Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

An integrated assessment of microplastic pollution in coastal surface water and sediment of Japan

Researchers conducted a comprehensive survey of microplastic pollution across 14 coastal locations around Japan from Hokkaido to Okinawa, measuring concentrations of 288.7 g/km2 in surface water and 1,185 kg/km2 in sediment and characterizing polymer types, shapes, and size distributions.

2025
Article Tier 2

Microplastic volumes in Tokyo Bay

Researchers quantified microplastic volumes across multiple sites in Tokyo Bay, Japan, finding spatial variation linked to urban runoff and river inputs, with surface waters and sediments showing distinct accumulation patterns.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 8 citations
Article Tier 2

An Integrated Assessmentof Microplastic Pollutionin Coastal Surface Water and Sediment of Japan

Researchers conducted an integrated assessment of microplastic pollution in coastal surface water and sediment around Japan, providing a comprehensive dataset that clarifies the extent of contamination in Japanese coastal areas previously lacking systematic monitoring data.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Spatiotemporal variation in microplastic contamination along a subtropical reservoir shoreline

Researchers tracked microplastic contamination along the shoreline of a subtropical reservoir over two years and found that microplastic abundance was higher near urban areas and varied with season, with storm-related inputs creating significant temporal spikes.

2020 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 67 citations
Article Tier 2

Seasonal Changes in Drift Distribution of Microplastics on Ocean Surface Off Funahashi

This Japanese study tracked seasonal changes in the distribution and concentration of microplastics floating on the surface of Tokyo Bay. Microplastic density increased with rainfall, suggesting that storm runoff from the surrounding urban area is a major source of marine microplastic inputs.

2023 Japanese Journal of JSCE
Article Tier 2

Microplastic abundance in the semi-enclosed Osaka Bay, Japan

Researchers quantified microplastic abundance in the semi-enclosed Osaka Bay, Japan, finding elevated concentrations near river mouths and urban coastal zones, and characterizing dominant polymer types consistent with consumer plastics.

2024 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Comprehensive Understanding of Microplastics Inflow Off the Coast of Funabashi

Researchers conducted continuous monitoring of microplastic (MP) contamination in rivers, sewage, and coastal waters around Funabashi in Tokyo Bay, finding that MP number densities showed high temporal variability and a gradual decreasing trend, with upstream river sources driving contamination that diminished toward the sea as particles settled into bottom sediments, while sewage was also implicated as a contributor to marine MP pollution.

2025 Japanese Journal of JSCE
Article Tier 2

Microplastics Survey in Osaka Bay

Researchers measured microplastic density at two locations in Osaka Bay in September and December 2019, finding peak concentrations of 4.1 particles per cubic meter after heavy rainfall — far exceeding 2015 reference levels — with seasonal variation in particle types including artificial turf and fertilizer capsules.

2024 Journal of Japan Society on Water Environment
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and distribution of plastic particles (10–25,000 μm) and microfibers in the surface water of an urban river network in Japan

This study assessed the occurrence and distribution of plastic particles (10-25,000 micrometers) and microfibers in the surface water of an urban river network in Japan, finding that plastic abundance was closely tied to urban land use and proximity to discharge points.

2023 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Contamination of sea surface water offshore the Tokai region and Tokyo Bay in Japan by small microplastics

Surface water off the Tokai region and within Tokyo Bay, Japan, was sampled with a nested net system distinguishing small microplastics (under 350 micrometers) from larger microplastics. Small microplastic concentrations were 20 to 60 times higher than larger ones, with concentrations up to 5,900 pieces per cubic meter in Tokyo Bay's inner waters.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 61 citations
Article Tier 2

In-situ analysis of small microplastics in coastal surface water samples of the subtropical island of Okinawa, Japan

Researchers performed in-situ analysis of small microplastics in coastal surface water samples, demonstrating the feasibility of field-based detection methods for capturing fine particles that are often missed in standard sampling. The study contributes to improving microplastic monitoring in coastal environments.

2020 arXiv (Cornell University)
Article Tier 2

A Field Investigate on Curent Status of Microplastic Pollution on Sandy Beaches of Osaka Bay, Japan

Researchers investigated microplastic pollution on sandy beaches across Osaka Bay, Japan, sampling 13 coastal sites and finding concentrations ranging from 50 to 9,500 particles per square meter with most accumulation above the maximum monthly high-tide line. The study found that the innermost areas of the bay had markedly higher contamination, averaging 253-313 particles per square meter compared to a bay-wide mean of 52 particles per square meter.

