Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

A review of microplastic pollution in seawater, sediments and organisms of the Chinese coastal and marginal seas

This review compiled microplastic abundance and characteristics data from seawater, sediments, and marine organisms across China's coastal and marginal seas, finding widespread contamination linked to China's extensive plastic production and mismanaged waste streams.

2021 Chemosphere 211 citations
Article Tier 2

Pollution status of microplastics in the freshwater environment of China: a mini review

This review assessed microplastic pollution in China's freshwater environments including rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, finding widespread contamination in surface waters, sediments, and biota with variations linked to population density and industrial activity.

2022 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Research Progress of Microplastics in Freshwater Sediments in China

This review synthesizes Chinese research on microplastic pollution in freshwater sediments, covering detection methods, contamination levels across river systems, sources, and the potential ecological and human health implications.

2020 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 71 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in China's inland water systems: A review of findings, methods, characteristics, effects, and management

This review synthesized findings on microplastic pollution across China's inland water systems — rivers, lakes, and reservoirs — documenting widespread contamination and identifying gaps in monitoring methods and research coverage.

2018 The Science of The Total Environment 511 citations
Article Tier 2

The contamination of microplastics in China's aquatic environment: Occurrence, detection and implications for ecological risk

This review summarized microplastic contamination across marine environments, freshwater systems, and wastewater treatment plants in China, one of the world's top plastic-producing countries. The study highlights that research on how microplastics transfer between connected water environments remains lacking, and the microscale toxicity of microplastics is still poorly understood.

2021 Environmental Pollution 91 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution research methodologies, abundance, characteristics and risk assessments for aquatic biota in China

Researchers reviewed the current state of microplastic pollution research in China's aquatic environments, covering detection methods, abundance data, characteristics, and risk assessments for aquatic organisms. The review highlights that China's marine and freshwater environments are seriously polluted by microplastics, with ingestion by aquatic organisms posing potential ecological harm.

2020 Environmental Pollution 154 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Chinese coastal waters: A mini-review of occurrence characteristics, sources and driving mechanisms

This mini-review compiles data on microplastic pollution across four Chinese coastal water regions, examining both natural and social factors that drive contamination levels. Researchers found that microplastic abundance varied significantly depending on sampling methods, and identified key sources including fishing activities, river discharge, and coastal development. The study highlights the need for standardized monitoring approaches to better track microplastic pollution trends in Chinese waters.

2024 Waste Management & Research The Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economy 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Pollution in China’s Aquatic Systems: Spatial Distribution, Transport Pathways, and Controlling Strategies

This review synthesizes recent findings on microplastic pollution across China's rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and coastal waters. Researchers found that contamination levels vary dramatically by location, with urban waterways showing the highest concentrations and polypropylene and polyethylene being the most common polymer types. The study identifies rivers as major transport pathways carrying microplastics from inland areas to the sea and evaluates strategies for reducing this pollution.

2025 Microplastics 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in sediments from the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea, China

Researchers sampled sediments from the Bohai Sea and Yellow Sea and found widespread microplastic contamination, with fibers and fragments as the dominant forms, and higher concentrations near river mouths and urban coastlines.

2018 The Science of The Total Environment 531 citations
Article Tier 2

A review of sources, status, and risks of microplastics in the largest semi-enclosed sea of China, the Bohai Sea

This review assessed microplastic contamination in China's Bohai Sea, identifying terrestrial rivers, aquaculture, and shipping as major sources, and documenting widespread pollution across water, sediment, and marine organisms in this semi-enclosed sea.

2022 Chemosphere 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in North Yellow Sea, China: Observations on occurrence, distribution and identification

Researchers surveyed microplastic pollution across the North Yellow Sea, documenting their occurrence, distribution, and characteristics, and finding widespread contamination with higher concentrations in coastal areas and near river inputs.

2018 The Science of The Total Environment 412 citations
Article Tier 2

Current status and cause analysis of microplastic pollution in sea areas in China

This review analyzed the current status and causes of microplastic pollution across China's major sea areas including the Bohai, Yellow, East China, and South China Seas, synthesizing survey data to identify pollution patterns and contributing factors.

