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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Homogeneity of Sand-SizedMicroplastics Concentrationand Polymer Assemblage in Beach and Coastal Dune Sediments
ClearHomogeneity of Sand-Sized Microplastics Concentration and Polymer Assemblage in Beach and Coastal Dune Sediments
A study assessed the spatial homogeneity of sand-sized microplastic concentrations and polymer types across a sampling area, finding significant patchiness that complicates representative sampling. The results inform the design of more robust sampling protocols for accurate microplastic abundance estimates.
Microplastic transport and deposition in a beach-dune system (Saunton Sands-Braunton Burrows, southwest England)
Microplastics were quantified and characterized in a large beach-dune complex in southwest England, finding concentrations that varied across the system and providing evidence for transport of microplastics from beach to dune habitats via aeolian processes.
Aeolian transport of microplastics from the sub-tidal beach surface into coastal dunes
Researchers compared microplastic concentrations and polymer assemblages between intertidal beach and coastal dune sediments at two UK sites using FT-IR microscopy, finding no significant enrichment of microplastics in dunes relative to the beach despite wind tunnel evidence that MPs are more easily transported by wind than mineral sand grains.
Sediment grain size determines microplastic exposure landscapes for sandy beach macroinfauna
Researchers studied microplastic distribution across sandy beach zones to understand exposure landscapes for intertidal organisms. They found that sediment grain size, rather than beach zonation, was the primary factor determining microplastic abundance, providing important guidance for designing sampling surveys and assessing ecological risk from microplastic pollution on beaches.
Method for Quantifying and Characterization of Microplastics in Sand Beaches
This paper proposes a standardized method for sampling and characterizing microplastics in beach sand to improve comparability across studies. Consistent methodology is critical because current variation in field and lab techniques makes it difficult to combine or compare data from different research groups.
The influence of depositional environment on the abundance of microplastic pollution on beaches in the Bristol Channel, UK
Researchers assessed the extent and variability of microplastic pollution across multiple beaches in the Bristol Channel, UK, finding that depositional environment characteristics significantly influenced the abundance and distribution of microplastic contamination in beach sand.
Distribution and characterization of microplastics in beach sand from three different Indian coastal environments
Beach sands from three locations on the Indian coast were analyzed for microplastics, finding concentrations of 45–220 particles/kg dry sand with polyethylene (43%) as the dominant polymer, followed by PET and polystyrene. The study establishes baseline contamination data for Indian beaches and demonstrates consistent polymer profiles across geographically distinct coastal environments.
Small-scale temporal and spatial variability in the abundance of plastic pellets on sandy beaches: Methodological considerations for estimating the input of microplastics
A beach survey found high small-scale variability in plastic pellet abundance across the intertidal zone, driven by tidal cycles, wind, and sampling method. These findings have important methodological implications — researchers need standardized sampling designs to generate reliable estimates of microplastic contamination on beaches.
Relationships between sediment size distribution and microplastic abundance and characteristics along the strandline of a sandy embayment (Whitsand, Southwest England)
Researchers analyzed the relationship between sediment characteristics and microplastic distribution along a beach in southwest England. They found that microplastic abundance and type varied significantly across the strandline, with larger microplastics being more prevalent in coarser sediments. The study provides evidence that local sediment dynamics play an important role in determining where microplastics accumulate on sandy beaches.
Meso- and microplastic composition, distribution patterns and drivers: A snapshot of plastic pollution on Brazilian beaches
A standardized survey of plastic pollution across 22 sandy beaches spanning over 4600 km of Brazilian coast found widespread contamination in coastal sediments, with polymer type, size, and distribution patterns reflecting diverse sources including fishing activity and urban runoff.
Factors driving the abundance and distribution of microplastics on sandy beaches in a Southwest Atlantic seaside resort
Researchers investigated factors driving microplastic abundance on sandy beaches along the Southwest Atlantic coast, finding that both natural forces like wave energy and anthropogenic inputs influenced the distribution of fiber and fragment microplastics in surface sediments.
