Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Uptake, growth, and oxidative stress responses of Rhizophora mucronata (Poir. in Lam.) propagules exposed to high-density polyethylene microplastics

Researchers exposed mangrove propagules to environmentally relevant concentrations of high-density polyethylene microplastics for three months and found that the particles accumulated on root surfaces and translocated into the shoot system. The microplastics caused significant reductions in root length, plant height, and foliar area, along with increased oxidative stress indicators. The study suggests that microplastic pollution poses a real threat to mangrove growth and could ultimately affect the diversity and productivity of mangrove forests.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution characteristics of microplastics in the soil of mangrove restoration wetland and the effects of microplastics on soil characteristics

Researchers measured microplastic distribution in soils of a mangrove restoration wetland with different planting densities, finding an average abundance of 217 MPs per kilogram of dry soil with higher concentrations in denser planting zones. MPs in the soil also altered wetland soil physicochemical properties including bulk density and organic matter content.

2022 Ecotoxicology 46 citations
Article Tier 2

Responses of mangrove (Kandelia obovata) growth, photosynthesis, and rhizosphere soil properties to microplastic pollution

Researchers found that polyethylene, polypropylene, and PVC microplastics significantly impaired mangrove (Kandelia obovata) root growth, photosynthesis, and soil microbial properties after 12 months of exposure, threatening mangrove ecosystem health.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 41 citations
Article Tier 2

Risk Assessment and Influence of Microplastics on mangrove forest soil: Sandwip Island, Chittagong, Bangladesh

This study assessed microplastic contamination and associated ecological risk in mangrove forest soils on Sandwip Island in Bangladesh, a region with limited prior MP research. The authors found widespread MP presence and elevated risk indices, linking contamination to nearby plastic waste sources and tidal transport.

2025
Article Tier 2

Are mangrove ecosystems plastic accumulation zones?

Researchers monitored macroplastic and microplastic pollution across nine mangrove sites on Cebu Island, Philippines, for over a year using paired removal and reference plots, finding that mangrove ecosystems function as significant plastic accumulation zones with differing dynamics between landward and seaward zones.

2025 The Science of The Total Environment
Article Tier 2

Widespread microplastic pollution in mangrove soils of Todos os Santos Bay, northern Brazil

Researchers found widespread microplastic pollution in mangrove soils around Todos os Santos Bay in Brazil, detecting contamination at multiple depths and distances from the tidal area, highlighting mangroves as previously overlooked sinks for microplastic accumulation.

2022 Environmental Research 91 citations
Article Tier 2

Accumulation of Plastics and Trace Elements in the Mangrove Forests of Bima City Bay, Indonesia

Researchers investigated microplastic and trace element pollution in mangrove soils and plant tissues across areas with varying levels of human activity in Bima Bay, Indonesia. They found that microplastic levels were highest near hotels and lowest in rural areas, with plant tissues selectively accumulating certain polymer types like polyamides. The results highlight that mangrove forests act as sinks for plastic pollution, with contamination levels closely tied to local human activity.

2023 Plants 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing microplastic contamination levels in ghana's mangrove wetlands

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination levels in mangrove wetlands in Ghana, examining how mangrove tree morphology facilitates plastic accumulation and what concentrations and polymer types are present in these coastal ecosystems. The study addressed threats to mangrove ecological services including water quality improvement, carbon sequestration, and coastline protection posed by plastic pollution.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Increased risk of heavy metal accumulation in mangrove seedlings in coastal wetland environments due to microplastic inflow

When mangrove seedlings were grown in coastal sediments contaminated with polystyrene and polymethyl methacrylate microplastics, they accumulated significantly more heavy metals -- up to 548% more -- particularly in their roots. The microplastics triggered oxidative stress in the plants and altered how heavy metals moved through the soil. This is concerning because mangrove ecosystems are nurseries for many seafood species, and increased heavy metal uptake could enter coastal food webs.

2024 Environmental Pollution 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Anthropogenic marine debris and its dynamics across peri-urban and urban mangroves on Penang Island, Malaysia

Researchers tracked the accumulation of marine debris in urban and semi-urban mangroves on Penang Island, Malaysia, finding that debris abundance varied with season, tidal patterns, and proximity to urban areas. Mangroves act as debris traps, concentrating plastic waste including microplastics that filter through their root systems.

2019 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing microplastic contamination levels in ghana's mangrove wetlands

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination levels in Ghana's mangrove wetlands, examining how the morphology of mangrove root systems traps and accumulates plastic particles of all sizes and assessing the threat posed to these ecologically critical coastal ecosystems.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Hazards Associated with Plastic Wastes in the Communities of Niger Delta, Nigeria

A field study in Niger Delta communities measured plastic waste contamination in water, fish, sediment, and human blood samples, linking physicochemical anomalies to plastic pollution from local improper waste disposal.