2024 Japanese Journal of JSCE
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in the sediments of small-scale Japanese rivers: Abundance and distribution, characterization, sources-to-sink, and ecological risks

Researchers characterized microplastic pollution in sediments of four small-scale Japanese rivers, finding widespread contamination and identifying polymer types and potential sources, highlighting that even small river systems serve as microplastic transport pathways.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 109 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatiotemporal variation in microplastics derived from polymer-coated fertilizer in an agricultural small river in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan

Researchers tracked seasonal and daily variation of microplastics from polymer-coated fertilizer microcapsules in a small Japanese agricultural river, documenting their transport patterns and identifying timing of peak runoff events linked to agricultural practices.

2023 Environmental Pollution 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Temporal and Spatial Distribution Characteristics of Microplastics and Their Influencing Factors in the Lincheng River, Zhoushan City, China

Researchers analyzed temporal and spatial distribution patterns of microplastics in the Lincheng River in Zhoushan, China, finding that microplastic abundance is influenced by seasonal runoff, land use, and proximity to urban and industrial sources before entering the ocean.

2023 Processes 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics spatiotemporal distribution and variability in marine habitats along the North-Western Mediterranean coastal waters.

Researchers assessed microplastic spatiotemporal distribution across multiple Mediterranean marine habitat types including water surface, sediment, and biota, revealing significant variability by location and season. The multi-compartment approach showed that no single habitat type captures the full extent of microplastic contamination.

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

Size-specific distribution, morphology, and polymer composition of microplastic particles in surface water and sediments of Tokyo Bay

Researchers investigated microplastic particles in surface water and sediments at eight stations in Tokyo Bay during autumn 2023, finding that small MPs (20-100 µm) numerically dominated both matrices at over 70% of total concentration, with distinct size distributions, morphologies, and polymer compositions between the two environmental compartments.

2025 Microplastics and Nanoplastics
Article Tier 2

Microplastics on the sea surface of the semi-closed Tokyo Bay

Researchers surveyed microplastic pollution in Tokyo Bay using neuston nets in May 2019 and January 2020, finding average abundances of 3.98 pieces per square metre with polyethylene fragments dominating, and identifying river inputs as the primary source based on matching seasonal abundance patterns between riverine and inner bay samples.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 81 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Distribution in a Small-Scale Aquatic System with Limited Anthropogenic Influence: A Case Study in Sasebo City, Japan

Researchers conducted the first investigation of microplastic distribution in Sasebo City, Japan, using principal component analysis alongside water flow velocity and salinity data, finding a mean abundance of 82.4 items/m3 and characterizing spatial distribution patterns in this relatively low-anthropogenic-influence aquatic system.

2025 Microplastics
Article Tier 2

An Integrated Assessment of Microplastic Pollution in Coastal Surface Water and Sediment of Japan

Researchers conducted a comprehensive survey of microplastic pollution in surface water and sediment at 15 coastal locations across Japan, from Hokkaido to Okinawa. They extracted over 53,000 suspected microplastic particles and identified the most common polymers using FTIR spectroscopy. The study provides an integrated baseline dataset for understanding the extent and distribution of microplastic contamination along Japanese coastlines.

2025 Environmental Science & Technology 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Freshwater microplastic concentrations vary through both space and time

A 12-month survey of microplastics in a freshwater catchment found that concentrations at individual sites varied by up to 8 orders of magnitude over the course of the year, meaning single-time-point surveys can massively misrepresent actual pollution levels. The authors argue that temporal variability must be accounted for in microplastic monitoring programs that inform policy.

2020 Environmental Pollution 160 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatial distribution of microplastic in the surface waters along the coast of Korea

Scientists surveyed microplastics (0.33–5 mm) across six semi-enclosed bays and two open coastal waters in Korea during July surveys from 2015 to 2017, finding mean abundances of 1.12–4.74 particles per m2 with expanded polystyrene and paint particles as dominant types.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 77 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence, distribution, and possible sources of microplastics in the surface river water in the Arakawa River watershed

Researchers investigated the occurrence, distribution, and potential sources of microplastics in surface river water along the Arakawa River watershed running through the Tokyo Metropolitan area, contributing to data on microplastic contamination in populated urban freshwater systems.

2021 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Rapid Sampling of Suspended and Floating Microplastics in Challenging Riverine and Coastal Water Environments in Japan

Two newly developed compact sampling devices (Albatross Mark 5 and 6) collected microplastic samples from Japanese rivers and coastal waters in just 3 minutes compared to 10-60 minutes with conventional nets, while producing comparable concentration measurements. Polyethylene and polypropylene dominated, and particles became smaller from riverine to coastal environments.

2020 Water 56 citations