Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in deep-sea sediments

Researchers analyzed deep-sea sediment cores and found microplastics present at depth, providing early evidence that deep-sea sediments globally accumulate microplastic pollution far from coastlines and at the seafloor.

2013 Environmental Pollution 1521 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and spatial distribution of microplastics in sediments from Norderney

Researchers surveyed sediments from Norderney in the North Sea and found widespread microplastic contamination, documenting spatial distribution patterns and particle characteristics across this tidally influenced coastal environment.

2014 Environmental Pollution 608 citations
Article Tier 2

The fate of microplastic in marine sedimentary environments: A review and synthesis

A systematic review of 80 papers on microplastics in marine sediments found median concentrations varied widely by sediment environment, with fibers dominating many locations, and showed that sediment grain size and organic carbon content influence microplastic accumulation.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 381 citations
Article Tier 2

Global mapping for the occurrence of all-sized microplastics in seafloor sediments

Researchers compiled global seafloor microplastic data from 155 marine sediment samples including detailed sampling metadata and abundance measurements for 20 microplastic categories, providing foundational data for understanding the distribution and uncertainty of microplastic contamination on the seafloor.

2025 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

A large-scale study of microplastic abundance in sediment cores from the UK continental shelf and slope

Microplastic abundance was surveyed in sediment cores from three areas of the UK continental shelf, establishing a baseline pollution profile across contrasting coastal environments. Concentrations varied considerably by location and depth, with the data providing a foundation for future risk assessments of seafloor contamination.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 51 citations
Article Tier 2

Fate of microplastics in deep-sea sediments and its influencing factors: Evidence from the Eastern Indian Ocean

Surface sediments from 26 sites in the deep basin of the Eastern Indian Ocean were analyzed for microplastics, finding concentrations ranging widely and influenced by water depth, distance from land, and ocean current patterns. The study extends deep-sea microplastic monitoring to the Indian Ocean and identifies oceanographic transport as a key control on plastic distribution.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 70 citations
Article Tier 2

Diving into the Depths: Uncovering Microplastics in Norwegian Coastal Sediment Cores

Researchers analyzed microplastic vertical distribution in sediment cores from five sites along the Norwegian coast extending to Arctic waters, filling a gap in high-resolution depth profile data for European and Arctic sediments. Microplastics were found throughout core depths with concentrations generally increasing toward the surface in patterns reflecting historical plastic production growth.

2024 Environmental Science & Technology 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

Deep Sea Microplastic Pollution Extends Out to Sediments in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean Margins

Researchers surveyed deep-sea sediments across four areas of the Northeast Atlantic and detected microplastics at 75% of stations sampled, finding no hotspots and no clear correlation with depth or distance from land, demonstrating the widespread extent of deep-sea microplastic contamination.

2022 Environmental Science & Technology 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in deep-sea sediments and organisms of the Western Pacific Ocean

Researchers collected deep-sea sediment and organism samples from multiple sites in the western Pacific Ocean and found microplastics at all locations sampled, with depth, distance from land, and current patterns influencing accumulation, confirming the western Pacific deep sea as a significant microplastic sink.

2020 Environmental Pollution 378 citations
Article Tier 2

Atmospheric Deposition Of Microplastics Recorded In Icelandic Lake Sediments: Estimating Microplastic Fluxes Using Short Sediment Cores

Researchers sampled sediment cores from six remote Icelandic crater lakes to estimate atmospheric microplastic deposition flux rates, finding that Iceland's position within major oceanic currents and weather patterns makes it a sentinel site for studying long-range Arctic-bound microplastic transport.