2024 British Journal of Environmental Sciences
Article Tier 2

The Effects of Polyethylene Microplastic Accumulation on Rhizophora mucronata Seedling Survival in the Mangrove Ecosystem of South Jakarta

Scientists found that tiny plastic particles in soil dramatically reduce the survival of young mangrove trees, with survival rates dropping from 80% in clean soil to just 20% in heavily polluted soil. This matters because mangrove forests protect coastlines from storms and flooding while filtering water that eventually reaches humans. As plastic pollution increases in coastal areas, we could lose these natural barriers that help protect communities and clean our environment.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Mangroves as unique but understudied traps for anthropogenic marine debris: A review of present information and the way forward

This review examined mangroves as understudied traps for anthropogenic marine debris, noting that 18 of the top 20 plastic-emitting rivers are associated with mangrove coastlines. Mangroves efficiently accumulate debris through their dense root structures, yet are rarely included in coastal plastic monitoring programs.

2020 Environmental Pollution 140 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of mangrove forest structure and landscape on macroplastics capture

Researchers surveyed macroplastic accumulation across seven mangrove forests in the Philippines, finding 1.1 items per square meter on average with the highest abundance at landward zones and near river mouths. Mangrove biomass and root structure were positively correlated with plastic capture, confirming that mangrove structural complexity enhances their ability to trap land-derived plastic litter.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 22 citations
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Plastic pollution in mangrove ecosystems: A global meta-analysis

This meta-analysis pooled global data on plastic pollution in mangrove ecosystems and found that these critical coastal habitats act as natural plastic traps. Mangroves accumulate significant amounts of both large plastic debris and microplastics due to their complex root structures. Since mangroves serve as nurseries for fish and seafood species that people eat, plastic contamination in these ecosystems could affect the food chain.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution and retention of microplastics in plantation mangrove forest sediments

Researchers investigated the spatial distribution and retention of microplastics in sediments of plantation mangrove forests, finding that mangrove plantations act as effective sinks for microplastics transported by ocean tides, with particle size and shape influencing where plastics accumulate within the forest structure.

2022 Chemosphere 24 citations
Article Tier 2

The Effects of Polyethylene Microplastic Accumulation on Rhizophora mucronata Seedling Survival in the Mangrove Ecosystem of South Jakarta

Scientists found that tiny plastic particles in soil drastically reduced the survival of mangrove tree seedlings, with only 20% surviving in heavily polluted conditions compared to 80% in clean soil. This matters because mangrove forests act as natural barriers that protect coastal communities from storms and flooding, while also filtering pollution from water before it reaches the ocean. As microplastics continue to accumulate in our environment, they could damage these crucial ecosystems that help keep our coastlines and water supplies healthy.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Distribution and retention efficiency of micro- and mesoplastics and heavy metals in mangrove, saltmarsh and cordgrass habitats along a subtropical coast.

Researchers evaluated micro- and mesoplastic contamination and heavy metal retention in mangrove, invasive Kikuyu grass, and salt marsh coastal habitats. Mangroves showed the highest retention efficiency for both plastics and heavy metals, underscoring their critical role as pollution buffers in coastal ecosystems.

2025 Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)
Article Tier 2

Distinct microplastics abundance variation in root-associated sediments revealed the underestimation of mangrove microplastics pollution

This study characterized how microplastic abundance varies across root hair, rhizosphere, and non-rhizosphere zones in mangrove sediments, finding that root structures significantly influence microplastic trapping and migration patterns within mangrove ecosystems.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Initial assessment of the presence of plastic waste in some coastal mangrove forests in Vietnam

A survey of coastal mangrove forests in Vietnam found significant plastic waste accumulation, raising concerns for marine biodiversity and the coastal communities that depend on healthy mangrove ecosystems.

2023 Green Processing and Synthesis
Article Tier 2

Exponential increase of plastic burial in mangrove sediments as a major plastic sink

This study demonstrated that mangrove sediments are accumulating plastic at an exponential rate, sequestering plastics efficiently due to high sediment accretion rates in these coastal forests. The finding positions mangroves as a major long-term plastic sink that may help explain why less plastic is found in ocean surface waters than is estimated to enter the sea.

2020 Science Advances 284 citations
Article Tier 2

Invisible Peril: Assessing microplastic pollution in Ghanaian mangroves

This study assessed microplastic pollution in mangrove sediments in Ghana, measuring particle abundance, types, and polymer composition across multiple mangrove sites. Microplastics were ubiquitous in all sampled mangroves, with highest concentrations near urban and fishing communities.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Preliminary assessment of microplastic in rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere region of mangrove at four locations along Karachi coast, Pakistan

Researchers assessed microplastic distribution in rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere mangrove sediments at four sites along the Karachi coast, finding 14,960 particles with slightly higher counts in non-rhizosphere zones. Beads were the most common particle type, and FTIR confirmed polyethylene and polypropylene as dominant polymers.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 5 citations