Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Characteristics and distribution of microplastics in the coastal mangrove sediments of China

A survey of mangrove sediments along China's coast found microplastics were ubiquitous, with concentrations and polymer types varying by proximity to human activity and hydrological conditions. The study shows that mangrove forests, which provide critical coastal ecosystem services, are accumulating significant quantities of plastic pollution.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 213 citations
Article Tier 2

Impacts of Microplastics on Mangroves - A Review

Mangrove forests act as natural traps for microplastics due to their dense root systems that slow water flow, leading to higher microplastic accumulation in mangroves than other coastal zones. This matters because the build-up harms mangrove plants at the cellular and physiological level, threatening these ecologically critical habitats that protect coastlines and support fisheries.

2023 International Journal of Research and Review 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Contamination in Water, Sediment, and Biota in Mangrove Forests

This review synthesized research on microplastic contamination in mangrove forest water, sediment, and biota, finding that mangroves act as both sinks and potential sources of microplastics due to their complex hydrodynamics, with ecotoxicological data on mangrove-specific organisms remaining limited.

2025
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in mangroves with special reference to Asia: Occurrence, distribution, bioaccumulation and remediation options

This review examines microplastic contamination in Asian mangrove ecosystems, finding higher pollution levels near fishing, tourism, and industrial areas. Organisms throughout the mangrove food web, from shellfish to fish, accumulate microplastics based on their feeding habits and habitat. While mangrove plants can trap some microplastics in their roots, the widespread contamination of these coastal ecosystems raises concerns about the safety of seafood harvested from mangrove areas for human consumption.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 54 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

Role of mangrove forest in interception of microplastics (MPs): Challenges, progress, and prospects

This review examines how mangrove forests intercept and accumulate microplastics from terrestrial, marine, and atmospheric sources, identifying knowledge gaps in understanding the mechanisms, ecological impacts, and long-term fate of trapped microplastics in mangrove ecosystems.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 86 citations
Article Tier 2

The distribution, characteristics and ecological risks of microplastics in the mangroves of Southern China

Microplastics were found to be widespread in mangrove sediments across Southern China, with higher concentrations in areas closer to urban development and aquaculture. The study highlights mangroves as accumulation zones for microplastic pollution, which could threaten these ecologically important coastal ecosystems.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 339 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance and characteristics of microplastics in the mangrove sediment of the semi-enclosed Maowei Sea of the south China sea: New implications for location, rhizosphere, and sediment compositions

Microplastics were widespread in mangrove sediments of the semi-enclosed Maowei Sea in southern China, with concentrations influenced by location within the mangrove, proximity to roots, and sediment composition. The study provides new insight into how mangrove ecosystems trap and accumulate microplastics, raising concerns for the health of these ecologically important coastal habitats.

2018 Environmental Pollution 207 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic in mangroves: A worldwide review of contamination in biotic and abiotic matrices

This worldwide review analyzed 53 studies on microplastic contamination in mangrove sediments, water, and organisms across Asia, America, and Africa, finding that research is geographically limited and lacks wide-scale coverage of mangrove coastlines. Most studies characterized microplastic type, size, color, and morphology but did not assess ecological risks.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterization, source, and retention of microplastic in sandy beaches and mangrove wetlands of the Qinzhou Bay, China

Researchers characterized microplastics in sediments from both sandy beaches and mangrove wetlands in Qinzhou Bay, southern China, finding higher abundances in mangrove sediments than beach sediments due to the trapping function of root systems. The study demonstrates that mangroves act as effective sinks for microplastic pollution in coastal zones.

2018 Marine Pollution Bulletin 296 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

Microplastics retention in different types of Mangrove forest in Xuan Thuy National Park, Vietnam

Researchers measured microplastic retention in three types of mangrove forest in Xuan Thuy National Park, Vietnam, and found that mangroves trap significant quantities of microplastics from coastal waters. Mangrove restoration projects could therefore help reduce microplastic loads in adjacent coastal waters as an ecosystem service. However, mangroves themselves accumulate microplastics, which may affect their ecological functions over time.

2023
Article Tier 2

Preliminary Study on the Role of Mangroves in Entrapping Microplastics in Tuticorin Coast of Gulf of Mannar, Southeast Coast of India

Researchers compared microplastic concentrations in mangrove sediments versus open-beach control sites along the coast of southern India and found consistently higher levels within mangrove areas. Polyethylene and polypropylene fibers in the 1–3 mm range were most common, and weathering analysis confirmed significant environmental degradation of the particles. The findings suggest that mangrove root systems act as natural traps for microplastics, which has implications for both ecosystem health and the many coastal communities that rely on mangroves for fisheries and shore protection.