2025
Article Tier 2

Distribution and characterization of microplastics in marine sediments from coastal and offshore in South Korea

Researchers conducted an intensive survey of microplastic levels and distribution in marine sediments from coastal areas, recognizing the seafloor as the ultimate repository for plastic particles. Microplastic concentrations in sediments were highest near urban and industrial coastlines, with fibers and fragments as the most common types.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
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

Microplastics in the Mediterranean Sea: Deposition in coastal shallow sediments, spatial variation and preferential grain size

Researchers sampled Mediterranean coastal shallow sediments and found microplastics throughout, with concentrations and polymer types reflecting land-based inputs and showing that coastal sediments are a significant regional reservoir for plastic debris.

2016 Marine Environmental Research 617 citations
Article Tier 2

The Deposition and Accumulation of Microplastics in Marine Sediments and Bottom Water from the Irish Continental Shelf

This study provided the first record of microplastic contamination in sediments on the Irish continental shelf, recovering plastic particles across nearly all sampled stations. The finding confirms that even relatively remote offshore sediments accumulate microplastic pollution, likely as a final sink for particles from the water column.

2017 Scientific Reports 405 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics Baseline Surveys at the Water Surface and in Sediments of the North-East Atlantic

Researchers measured microplastic concentrations at the sea surface and in sediments across the southern North Sea and northwestern Europe, finding highly variable but widespread contamination. Sediments contained far higher concentrations than surface waters, confirming that the seafloor acts as a major sink for microplastic pollution.

2017 Frontiers in Marine Science 308 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution and characterization of microplastics in marine sediments from coastal and offshore in South Korea

Researchers conducted an intensive survey of microplastic distribution and characterization in marine sediments from coastal areas, confirming the seafloor as a long-term sink for plastic pollution. Contamination was highest near urban coastlines, with fibers and fragments accumulating preferentially in low-energy depositional environments.

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

Unveiling small microplastics in Norwegian coastal sediment cores

Researchers collected five sediment cores along the Norwegian Coastal Current using a multi-corer sampler to investigate the high-resolution vertical distribution of small microplastics in coastal and sub-Arctic sediments, addressing a major gap in knowledge about microplastic depth profiles in European waters. The study, part of the JPI Oceans FACTS project, aimed to characterise how microplastics are transported and deposited through the water column into seafloor sediments.

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

Diving into the deep: unveiling small microplastics in Norwegian coastal sediment cores

Researchers examined the vertical distribution of small microplastics in five sediment cores from the Norwegian Coastal Current, using advanced analytical methods down to 11 micrometers combined with radiometric dating, finding widespread microplastic presence across sediment layers up to 19 cm depth and providing insights into historical deposition rates.

2025
Article Tier 2

Unveiling Microplastic Abundance and Distribution in an Oceanic Island: Offshore Depository or Local Pollution Indicator

Microplastic abundance and distribution were documented across surface waters and sediments of an oceanic island, with findings indicating both local land-based pollution and ocean gyre-driven deposition of particles from distant sources.

2024 Sustainability 4 citations
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

Spatial distribution of microplastics around an inhabited coral island in the Maldives, Indian Ocean

Researchers investigated microplastic accumulation across fore reef, reef flat, and beach sediment environments surrounding a small inhabited coral island in the Maldives, finding 1,244 individual microplastic pieces across 22 sampling sites. The study reveals that even remote inhabited islands in the Indian Ocean show significant microplastic contamination, with spatial distribution patterns reflecting local hydrodynamics and human activities.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 109 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastics from Surface to Seabed: Vertical Distribution of (Micro)plastic Particles in the North Pacific Ocean

Researchers investigated the vertical distribution of microplastics across the water column and deep-sea sediments (>5 km) in the North Pacific Ocean, finding concentrations of 8-2600 items/m3 in the water column and 1100-3200 items/kg in sediments, with distinct patterns across the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, Papahanaumokuakea Monument, and a less-polluted open ocean site.

2025 Environmental Science & Technology
Article Tier 2

Global mapping for the occurrence of all-sized microplastics in seafloor sediments

Researchers developed code for extracting ocean surface current and near-bed thermohaline current data to analyze the hydrodynamic driving forces behind global microplastic distribution patterns in seafloor sediments.

2025 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)