Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Water infiltration capacity in soil polluted with macroplastics

Researchers investigated how macroplastic litter buried in organic-rich coastal soils in central Norway affects water infiltration and percolation rates, conducting field measurements on outer coastal islands where converging ocean currents deposit large plastic loads, to quantify the hydrological impacts of macroplastic soil contamination.

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

Assessing microplastic contamination in Icelandic soils: Insights from pristine, agricultural, and urban environments

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in Icelandic soils including pristine, agricultural, and urban sites to determine whether long-range atmospheric deposition reaches this sparsely populated island. Microplastics were detected across all site types, confirming atmospheric transport as a pathway to remote northern ecosystems.

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

Assessing microplastic contamination in Icelandic soils: Insights from pristine, agricultural, and urban environments

Researchers analyzed microplastic accumulation in pristine and remote soils in Iceland to test whether long-range atmospheric transport deposits microplastics in undisturbed environments. Microplastics were detected in Icelandic soils, confirming that atmospheric deposition reaches isolated environments far from plastic sources.

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

Occurrence and Distribution of Microplastics in Soils and Intertidal Sediments at Fildes Bay, Maritime Antarctica

Researchers found microplastic contamination in soils and intertidal sediments at Fildes Bay in Maritime Antarctica, with higher concentrations near research stations, demonstrating that even remote polar environments are affected by microplastic pollution.

2022 Frontiers in Marine Science 39 citations
Article Tier 2

Water infiltration capacity in soil polluted with macroplastics

Researchers measured water infiltration rates in organic-rich coastal soils in central Norway that had accumulated buried macroplastic litter deposited by converging ocean currents, quantifying how macroplastic contamination alters vertical water transport capacity in these ecologically important near-coastal soils.

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

Assessing microplastic contamination in Icelandic soils: Insights from remote, agricultural, and urban environments

Microplastics were detected in all Icelandic soil samples from remote, agricultural, and urban sites, with urban soils showing the highest average counts (26,206 particles/kg) and remote soils the lowest (857 particles/kg), confirming that even sparsely inhabited areas experience MP contamination.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Determination of the presence of microplastics in intertidal sediments of deception island, antarctica

Researchers determined the presence and characteristics of microplastics in intertidal sediments of Deception Island, Antarctica, providing evidence that plastic contamination has reached one of Earth's most remote environments and documenting the role of marine sediments as sinks for persistent microplastic pollution.

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

Microplastic contamination of intertidal sediments of Scapa Flow, Orkney: A first assessment

Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in intertidal sediments of Scapa Flow, Orkney — a relatively remote Scottish island — finding contamination levels comparable to heavily industrialized mainland UK sites, demonstrating that geographic remoteness and small local populations do not reliably predict lower microplastic pollution.

2017 Marine Pollution Bulletin 108 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic particles in soil: state of the knowledge on sources, occurrence and distribution, analytical methods and ecological impacts

This comprehensive review of plastic particles in soil covered sources, occurrence, analytical detection methods, and ecological impacts, identifying gaps in knowledge about terrestrial plastic fate and effects compared to the more extensively studied marine environment.

2021 Environmental Science Processes & Impacts 121 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in the surface sediment of Kongsfjorden, Svalbard, Arctic

Researchers investigated microplastic pollution in surface sediments of Kongsfjorden, Svalbard, documenting MP presence in this remote Arctic fjord and contributing to understanding of microplastic distribution in polar sediment compartments.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Documentation of Microplastics in Tissues of Wild Coastal Animals

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in organs and tissues of fish, seabirds, and marine and terrestrial mammals from a polluted coastal area near Bergen, Norway. They found microplastics in the gastrointestinal tracts and other organs of multiple species, with polymer types and concentrations varying across animals. The study provides important baseline data on microplastic accumulation in wild coastal species relevant to human food chains.

2021 Frontiers in Environmental Science 71 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic in Terrestrial Ecosystems and the Soil?

This review examined the occurrence and behavior of microplastics in terrestrial ecosystems and soils, questioning how particles move through and accumulate in soils and calling for more research on land-based microplastic impacts.

2012 Environmental Science & Technology 1520 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring potential effects of microplastic contamination in Antarctic soils

Researchers reviewed the potential effects of microplastic contamination in Antarctic soils, synthesizing available evidence on microplastic occurrence, polymer composition, and ecological impacts in one of Earth's most pristine terrestrial environments. The review found that microplastics are present even in remote Antarctic soil ecosystems and may pose risks to soil invertebrates and microbial communities that underpin fragile polar food webs.

