Papers

61,005 results
|
Article Tier 2

Seasonal and spatial variations in microplastics abundances in St. Andrew Bay, Florida

Researchers found significant seasonal and spatial variations in microplastic abundances in coastal sediments of St. Andrew Bay, Florida, with wastewater treatment plant effluent identified as a major contributor to the approximately 25% of marine microplastics originating from such facilities.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Ecosystem Effects and Magnitude of Microplastics Pollution in St. Andrew Bay, Florida

This study quantified microplastic pollution in St. Andrew Bay, Florida, examining inputs from wastewater treatment plants and other coastal sources. The research documented ongoing daily microplastic deposition into this coastal system and characterized its sources and spatial distribution.

2024 DigiNole (Florida State University)
Article Tier 2

Influence of wastewater treatment plants and water input sources on size, shape, and polymer distributions of microplastics in St. Andrew Bay, Florida, USA

Researchers found that wastewater treatment plant outflows in St. Andrew Bay, Florida significantly influence the size, shape, and polymer composition of microplastics, with smaller polypropylene fragments dominating near discharge points.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of microplastics pollution in Biscayne Bay: Spatial distribution, tidal variability, and polymer hazard analysis

Researchers assessed microplastic pollution in Biscayne Bay, Florida, examining spatial distribution, the influence of tidal cycles, and potential hazards based on polymer type. They found an average abundance of approximately 7 particles per cubic meter of surface water, predominantly low-density polymers like polyethylene and polypropylene. The study indicates that tidal dynamics influence microplastic distribution in the bay and that certain polymer types pose greater ecological risks than others.

2026 Marine Pollution Bulletin
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in mangrove and beach sediments on southeast Florida barrier islands

Researchers quantified and characterized microplastic abundance, distribution, and variation in estuarine mangrove and beach sediments across southeast Florida barrier islands. The study aimed to improve understanding of microplastic hazards in these coastal ecosystems to support conservation efforts for mangrove and beach environments.

2025 Shore & Beach
Article Tier 2

Microplastic in the sediments of a highly eutrophic tropical estuary

Researchers quantified and characterized microplastics in sublittoral sediments of Guanabara Bay, a highly eutrophic tropical estuary in Brazil, finding widespread contamination with fibers and fragments at concentrations reflecting the bay's heavy urbanization and poor waste management.

2019 Marine Pollution Bulletin 106 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance and characteristics of microplastics in beach sediments: Insights into microplastic accumulation in northern Gulf of Mexico estuaries

Researchers surveyed microplastic abundance in beach sediments across seven locations in Mobile Bay, a northern Gulf of Mexico estuary. The study found microplastics were ubiquitous at concentrations 66 to 253 times higher than reported for the open ocean, with polypropylene and polyethylene being the most common polymers, highlighting the extent of microplastic accumulation in estuarine environments.

2016 Marine Pollution Bulletin 310 citations
Article Tier 2

Contribution of Stormwater Outfalls to Microplastic Pollution in a Subtropical Estuary Using Data Collected with the Assistance of Citizen Scientists

Researchers used citizen scientists to collect monthly water samples from 24 stormwater outfalls and 6 control sites in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida for 12 months to assess microplastic contributions from stormwater discharge into a subtropical estuary. A total of 958 microplastics were identified from 1,800 L of water, with outfall sites (mean 0.53 MP/L) discharging significantly smaller and more numerous microplastics than control sites, with highest concentrations in fall hurricane season.

2023 Environments 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic in two South Carolina Estuaries: Occurrence, distribution, and composition

Microplastics were found throughout intertidal sediments of two developed estuaries in South Carolina, with higher concentrations near urban centers and sewage outfalls. The study provides baseline contamination data for two important US Atlantic coast estuaries and confirms that nearshore estuarine sediments in the southeastern US accumulate significant microplastic pollution.

2018 Marine Pollution Bulletin 322 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic abundance in the surface water of tropical estuarine fronts

This study measured microplastic abundance and types at surface water tropical estuarine fronts — zones where freshwater and saltwater mix — finding elevated microplastic concentrations at these boundaries compared to adjacent waters. Frontal zones appear to act as convergence areas that trap floating microplastics.

2024 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 7 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
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

Influence of environmental and anthropogenic factors on the composition, concentration and spatial distribution of microplastics: A case study of the Bay of Brest (Brittany, France)

Researchers surveyed microplastic concentrations in surface water and sediment at nine locations across the Bay of Brest, France, and found that pollution levels were highest near population centers and wastewater outfalls. The study identified both polymer types and size distributions, helping to trace the sources of microplastic contamination in this coastal bay.