A large-scale investigation of microplastic contamination: Abundance and characteristics of microplastics in European beach sediment
This large-scale investigation characterized microplastic contamination across a wide geographic area, documenting abundance and polymer types and providing a baseline dataset for tracking pollution trends over time.
Progress on microplastics pollution and its ecological effects in the coastal environment
This review systematically summarizes a decade of research on microplastic pollution and its ecological effects in coastal environments worldwide, identifying persistent technical challenges in sampling standardization, particle identification, and ecological impact assessment. Researchers highlight the need for unified methodologies to better understand the sources, fate, and biological consequences of coastal microplastic contamination.
A Comprehensive Review on Microplastic in Beach Sediment
This review synthesises global data from approximately 1,700 beaches worldwide to characterise the occurrence, spatiotemporal distribution, sources, transport, and accumulation of microplastics in beach sediment, highlighting how external environmental forces, internal beach mechanisms, and local morphological characteristics govern microplastic deposition.
Microplastic contamination in Auckland (New Zealand) beach sediments
Researchers conducted the first large-scale investigation of microplastic contamination in beach sediments across 39 sites in Auckland, New Zealand, finding contamination at the majority of beaches surveyed. Mean abundance varied by coastal environment type, with estuarine and harbour sites generally showing higher concentrations than open ocean beaches.
Distribution and quantity of microplastic on sandy beaches along the northern coast of Taiwan
Researchers conducted the first study of microplastic pollution on Taiwan's beaches, collecting sand from four northern coast sites and recovering 1,097 particles weighing 0.77 g in total, identifying microplastics as ubiquitous and finding a negative relationship between particle size and abundance consistent with fragmentation processes.
Microplastic beaching dependence on sediment grain size
Researchers sampled microplastics across a Mediterranean protected beach and found that accumulation is strongly influenced by sediment grain size — fine-grained sands trap more surface microplastics due to lower infiltration capacity — while fiber shape promotes entanglement in sediment pores and proximity to tourism and port activities drives spatial pollution hotspots.
The distribution and ecological effects of microplastics in an estuarine ecosystem
Researchers surveyed 22 intertidal sites and found that microplastic abundance, size, and diversity correlated with benthic microalgal communities and sediment biostabilization properties in an estuarine ecosystem.
From macro to micro, from patchy to uniform: Analyzing plastic contamination along and across a sandy tide-less coast
A survey of a protected coastline in Lithuania found that while macrolitter is patchy and variable, microplastics (0.5–5 mm) are far more uniform, averaging over 3,000 particles per square meter of beach sand. Even in protected natural areas, microplastic contamination is pervasive.
Effects of distance to the sea and geomorphological characteristics on the quantity and distribution of microplastics in beach sediments of Granada (Spain)
Researchers characterized microplastic pollution on three beaches along the Granada coast of Spain, examining how distance from the sea and geomorphological features influence microplastic quantity and polymer composition in beach sediments. The study establishes regional baseline contamination levels and identifies spatial distribution patterns relevant to national and EU marine pollution directives.
Microplastics in the Mediterranean Sea: Deposition in coastal shallow sediments, spatial variation and preferential grain size
Researchers sampled Mediterranean coastal shallow sediments and found microplastics throughout, with concentrations and polymer types reflecting land-based inputs and showing that coastal sediments are a significant regional reservoir for plastic debris.
Abundance and characterization of microplastics on sandy beaches along the coastal area of Belize
Researchers quantified and characterized microplastic abundance on sandy beaches along the coastal zone of Belize, establishing baseline contamination data for a region of Central America and the Caribbean where such pollution assessments are critically lacking.
Occurrence and spatial distribution of microplastics in sediments from Norderney
Researchers surveyed sediments from Norderney in the North Sea and found widespread microplastic contamination, documenting spatial distribution patterns and particle characteristics across this tidally influenced coastal environment.
The fate of microplastic in marine sedimentary environments: A review and synthesis
A systematic review of 80 papers on microplastics in marine sediments found median concentrations varied widely by sediment environment, with fibers dominating many locations, and showed that sediment grain size and organic carbon content influence microplastic accumulation.