Papers

61,005 results
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Meta Analysis Tier 1

Dataset on microplastic concentrations, characteristics, and chemical composition in the marine surface waters of Latvia – the Eastern Gotland basin and the Gulf of Riga

Spectroscopically verified microplastics, both particles and fibers, were found across 44 surface water samples from the Gulf of Riga and Eastern Gotland Basin in the Baltic Sea. The dataset provides polymer-type-confirmed contamination data useful for meta-analysis and microplastic flow calculations in the region.

2023 Data in Brief 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Harbour Seawaters: A Case Study in the Port of Gdynia, Baltic Sea

Microplastics were measured in five basins of the Port of Gdynia in the Baltic Sea across four seasons, finding concentrations of 0.082-0.524 mg per cubic meter, with polyolefins dominant and fragments and fibres the most common shapes in harbour surface waters.

2023 Sustainability 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing the Occurrence and Distribution of Microplastics in Surface Freshwater and Wastewaters of Latvia and Lithuania

Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in surface water and wastewater across four Baltic cities in Latvia and Lithuania, finding an average of 16.63 particles/L with fibers as the dominant shape and polyethylene terephthalate as the most common polymer, with municipal and hospital wastewater identified as the primary contamination sources.

2023 Toxics 8 citations
Article Tier 2

River inflow of microplastics and their distribution in sea areas on the example of the southern Baltic Sea

This study assessed the transport of microplastics from river inflow to distribution in adjacent sea areas, using the Baltic Sea as a case study. River discharge was found to be a major pathway delivering microplastics to coastal marine environments.

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

River inflow of microplastics and their distribution in sea areas on the example of the southern Baltic Sea

Researchers tracked the flow of microplastics from rivers into adjacent sea areas in the Baltic region, quantifying concentrations at the river-sea interface. River inflow was confirmed as a major delivery pathway for marine microplastic contamination in enclosed coastal seas.

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

Spatiotemporal Variability of Microplastics in the Eastern Baltic Sea

Researchers documented spatiotemporal variability of microplastics in the eastern Baltic Sea over five years, finding concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 2.45 particles per cubic meter with patterns linked to proximity to urban areas and riverine inputs.

2022 Frontiers in Marine Science 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploration of occurrence and sources of microplastics (>10 μm) in Danish marine waters

Microplastics larger than 10 micrometers were quantified in Danish marine waters of the Kattegat and southern Skagerrak, an area receiving Baltic Sea inflow and urban runoff from Copenhagen and Malmö. The study establishes baseline concentrations and identifies urban and riverine inputs as key sources to these regional seas.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 57 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic debris composition and concentration in the Arctic Ocean, the North Sea and the Baltic Sea

Researchers sampled plastic debris in the Arctic Ocean rim, North Atlantic, and Baltic Sea using Manta trawls, finding microplastics at all 11 locations with generally low concentrations averaging 0.06 particles/m3, but with highest concentrations near the Arctic Ocean and polystyrene and polyethylene as dominant polymers.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 44 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatio-temporal variability in the abundance and composition of beach litter and microplastics along the Baltic Sea coast of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

Beach litter and microplastics (20-5000 microns) were co-assessed along the Baltic Sea coast of Schleswig-Holstein in spring and autumn 2018, finding no correlation between macro and microplastic abundances, with a median of 2 microplastic particles per 500 g dry sediment and six polymer types identified.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in seawater and fish acquired from the corresponding fishing zones of the Baltic Sea

Microplastics were detected in 100% of seawater and 61% of fish samples collected from corresponding fishing zones of the Baltic Sea, with mean abundances of 19,984 items/m³ in seawater and 3.3 items per fish. The co-sampling design linking fish MP loads to their water column environment provided direct evidence of aquatic exposure driving tissue contamination.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro- and Mesoplastic Monitoring on Beaches: Understanding Seasonal and Spatial Distribution Patterns

Researchers monitored microplastic abundance and composition across 11 Latvian Baltic Sea beaches over four seasons from autumn 2022 to summer 2023, finding that seasonal climate patterns and proximity to the Gulf of Riga influence both microplastic load and spatial distribution along the northeastern European coastline.

2025
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Surface Waters of the Russian Arctic Seas: Distribution, Concentration, Identification, and Eco-Risks for Fish

Microplastics were detected across surface waters of the Russian Arctic seas, with concentrations and polymer types varying by region and season. The findings document that even high-latitude Arctic waters are not spared from microplastic contamination, likely transported by ocean currents and rivers.