2022 China Geology 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Characteristics and source-pathway of microplastics in freshwater system of China: A review

This national-scale review examines microplastic characteristics and source-pathway dynamics in Chinese freshwater systems including rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, synthesizing data showing that urban runoff, textile washing, and wastewater discharge are dominant sources. The authors identify key knowledge gaps in understanding microplastic transport from inland waters to the ocean in the world's largest plastic-producing country.

2022 Chemosphere 59 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in the offshore sea, rivers and wastewater treatment plants in Jiangsu coastal area in China

Researchers investigated microplastic pollution across offshore waters, rivers, and wastewater treatment plants in Jiangsu, China, finding widespread contamination averaging 3.1-3.5 items per cubic meter offshore, with higher abundance near river discharge areas.

2023 Marine Environmental Research 32 citations
Article Tier 2

Synthesis of dominant plastic microfibre prevalence and pollution control feasibility in Chinese freshwater environments

This review of microplastic pollution in Chinese freshwater environments found that microfibres dominate plastic morphologies in over 65% of samples from surface water, sediments, and wastewater effluents, and identifies fishing gear, textiles, and urban runoff as key microfibre sources requiring targeted pollution control.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 41 citations
Article Tier 2

An evaluation of microplastic contamination in the marine waters and species in the coastal region of the South Yellow Sea, China

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination across water, sediment, fish, and shellfish in the South Yellow Sea, China, finding plastics at every level of the food chain. Contamination was highest near river mouths that drain industrialized areas and decreased further offshore. Fish and bivalves showed significant microplastic uptake in their guts and gills, confirming that microplastics move from polluted rivers into coastal seafood that humans consume.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in the surface sediments from the Beijiang River littoral zone: Composition, abundance, surface textures and interaction with heavy metals

Researchers characterized microplastics in surface sediments from the Beijiang River in China, finding widespread contamination with characteristics indicating multiple local sources including urban runoff and agricultural activity.

2016 Chemosphere 780 citations
Article Tier 2

A critical review on the sources and instruments of marine microplastics and prospects on the relevant management in China

This critical review examined sources, distribution, and monitoring instruments for marine microplastics in China, identifying key knowledge gaps and proposing management strategies to address the country's significant contribution to global ocean plastic pollution.

2018 Waste Management & Research The Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economy 157 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution pattern and influencing factors for the microplastics in continental shelf, slope, and deep-sea surface sediments from the South China Sea

Researchers investigated microplastic pollution in surface sediments across the continental shelf, slope, and deep-sea floor of the northern South China Sea. The study found an average abundance of about 131 particles per kilogram, with distribution patterns influenced by ocean currents, water depth, and proximity to river inputs.

2022 Environmental Pollution 63 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in Chinese Rivers: A detailed analysis of distribution, risk factors, and ecological impact

Researchers aggregated data from 2,474 microplastic samples across 165 publications to assess ecological risk in Chinese rivers, finding widespread contamination with average abundance varying substantially by watershed characteristics. A revised risk assessment accounting for particle morphology and polymer toxicity raised concern levels beyond previous estimates.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in the Yangtze River Basin: Heterogeneity of abundances and characteristics in different environments

Researchers compiled microplastic data from 624 sampling sites across the Yangtze River Basin covering water, sediment, soil, and biota, revealing heterogeneous contamination patterns driven by local land use, population density, and wastewater infrastructure.

2021 Environmental Pollution 112 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in offshore sediment in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea, China

Microplastics were found in offshore sediment samples from the Southern Yellow Sea and East China Sea, with concentrations and polymer types reflecting both local and distant anthropogenic sources. The study expands the known distribution of seafloor microplastic contamination in China's coastal seas and identifies fishing activities as a likely contributor.

2018 Environmental Pollution 312 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrences and distribution of microplastic pollution and the control measures in China

This review summarizes reported microplastic contamination levels in China's marine, freshwater, and atmospheric environments, finding that concentrations are highest in urbanized freshwater systems and identifying human population density and agricultural plastic use as key drivers.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 71 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic in three urban estuaries, China

Researchers surveyed three urban estuaries in China and found microplastics throughout, with concentrations and types reflecting the combined influence of surrounding city density, stormwater runoff, and tidal mixing.

2015 Environmental Pollution 696 citations