatial Distribution, Transport Pathways, and Controlling Strategies

This review synthesizes recent findings on microplastic pollution across China's rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and coastal waters. Researchers found that contamination levels vary dramatically by location, with urban waterways showing the highest concentrations and polypropylene and polyethylene being the most common polymer types. The study identifies rivers as major transport pathways carrying microplastics from inland areas to the sea and evaluates strategies for reducing this pollution.

2025 Microplastics 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Pollution characteristics and source analysis of microplastics in the Qiantang River in southeastern China

Researchers found that microplastic abundance in the Qiantang River near Hangzhou, China, ranged from 1.5 to 9.4 items per liter, with higher levels during dry periods and concentrations correlated with local GDP and industrial manufacturing activity.

2022 Chemosphere 111 citations
Article Tier 2

[Assessment of Microplastic Pollution and Estimation of Annual Emission Volume in the Dongshan Canal of Yichang City].

Researchers sampled the Dongshan Canal in the Chinese city of Yichang and found microplastic concentrations averaging around 5,000–7,300 particles per cubic meter, dominated by tiny fibers smaller than 0.5 mm made mostly of polyethylene and PET. The canal is estimated to transport roughly 3.4 tonnes of microplastics into the Yangtze River every year, with laundry wastewater, personal care products, and discarded plastics identified as the main sources. The study illustrates how urban waterways act as continuous conduits delivering microplastic pollution into major river systems.

2024 PubMed 2 citations
Article Tier 2

[Occurrence Characteristics and Ecological Risk Assessment of Microplastic Pollution in the Yellow River Basin].

Researchers examined the spatial distribution, composition characteristics, and ecological risks of microplastic pollution across the Yellow River Basin in China, assessing contamination levels in the nation's historically significant waterway system.

2025 PubMed
Article Tier 2

[Temporal and Spatial Distribution and Risk Assessment of Microplastics in Multiple Media of an Urban River].

Researchers collected water and sediment samples from the Guanzhong section of the Weihe River Basin during wet and dry seasons to characterize the temporal and spatial distribution and risk of microplastics in an urban river system. Using density flotation and multiple analytical methods, they systematically documented microplastic abundance, morphology, and polymer composition across multiple environmental media.

2025 PubMed
Article Tier 2

[Spatial and Temporal Variation Characterization and Variability of Microplastics in Water-borne River and Reservoir].

A study comparing microplastic levels in a river and a reservoir used as drinking water sources in Guangdong, China found meaningful differences in contamination patterns across seasons and locations. The findings underscore that drinking water source protection strategies need to account for microplastic pollution, as these particles can enter the water supply before treatment.

2026 PubMed
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

Source identification of microplastics in highly urbanized river environments and its implications for watershed management

Researchers identified the sources and pathways of microplastics entering highly urbanized rivers in the Shenzhen Bay watershed. The study found that 61.6% of annual microplastic loads came from point sources, with textile washing fibers accounting for over 92% of those, while nonpoint source contributions dominated during periods of heavy rainfall.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in inland freshwater environments with different regional functions: A case study on the Chengdu Plain

Researchers surveyed microplastic pollution in the Minjiang River as it flows through the Chengdu Plain in China, examining abundance, composition, shape, and size in both water and sediments. The study found serious microplastic contamination in urban sections of the river, with differences linked to regional functions such as industrial, agricultural, and residential land use patterns.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 64 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in the Yangtze River Basin: Heterogeneity of abundances and characteristics in different environments

Researchers compiled microplastic data from 624 sampling sites across the Yangtze River Basin covering water, sediment, soil, and biota, revealing heterogeneous contamination patterns driven by local land use, population density, and wastewater infrastructure.

2021 Environmental Pollution 112 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatial distribution and vertical characteristics of microplastics in the urban river: The case of Qinhuai River in Nanjing, China

Researchers investigated the spatial distribution and vertical characteristics of microplastics in the Qinhuai River in Nanjing, China. The study found an average concentration of about 668 microplastic items per liter, with abundance patterns varying between surface and deep water at different points along the river, and identified correlations between microplastic presence and shifts in microbial community structure.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 16 citations
Article Tier 2

The effects of riverside cities on microplastics in river water: A case study on the Southern Jiangsu Canal, China

Researchers studied microplastic contamination in the Southern Jiangsu Canal in China and found that riverside cities significantly increase microplastic levels in river water, with abundance rising by 26% to 211% after flowing through urban areas. The study found that microplastic concentrations correlated with regional GDP and population density, with PET, polycarbonate, and polyethylene being the most common polymer types detected.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 47 citations