2025 Journal of Ichthyology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics on sandy beaches of the southern Baltic Sea

Microplastics were detected on all 12 beaches along the Polish Baltic coast at concentrations of 76 to 295 items per kilogram of sediment, with fibers and fragments dominant and no strong relationship to sediment grain size. Urban beaches had the highest concentrations, though beach hydrodynamics also played a significant role in structuring local microplastic distribution.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 141 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic concentrations in beach sediments along the German Baltic coast

Researchers measured microplastic contamination on beaches along the German Baltic coast near river estuaries and tracked seasonal variation over several months, finding contamination at all sites. The study highlights that river mouths are hotspots for microplastic deposition on coastal beaches.

2015 Marine Pollution Bulletin 500 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic contamination of sandy beaches along the southern Baltic – a one season field survey results

Researchers surveyed microplastic and macroplastic contamination along the Polish Baltic Sea coast, finding microplastic concentrations of 118–1,382 pieces/kg in beach sand and 0.61–2.76 pieces/dm3 in coastal waters, with sub-1 mm blue fibers dominating across all sites and suggesting a common fibrous source throughout the Polish coastal zone.

2022 Oceanologia 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution of the Vistula Lagoon and Baltic Sea: A comparison study

Researchers compared microplastic levels in the Vistula Lagoon and the nearby Baltic Sea, finding higher concentrations in the more enclosed lagoon where particles accumulate rather than dispersing. Fibers were the dominant type in both locations, with notably longer fibers trapped in the lagoon, establishing a first baseline for plastic pollution in this understudied region.

2025 Environmental Pollution and Management 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Sources and fate of microplastics in marine and beach sediments of the Southern Baltic Sea—a preliminary study

Researchers investigated microplastic sources and distribution in marine and beach sediments of the southern Baltic Sea — one of the most polluted regional seas — using density extraction and FT-IR identification. The study found widespread contamination with significant variability tied to local sources and hydrodynamic transport patterns.

2017 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 320 citations
Article Tier 2

Studying the Concentration of Microplastic Particles in Water, Bottom Sediments and Subsoils in the Coastal Area of the Neva Bay, the Gulf of Finland

Microplastic concentrations in the coastal area of Neva Bay were far higher in bottom sediments and coastal soils than in water, with fibers and fragments as the dominant types. The findings indicate that sediments and soils act as major sinks for microplastic accumulation in this Baltic Sea region.

2020 Water Resources 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in sea surface waters in the Southern Bight of the North Sea

Researchers quantified floating microplastics in surface waters of the Southern Bight of the North Sea, finding elevated concentrations near the Belgian and Dutch coasts with size and polymer distributions reflecting riverine and shipping inputs.

2024 Frontiers in Marine Science 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Model estimates of microplastic potential contamination pattern of the eastern Gulf of Finland in 2018

This numerical modeling study simulated the transport and distribution of microplastics entering the Gulf of Finland from the Neva, Luga, and Narva rivers, finding that most particles move along the northern coast under typical conditions. The model helps predict where microplastics from urban river sources accumulate in this enclosed semi-inland sea.

2021 Oceanologia 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Factors influencing the spatial and temporal distribution of microplastics at the sea surface – A year-long monitoring case study from the urban Kiel Fjord, southwest Baltic Sea

Researchers conducted a year-long monthly survey of microplastic abundance at eight sites within and around Kiel Fjord in the Baltic Sea, finding an overall low and stable load of 0.04 particles per square meter compared to other urban coastal areas. No strong relationship was found between microplastic abundance and weather parameters, though unusually high counts consistently followed rainfall and snowmelt events linked to storm drain inputs.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 71 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in the Weser estuary and the German North Sea

Microplastics were characterized in water and sediment samples from the Weser estuary and German North Sea coast, with concentrations decreasing offshore and fibers dominating in all matrices, consistent with urban and industrial river inputs as the primary source of coastal North Sea microplastic contamination.

2021 Environmental Pollution 75 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance and Characteristics of Microplastics in Coastal Sediment and Seawater Collected from Surabaya and Tulungagung

Microplastic abundance in seawater and coastal sediments from two East Java sites differed significantly — Surabaya (north coast) showed 2,100 particles/m³ in water vs. 170 particles/m³ in Tulungagung (south coast) — with fragment and fiber types dominant at both sites.

2024 The Journal of Experimental Life Sciences
Article Tier 2

Microplastics abundance and characteristics in surface waters from the Northwest Pacific, the Bering Sea, and the Chukchi Sea

Microplastics were detected in surface waters of the Northwest Pacific, Bering Sea, and Chukchi Sea, with fibrous particles dominating and concentrations varying by ocean region and proximity to shipping lanes.

2019 Marine Pollution Bulletin 181 citations