2023 Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Evidence of elevated microplastic accumulation in Pacific Island mangrove sediments

Researchers found that mangrove sediments in Fiji contained nearly ten times more microplastics than surrounding non-mangrove areas, with consistent results across both urban and rural sites. Fibers were the most common type of microplastic found, and the contamination levels were comparable to heavily polluted regions elsewhere in the world. The study highlights that mangroves, while vital coastal ecosystems, may be acting as significant traps for microplastic pollution in Pacific Island nations.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Current status and trends of research on microplastic fugacity characteristics and pollution levels in mangrove wetlands

This systematic literature review analyzed the distribution, characteristics, and pollution levels of microplastics in mangrove wetlands globally, finding that mangroves act as significant traps for land-based plastics before they reach the open ocean. Fiber morphologies and polymer types reflected terrestrial sources, and microplastic density was highest near urban river inputs.

2022 Frontiers in Environmental Science 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Singapore’s coastal mangrove ecosystems

Researchers sampled coastal mangrove ecosystems in Singapore and found microplastics throughout, demonstrating that mangrove habitats accumulate plastic pollution and raising concerns for the organisms that depend on these ecologically important coastal forests.

2013 Marine Pollution Bulletin 977 citations
Article Tier 2

Mangrove forest: An important coastal ecosystem to intercept river microplastics

Mangrove forests along a Chinese coastline were found to act as effective interceptors of river-borne microplastics, trapping significant quantities of plastic particles before they could reach open coastal waters. The study highlights mangrove ecosystems as important natural filters for microplastic transport from land to sea, with implications for coastal conservation priorities.

2022 Environmental Research 68 citations
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Identifying patterns of microplastic accumulation in coastal vegetated habitats: A systematic review and meta-analysis

A meta-analysis of microplastic accumulation in coastal vegetated habitats found that mangroves have the highest microplastic concentrations compared to saltmarshes and seagrass beds, especially near urban centers and fishing zones. Nearly 40% of comparisons showed higher microplastic accumulation in vegetated versus unvegetated sites, with degraded habitats accumulating more plastics.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 1 citations
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
Review Tier 2

Mangrove Health: A Review of Functions, Threats, and Challenges Associated with Mangrove Management Practices

This review describes how mangrove forests protect coastlines, store carbon, and support marine life, but are under increasing threat from development, pollution, and climate change. Mangrove loss matters for microplastic pollution because these ecosystems act as natural filters that can trap plastic particles before they spread further into the ocean and food chain.

2023 Forests 181 citations
Article Tier 2

ACCUMULATION OF MICROPLASTICS (<300 µM) IN MANGROVE SEDIMENTS OF BANDA ACEH CITY, INDONESIA

Researchers measured microplastic accumulation in mangrove sediments in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, finding up to 3,840 particles per kilogram of sediment — with plastic pellets and fibers smaller than 300 micrometers being the most common types — suggesting these coastal ecosystems are acting as significant traps for plastic pollution from nearby land and waterways.

2025 Applied Ecology and Environmental Research 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Mangrove forests as traps for marine litter

Researchers surveyed 20 mangrove forests along the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf and confirmed that mangroves act as traps for marine plastic litter, with denser forests and proximity to shipping routes linked to higher debris accumulation. The study shows that ocean-based activities, not just land-based sources, are a major driver of plastic buildup in coastal mangrove ecosystems.

2019 Environmental Pollution 360 citations
Article Tier 2

How mangrove plants affect microplastic distribution in sediments of coastal wetlands: Case study in Shenzhen Bay, South China

The effect of different mangrove plant species on microplastic distribution in coastal wetland sediments was investigated, finding that plant species significantly influenced where microplastics accumulated. The study suggests that mangrove root and canopy structures create preferential zones for microplastic retention in coastal sediments.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 159 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics on beaches and mangrove sediments along the coast of South China

Microplastic concentrations in beach and mangrove sediments along the South China coast were higher in summer than winter, with fibres and fragments dominating, and mangrove sediments retaining significantly more particles than adjacent beaches, confirming mangroves as important sinks for coastal microplastic pollution.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 53 citations