Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastics in mangrove and beach sediments on southeast Florida barrier islands

Researchers quantified and characterized microplastic abundance, distribution, and variation in estuarine mangrove and beach sediments across southeast Florida barrier islands. The study aimed to improve understanding of microplastic hazards in these coastal ecosystems to support conservation efforts for mangrove and beach environments.

2025 Shore & Beach
Article Tier 2

The microscopic threat with a macroscopic impact: Microplastics along the southeast Florida reef tract

Researchers sampled surface and bottom waters along the Southeast Florida Reef Tract over six months, finding 1,204 microplastic items across seven polymer types, with significantly more plastic at the surface than the seafloor. Five additional chemical contaminants were detected on the plastics, confirming that microplastics act as vectors for hazardous substances near fragile coral reef ecosystems. The study calls for both improved plastic waste management and active clean-up to protect these reefs.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantifying Spatial and Temporal Trends of Microplastic Pollution in Surface Water and in the Eastern Oyster Crassostrea virginica for a Dynamic Florida Estuary

Researchers monitored microplastic pollution in surface waters and tissues of the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica across 35 sites in Florida's Indian River Lagoon over one year using microscopy and ATR-FTIR, quantifying spatial and temporal variability in MP abundance and identifying factors influencing distribution patterns in this dynamic estuarine system.

2022 Environments 13 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin
Article Tier 2

Ecosystem Effects and Magnitude of Microplastics Pollution in St. Andrew Bay, Florida

This study quantified microplastic pollution in St. Andrew Bay, Florida, examining inputs from wastewater treatment plants and other coastal sources. The research documented ongoing daily microplastic deposition into this coastal system and characterized its sources and spatial distribution.

2024 DigiNole (Florida State University)
Article Tier 2

Abundance, composition, and distribution of microplastics in intertidal sediment and soft tissues of four species of Bivalvia from Southeast Brazilian urban beaches

Researchers found 100% microplastic contamination in intertidal sediments and four bivalve species from urbanized Brazilian beaches, identifying polypropylene, polyethylene, and PET polymers in organisms commonly consumed by humans.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Seasonal and spatial variations in microplastics abundances in St. Andrew Bay, Florida

Researchers found significant seasonal and spatial variations in microplastic abundances in coastal sediments of St. Andrew Bay, Florida, with wastewater treatment plant effluent identified as a major contributor to the approximately 25% of marine microplastics originating from such facilities.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic load and polymer type composition in European rocky intertidal snails: Consistency across locations, wave exposure and years

Researchers examined microplastic loads in rocky intertidal snails across four European locations, finding consistent polymer type compositions and ingestion patterns regardless of geographic location, wave exposure, or sampling year.

2021 Environmental Pollution 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution on sandy beaches of Puerto Rico

Researchers sampled sand from six northern beaches of Puerto Rico to determine microplastic abundance and composition, documenting the extent of microplastic pollution on Caribbean island coastal beaches that are considered biodiversity hotspots.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and distribution of microplastics at selected coastal sites along the southeastern United States

Researchers quantified microplastics in beach sand at 18 U.S. National Park beaches in the Southeast and built a model to predict how ocean currents transport plastic debris. The study provides a baseline for plastic contamination even in protected coastal areas and highlights how distant pollution sources can affect remote beaches.

2017 The Science of The Total Environment 228 citations
Article Tier 2

>b/b<: distribution and levels of contamination on the benthic biodiversity

Researchers assessed environmental health of sandy beaches by measuring microplastic distribution and contamination levels in biological communities, finding that MP abundance correlated with beach use intensity and the presence of nearby stormwater outfalls.

2025