2017 Environmental Pollution 422 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Florida, United States: A Case Study of Quantification and Characterization With Intertidal Snails

Researchers quantified and characterized microplastic contamination in Florida coastal waters using intertidal snails as indicator organisms, documenting the extent of MP pollution along beaches that are subject to heavy tourism and hurricane disturbance.

2021 Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance and distribution of microplastics in tropical estuarine mangrove areas around Penang, Malaysia

This study documented microplastic pollution in tropical mangrove estuaries around Penang, Malaysia, finding thousands of plastic particles in both water and sediment samples. Concentrations were particularly high near the more urbanized Seberang Perai area, where sediment contained up to 4,000 particles per kilogram. The research highlights that tropical mangroves, which serve as important nursery habitats for marine life, are accumulating significant amounts of microplastic pollution.

2023 Frontiers in Marine Science 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in surface waters of tropical estuaries around a densely populated Brazilian bay

Researchers found extremely high microplastic concentrations (up to 33,000 items per cubic meter) in ten estuaries around Todos os Santos Bay, Brazil, largely driven by deficient domestic wastewater treatment serving over 3 million residents.

2023 Environmental Pollution 39 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantifying Spatial and Temporal Trends of Microplastic Pollution in Surface Water and in the Eastern Oyster Crassostrea virginica for a Dynamic Florida Estuary

Researchers monitored microplastic pollution in surface waters and tissues of the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica across 35 sites in Florida's Indian River Lagoon over one year using microscopy and ATR-FTIR, quantifying spatial and temporal variability in MP abundance and identifying factors influencing distribution patterns in this dynamic estuarine system.

2022 Environments 13 citations
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Identification of the driving factors of microplastic load and morphology in estuaries for improving monitoring and management strategies: A global meta-analysis

Across 1,477 observations from 124 estuaries worldwide, microplastic abundance averaged 21,342 items/m3 in water and 1,313 items/kg in sediment, with about 69-86% of particles smaller than 1 mm. Population density and mismanaged plastic waste drove water contamination, while 47% of estuarine water and 73% of sediment samples reached the highest potential ecological risk category.

2023 Environmental Pollution 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic abundance and distribution in surface water and sediment collected from the coastal area

Researchers found microplastics in both surface water and sediments across 12 coastal sampling sites in Jakarta Bay, Indonesia, documenting their abundance, distribution patterns, and morphological characteristics in a heavily urbanized tropical coastal environment.

2022 SHILAP Revista de lepidopterología 32 citations
Article Tier 2

Holistic Assessment of Microplastics and Other Anthropogenic Microdebris in an Urban Bay Sheds Light on Their Sources and Fate

This comprehensive urban bay monitoring study characterized microplastics and other anthropogenic microdebris across water, sediment, and biota, using physical and chemical properties to identify multiple pollution sources and predict environmental fate.

2021 ACS ES&T Water 67 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in the water column and benthic sediment of the San Pedro Bay, California, USA

This study conducted one of the first comprehensive surveys of microplastic distribution throughout the entire water column and seafloor sediment in San Pedro Bay, California. Researchers found that microplastic concentrations were significantly higher in nearshore waters than offshore, and that fibers were the most common particle type, providing important baseline data for understanding coastal microplastic pollution.

2025 Environmental Research 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence, abundance, and distribution of microplastics pollution: an evidence in surface tropical water of Klang River estuary, Malaysia

Researchers measured microplastic abundance, size, shape, and polymer type in surface water of the Klang River estuary in Malaysia — a highly urbanized waterway — finding concentrations among the highest reported in Southeast Asian estuaries, with industrial packaging materials and synthetic textiles as the dominant sources.

2021 Environmental Geochemistry and Health 107 citations
Article Tier 2

Contamination and characterization of microplastics in different sediments of the river estuaries (the inner Gulf of Thailand)

Researchers measured microplastic contamination in river estuary sediments in the inner Gulf of Thailand, finding widespread contamination at all sites. The study characterizes the types and abundance of microplastics in a highly trafficked coastal region of Southeast Asia.

2019
Article Tier 2

Towards Characterising Microplastic Abundance, Typology and Retention in Mangrove-Dominated Estuaries

Microplastic pollution levels, morphotype diversity, and polymer composition were compared across four South African estuaries, finding that open estuaries with high surrounding population densities and diverse land use had the highest MP contamination, with microfibres dominating in all systems.

2020 Water 101 citations