2024
Article Tier 2

Urbanization Impacts on Microplastic in Benthic Organisms and Sediment of Small Islands

Researchers investigated how urbanisation on small islands in Indonesia affects microplastic contamination levels in benthic organisms and sediments, examining the impact of land use conversions from pristine ecosystems to settlements and tourism facilities.

2025 Journal of King Abdulaziz University-Marine Sciences
Article Tier 2

Effect of Macroplastic on Soil Invertebrates: a Case Study Using Morphological and Molecular Approaches

Large plastic fragments — not just microplastics — were found to harm soil invertebrate communities in Russia, reducing diversity and abundance in contaminated plots, suggesting that macroplastic pollution poses underappreciated risks to soil ecosystems.

2023 Russian Journal of Ecosystem Ecology
Article Tier 2

The use of bioindicators to assess airborne microplastic deposition in remote peatlands of La Réunion

Using peatland mosses as bioindicators, researchers documented atmospheric microplastic deposition at remote sites on Reunion Island, finding that even isolated tropical peatlands receive measurable airborne microplastic inputs from distant sources.

2024
Article Tier 2

Investigation of microplastic pollution in Arctic fjord water: a case study of Rijpfjorden, Northern Svalbard

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in the remote Rijpfjorden fjord in Northern Svalbard, sampling both surface water and the water column down to 200 m, and found widespread microplastic presence even in this Arctic environment far from major pollution sources.

2022 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution characteristics and transport pathways of soil microplastics in coral reef islands with different developmental stages and human activities

Researchers mapped microplastic contamination in the soil of coral reef islands in the South China Sea and found 1,068 to 1,616 particles per kilogram across islands at different stages of development. More developed islands with greater human activity had higher contamination levels, and ocean currents and monsoons were the main forces spreading microplastics to less developed islands. The study shows that even remote island ecosystems are not safe from microplastic pollution, which can affect the soil and water these communities depend on.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin 5 citations
Article Tier 2

A baseline study of meso and microplastic predominance in pristine beach sediment of the Indian tropical island ecosystem

Researchers conducted a baseline survey of meso- and microplastic contamination on beaches of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in India, finding plastic debris present even in these relatively remote tropical island ecosystems, with fragments and films being the most common types.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 32 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pellets in Arctic marine sediments: a common source or a common process?

Researchers examined microplastic pellet contamination in Arctic marine sediments to understand whether their presence reflects common sources or shared degradation processes. The study found that microplastics are accumulating on the Arctic seafloor, contributing to growing evidence that plastic pollution reaches even the most remote ocean environments.

2025 Environmental Research 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Litter and Microplastics: Environmental monitoring in the Arctic

This study describes a monitoring program for plastic litter and microplastics in Arctic environments, combining beach surveys with water sampling across Norwegian Arctic sites. Even in remote polar regions far from major population centers, significant and increasing plastic pollution was found, highlighting the global reach of this environmental problem.

2021 1 citations
Article Tier 2

The occurrence and sources of microplastics to Arctic and sub-Arctic beaches: human influence on local microplastic hotspots

Researchers characterized microplastic occurrence and sources at Arctic and sub-Arctic beaches, finding that proximity to human settlements creates local hotspots, while more remote beaches receive microplastics primarily through long-range oceanic transport.

2024
Article Tier 2

Quantifying, and assessing the impact of, microplastics in terrestrial samples

Researchers developed methodologies to quantify microplastics (1 to 1000 micrometers) in terrestrial woodland environments, addressing the significant knowledge gap about microplastic concentrations and ecological impacts in soil ecosystems compared to the more extensively studied aquatic compartments.

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

Organic contaminants and toxic elements in marine plastic debris, water and sediments in small freshwater lakes in a Norwegian coastal archipelago

Researchers investigated freshwater lakes in a Norwegian coastal archipelago and found that nearby marine plastic debris was leaching harmful chemicals — including PFAS, bisphenol A, heavy metals, and cancer-linked PAHs — into the water and sediment at concerning levels. The study demonstrates that plastic pollution on coastlines can contaminate inland freshwater ecosystems far from the ocean.

2025 Heliyon 1 citations