Papers

61,005 results
|
Review Tier 2

A review of polybrominated diphenyl ethers and novel brominated flame retardants in Chinese aquatic environment: Source, occurrence, distribution, and ecological risk assessment

Researchers reviewed a decade of data on polybrominated diphenyl ethers and related brominated flame retardants in Chinese surface water and sediment, tracing their entry pathways (including microplastic decomposition) and finding that the highest contamination risk is concentrated near coastal e-waste dismantling sites.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 54 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and Risk Assessment of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers in Surface Water and Sediment of Nahoon River Estuary, South Africa

Researchers measured polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) — toxic flame retardants commonly added to plastics and electronics — in surface water and sediment of the Nahoon River estuary in South Africa. PBDE levels exceeded safety guidelines at some sites and varied seasonally, likely due to runoff patterns. These findings highlight plastic-associated chemical contamination as a significant pollution problem in South African coastal environments.

2021
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and ecological risks of organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in a semi-enclosed urban watershed

Researchers measured organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in the water and sediment of a semi-enclosed coastal watershed in China influenced by industrial and agricultural activities. They found that thermoplastics were the primary source of PCB contamination, contributing over 57% of detected levels, while certain pesticides and PCBs posed ecological risks to aquatic organisms. The study underscores the need for continued monitoring in areas where industrial and agricultural pollution converge in coastal waters.

2025 Frontiers in Marine Science 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence, spatial distribution, and main source identification of ten bisphenol analogues in the dry season of the Pearl River, South China

Researchers detected ten bisphenol analogues in surface water from China's Pearl River, finding that BPA and BPS together accounted for 68% of total bisphenol load and tracing their sources to domestic wastewater, treatment plant effluent, and microplastic leaching, with combined estrogenic activity posing low-to-medium environmental risk.

2022 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 61 citations
Article Tier 2

Selected legacy and emerging organic contaminants in sediments of China's Yangtze – the world's third longest river: Response to anthropogenic activities

Researchers conducted the first extensive survey of legacy and emerging organic contaminants in sediments along the entire Yangtze River. They found that pharmaceuticals and personal care products were the dominant contaminants, followed by polychlorinated biphenyls, neonicotinoid pesticides, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers. The study links contamination levels to anthropogenic activities such as urbanization, agriculture, and industrial discharge along different stretches of the river.

2024 Environmental Pollution 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Analysis of the Spatial Distribution Characteristics of Emerging Pollutants in China

Researchers mapped the spatial distribution of four types of emerging pollutants in China's water environment, including microplastics, endocrine disruptors, brominated flame retardants, and perfluorinated compounds. They found that pollution levels correlate with regional economic development, with the Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta, and Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region showing significantly higher contamination. The study provides a reference framework for emerging pollutant prevention and control across China.

2023 Water 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance, Composition, and Potential Ecological Risks of Microplastics in Surface Water at Different Seasons in the Pearl River Delta, China

Researchers measured microplastic abundance, composition, and ecological risk in surface water of the Pearl River Delta across different seasons, finding spatially uneven distribution with some sites showing far higher concentrations than others. Ecological risk scores were highest at sites near industrial zones and dense urban areas.

2022 Water 19 citations
Article Tier 2

PAEs and PBDEs in plastic fragments and wetland sediments in Yangtze estuary

Researchers quantified phthalates (PAEs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in plastic fragments and wetland sediments from the Yangtze Estuary, finding ΣPAE concentrations of 26.8-4241.8 µg/g and ΣPBDE concentrations up to 250.1 µg/g in plastic samples, confirming that plastic debris acts as a reservoir for these hazardous additives in estuarine environments.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 80 citations
Article Tier 2

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) in UrbanStream Sediments from Suzhou Industrial Parkin China: Occurrence and Potential Risk

Researchers investigated polychlorinated biphenyl concentrations in urban stream sediments from Suzhou Industrial Park, China, finding PCB levels ranging from 0.13-4.7 ng/g dominated by tetra- and hexa-PCBs, with potential toxicity and ecological risk assessed as negligible based on toxic equivalency and sediment quality guidelines.

2022 Polish Journal of Environmental Studies 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and distribution of microplastics and polychlorinated biphenyls in sediments from the Qiantang River and Hangzhou Bay, China

Researchers investigated the co-occurrence and spatial distribution of microplastics and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in sediments of the Qiantang River and Hangzhou Bay in China, finding microplastic concentrations were highest in urban river sections and identifying correlations between microplastic abundance and PCB levels.

2020 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 101 citations
Article Tier 2

Pollution status of microplastics in the freshwater environment of China: a mini review

This review assessed microplastic pollution in China's freshwater environments including rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, finding widespread contamination in surface waters, sediments, and biota with variations linked to population density and industrial activity.

