Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in surface water of Lake Victoria

Microplastics were detected across all sampling sites in the northern surface waters of Lake Victoria, Africa's largest lake, with concentrations up to 2.19 particles per square meter and 36% of particles smaller than 1 mm. Urban beaches near fish landing sites had the highest concentrations, pointing to local human activity as the primary source.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 267 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems: macro-, meso-, and microplastic debris in a floodplain lake

Researchers surveyed macro-, meso-, and microplastic debris in a South American floodplain lake and found an average of 704 microplastic particles per square meter in sediments, with plastic contamination comparable to marine beaches — demonstrating that freshwater lakes can be major plastic pollution reservoirs.

2017 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 308 citations
Article Tier 2

The Effect of the Litter on the Lake Shoreline, A Case of Rubondo Island National Park, Tanzania.

This study assessed shoreline litter distribution and its ecological effects in Rubondo Island National Park in Tanzania's Lake Victoria, finding plastic debris at multiple sites and documenting impacts on wildlife. The research highlights that protected freshwater ecosystems in East Africa are also affected by plastic pollution from surrounding communities.

2018 The Open University of Tanzania Repository (The Open University of Tanzania)
Article Tier 2

Quantitative Analysis of the Sized Ranged Plastic Debris on Beach Shoreline along the Limbe Coastline, Cameroon

Researchers quantitatively assessed the abundance and distribution of plastic debris across four size classes on five sandy beaches in Cameroon, collecting 12,822 particles over 80 sampling quadrants and characterizing accumulation patterns along the coastline.

2023 Journal of Environmental Protection 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and Distribution of Microplastics from Nepal’s Second Largest Lake

Researchers conducted the first microplastic survey of Phewa Lake in Nepal, finding an average of 55–122.5 microplastic items per kilogram of sediment, with fiber shapes and polypropylene polymers dominating, and highest concentrations near densely populated shorelines.

2022 Water Air & Soil Pollution 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in sediments of tropical shallow lakes

Researchers found microplastics in all sediment samples from 48 tropical shallow lakes across a climatic gradient, with fibres dominating over fragments and polyester being the most common polymer, indicating widespread plastic contamination even in inland freshwater ecosystems.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in marine beach and seabed sediments along the coasts of Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar in Tanzania

Researchers found widespread microplastic contamination in beach and seabed sediments along the coasts of Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar, Tanzania, with polyethylene and polyester the dominant polymers and fragments and fibers the most common particle types.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in Auckland (New Zealand) beach sediments

Researchers conducted the first large-scale investigation of microplastic contamination in beach sediments across 39 sites in Auckland, New Zealand, finding contamination at the majority of beaches surveyed. Mean abundance varied by coastal environment type, with estuarine and harbour sites generally showing higher concentrations than open ocean beaches.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 131 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and Spatial Distribution of Microplastics in the Surface Waters of Lake Naivasha, Kenya

Scientists surveyed microplastic abundance and composition in surface waters of Lake Naivasha, Kenya, finding contamination across the lake with higher concentrations near agricultural and urban areas, providing one of the first datasets for a major East African freshwater body.

2020 Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 116 citations
Article Tier 2

An analysis of microlitter and microplastics from Lake Superior beach sand and surface-water

Researchers sampled beach sand and surface water in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore of Lake Superior, finding microlitter particles including microplastics even in this relatively pristine Great Lakes environment, with samples collected in May and July 2018.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 63 citations
Article Tier 2

Categorization of plastic debris on sixty-six beaches of the Laurentian Great Lakes, North America

Researchers categorized 21,592 plastic debris items from 66 beaches across the Laurentian Great Lakes and found that pre-production plastic pellets dominated at 58% of total items, with the highest densities exceeding 800 items/m2 at beaches near industrial areas in Ontario, Canada.

2022 Environmental Research Letters 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundances and characteristics of small (< 0.3 mm) and large (0.3–5 mm) microplastics found in Aotearoa New Zealand beach sediments

Researchers conducted the first study of microplastic contamination in New Zealand waters, finding that both small (under 0.3 mm) and large (0.3–5 mm) microplastics were present across beach and water samples, with fragment and fiber morphologies dominating the assemblage.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Marine Sediments from Dar es Salaam Coast: Spatial Distribution and Characterization

Researchers found microplastic contamination in marine sediments at four beaches along the Dar es Salaam coast in Tanzania, with the highest concentrations near the surface layer. Identified polymers included polypropylene, polyethylene, polyurethane, and polyamide in fiber, fragment, sponge, and pellet forms.

2023 Tanzania Journal of Science 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Variation in plastic abundance at different lake beach zones - A case study

Researchers sampled five beaches on Lake Garda using transects and sediment cores to determine optimal microplastic sampling zones, finding that the drift line consistently accumulates plastic particles across all beaches and provides the most comparable and representative sampling location for lake microplastic assessments.

2017 The Science of The Total Environment 60 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatial distribution of microplastics in volcanic lake water and sediments: Relationships with depth and sediment grain size

Microplastics were mapped in both water and sediment across depth gradients in a volcanic lake, finding that plastic concentrations increased with depth in sediments and were related to sediment grain size. The study provides rare data on microplastic distribution in volcanic lake systems and highlights sediment accumulation as a long-term plastic sink.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 46 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence, distribution and sources of microplastics in beach sediments of Miri coast, NW Borneo

Researchers characterized microplastic pollution in the surface sediments of 10 European rivers, detecting particles at all sites with concentrations ranging from 14 to 895 particles per kilogram of dry sediment. Urban rivers showed the highest contamination levels.

2022 Chemosphere 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplásticos en tres playas del corredor turístico del norte, Piura, Perú

Researchers estimated the abundance, characteristics, and types of microplastics on three beaches along the northern tourist corridor of Piura, Peru, characterising the size, colour, and polymer types of particles found in beach sediments to assess contamination levels in this coastal region.

2025
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Northern Laguna Lake’s Shoreline Sediments

Researchers found microplastic contamination in shoreline sediments across three sites in northern Laguna Lake, the Philippines, with concentrations ranging from 296 to 1826 particles per kilogram of sediment, with fragment and fiber types linked to local aquaculture, clothing, and packaging materials.

2023 The Philippine journal of science 1 citations
Article Tier 2

A comparative review of microplastics in lake systems from different countries and regions

Researchers reviewed microplastic contamination data from lake systems across multiple countries, finding that abundance, size, and polymer type varied widely by region and identifying land use, population density, and hydrological connectivity as key drivers of lake microplastic levels.

2021 Chemosphere 206 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance and characterization of microplastics on sandy beaches along the coastal area of Belize

Researchers quantified and characterized microplastic abundance on sandy beaches along the coastal zone of Belize, establishing baseline contamination data for a region of Central America and the Caribbean where such pollution assessments are critically lacking.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin
Article Tier 2

Plastic abundance and seasonal variation on the shorelines of three volcanic lakes in Central Italy: can amphipods help detect contamination?

Plastic particles of 1–50 mm were found on the shores of three volcanic lakes in central Italy, with accumulation varying by season and lake. The study calls for standardized monitoring methods for lakeshores, as inland water bodies are important sinks and sources of plastic pollution flowing toward the ocean.

2020 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 54 citations
Article Tier 2

Factors driving the spatial distribution of microplastics in nearshore and offshore sediment of Lake Huron, North America

Researchers found microplastic abundances in Lake Huron sediments ranging from 59 to 335,714 particles per kg dry weight, with the North Channel showing the highest concentrations averaging 47,398 particles per kg. Results indicated that hydrodynamic processes such as waves and currents drive offshore distribution more than proximity to pollution sources.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence of Microplastics in Surface Sediments of Beaches in Lagos, Nigeria

Microplastics were found in beach sediments at all four sampled sites in Lagos State, Nigeria, with fragments dominating and polypropylene, polyethylene, and polystyrene identified. The results provide baseline data for West Africa's most populous city and highlight the need for better waste management in rapidly urbanizing coastal regions.

2019 European Chemical Bulletin 40 citations
Article Tier 2

Meso- and microplastic composition, distribution patterns and drivers: A snapshot of plastic pollution on Brazilian beaches

A standardized survey of plastic pollution across 22 sandy beaches spanning over 4600 km of Brazilian coast found widespread contamination in coastal sediments, with polymer type, size, and distribution patterns reflecting diverse sources including fishing activity and urban runoff.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 29 citations