2022 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Seasonal variations of microplastics in surface water and sediment in an inland river drinking water source in southern China

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in surface water and sediment of a southern China river used as a drinking water source during both flooding and dry seasons. They found microplastic abundances were generally higher during the dry period, with fibers being the dominant type and polyethylene the most common polymer. The study suggests that seasonal hydrological changes significantly affect microplastic distribution in inland drinking water sources.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 54 citations
Article Tier 2

Characteristics, drivers and ecological risk assessment of microplastics in the surface water of urban rivers in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area cities - A case study of Dongguan city

Researchers investigated microplastic characteristics and ecological risks in surface water of three urban rivers in Dongguan City within the Greater Bay Area of southern China. They found that average microplastic abundance during the wet season was 4.7 times higher than the dry season, with industrial activity along riverbanks driving the differences in contamination. Risk assessments indicated medium-high to high ecological risk classifications for the rivers studied.

2024 Environmental Pollution 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Environmental Behaviors, Ecological Risks, and Toxic Mechanisms of Emerging and Legacy Contaminants in China: From Distribution to Management

Researchers reviewed the environmental distribution, ecological risks, and toxic mechanisms of both emerging and legacy contaminants in China's aquatic environments, examining how industrialization and urbanization drive the co-occurrence and combined pollution that threatens ecosystem integrity and human health.

2026 Toxics
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in mangrove sediments of the Pearl River Estuary, South China: Correlation with halogenated flame retardants' levels

Microplastic concentrations in Pearl River Estuary mangrove sediments were high by global standards, averaging 851 items per kilogram, and significantly correlated with population density and GDP in the region. Several types of halogenated flame retardants in the sediments were also correlated with microplastic abundance, suggesting shared pollution sources.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 146 citations
Article Tier 2

Hydrophobic organic contaminants affiliated with polymer-specific microplastics in urban river tributaries and estuaries

Researchers measured hydrophobic organic contaminants affiliated with different types of floating microplastics collected from tributaries and estuaries in the Pearl River Delta, South China. The study found that contaminants were highly concentrated in microplastics, with polyethylene carrying the largest share of pollutant outflow to coastal waters, suggesting that microplastics serve as significant transport vectors for toxic chemicals in aquatic environments.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in China's inland water systems: A review of findings, methods, characteristics, effects, and management

This review synthesized findings on microplastic pollution across China's inland water systems — rivers, lakes, and reservoirs — documenting widespread contamination and identifying gaps in monitoring methods and research coverage.

2018 The Science of The Total Environment 511 citations
Article Tier 2

Risk Assessment of Phthalate Esters in Baiyangdian Lake and Typical Rivers in China

Researchers assessed phthalate ester contamination in Baiyangdian Lake and surrounding rivers in China, finding widespread distribution of these endocrine-disrupting chemicals at concentrations that pose ecological risks to aquatic organisms, particularly during warmer seasons.

2023 Toxics 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Temporal and spatial variation of microplastics in the urban rivers of Harbin

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in two urban rivers in Harbin, China, across both dry and wet seasons. The study found that polypropylene and polyethylene were the dominant polymers in surface water, while PVC and PET were most common in sediment, with domestic wastewater and rainfall runoff as the main sources. Evidence indicates that riparian vegetation along the riverbanks helped reduce microplastic migration through natural filtration processes.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 45 citations
Article Tier 2

New brominated flame retardant decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) in water sediments: A review of contamination characteristics, exposure pathways, ecotoxicological effects and health risks

This review examines DBDPE, a newer flame retardant chemical that is increasingly found in water sediments worldwide as it replaces older banned compounds. Evidence indicates that DBDPE concentrations are rising rapidly and the chemical poses ecological and health risks through bioaccumulation in aquatic food chains. The findings are relevant to microplastic research because flame retardants are common plastic additives that leach into the environment.

2023 Environmental Pollution 43 citations
Article Tier 2

Parabens, Triclosan and Bisphenol A in Surface Waters and Sediments of Baiyang Lake, China: Occurrence, Distribution, and Potential Risk Assessment

Researchers measured concentrations of parabens, triclosan, and bisphenol A in the water and sediments of Baiyang Lake in China. They found these chemicals were widespread throughout the lake, with levels varying by location and season. The study suggests that the contamination poses a potential ecological risk to aquatic organisms in the freshwater lake system.

2023 Toxics 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Organic pollutants in sedimentary microplastics from eastern Guangdong: Spatial distribution and source identification

Researchers examined the spatial distribution and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and organochlorine pesticides sorbed to microplastic pellets, fragments, and foam collected from eastern Guangdong beaches, evaluating whether pellets alone can serve as reliable proxies for global monitoring of hydrophobic organic contaminants.

2020 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 65 citations
Article Tier 2

A case study of distribution and characteristics of microplastics in surface water and sediments of the seas around Shenzhen, southern coastal area of China

This study characterized microplastics in surface water and sediments at 14 sites in the seas around Shenzhen, China, finding concentrations of 3.8 to 7.8 particles per liter in water and 26,000 to 100,000 particles per kilogram in sediments. Fibers and films dominated, polyethylene was the main polymer, and ecological risk was assessed as high, with microplastic abundance correlating with urbanization rate.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 54 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