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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Abundance, morphology and chemical composition of microplastics in sand and sediments from a protected coastal area: The Mar Menor lagoon (SE Spain)
ClearMicroplastic contamination in three environmental compartments of a coastal lagoon in the southern Gulf of Mexico
Researchers documented microplastic contamination in water, sediment, and tiny marine animals in a protected lagoon in Mexico's Gulf coast. Even though the site has protected status, microplastics were found in all three environmental compartments, with polyester and acrylic fibers being the most common types. The study shows that even remote, protected waterways are not immune to microplastic pollution.
Microplastics levels, size, morphology and composition in marine water, sediments and sand beaches. Case study of Tarragona coast (western Mediterranean)
Researchers measured microplastic levels, sizes, shapes, and polymer types in coastal water, sediment, and beach sand along the Tarragona coast of the western Mediterranean, finding widespread contamination associated with nearby industrial facilities and a major petrochemical complex.
Microplastic Contamination in Protected Areas of the Gulf of Venice
Plastic pollution was found in nearly all seven protected marine areas studied in the Gulf of Venice, with microplastics dominating. The findings suggest that official conservation status does not shield coastal sediments from plastic contamination.
Screening and Quantification of Micro(Nano)Plastics and Plastic Additives in the Seawater of Mar Menor Lagoon
Researchers analyzed seawater from Mar Menor lagoon in Spain for micro- and nanoplastics, detecting a wide range of polymer types along with plastic additives including phthalates, UV stabilizers, and flame retardants. Both the plastic particles and the chemical additives they carried were present in the lagoon water. This study demonstrates that plastic pollution in coastal lagoons includes not just physical plastic particles but a complex cocktail of toxic chemical contaminants.
Microplastics in sediments of artificially recharged lagoons: Case study in a Biosphere Reserve
Microplastics were found in sediments of shallow wetland lagoons in Spain, with wastewater-receiving lagoons having higher concentrations and more fibers and fragments. The study suggests that even protected wetlands declared UNESCO Biosphere Reserves are accumulating microplastic pollution from agricultural and urban water sources.
Microplastics contamination along the coastal waters of NW Portugal
Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination across four coastal sites in northwest Portugal — including a marine protected area, an estuary, a shipwreck, and a marina — finding microplastics everywhere, with higher concentrations near fishing and shipping activities. Polyethylene and polypropylene fibers and films dominated, highlighting the widespread reach of plastic pollution even in protected areas.
First full investigation of levels of microplastics on sandy beaches in Malta
This study conducted the first comprehensive survey of microplastic levels on sandy beaches in Malta, finding microplastics at all five sampled beaches including in protected coastal areas. The results establish baseline contamination levels for the central Mediterranean and document seasonal and spatial variability.
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.
From macro to micro, from patchy to uniform: Analyzing plastic contamination along and across a sandy tide-less coast
A survey of a protected coastline in Lithuania found that while macrolitter is patchy and variable, microplastics (0.5–5 mm) are far more uniform, averaging over 3,000 particles per square meter of beach sand. Even in protected natural areas, microplastic contamination is pervasive.
Contaminação e toxicidade de microplásticos em uma área de proteção marinha costeira
This Brazilian study assessed microplastic contamination and toxicity in a coastal marine protected area, finding that sandy beaches accumulate plastic particles carried in by the ocean. The research highlights that even protected coastal zones are not immune to microplastic pollution, which can be ingested by marine wildlife and enter food webs.
Effects of distance to the sea and geomorphological characteristics on the quantity and distribution of microplastics in beach sediments of Granada (Spain)
Researchers characterized microplastic pollution on three beaches along the Granada coast of Spain, examining how distance from the sea and geomorphological features influence microplastic quantity and polymer composition in beach sediments. The study establishes regional baseline contamination levels and identifies spatial distribution patterns relevant to national and EU marine pollution directives.
Microplastics in Turkish Coastal Lagoons: Unveiling the Hidden Threat to Wetland Ecosystems
Researchers assessed microplastic abundance, composition, and seasonal variability in surface water and sediment of five Turkish coastal lagoons in the northeastern Mediterranean. Microplastics were present in all lagoons across seasons, with fibers dominating, and sediment concentrations far exceeding water column levels, revealing that these transitional ecosystems serve as significant microplastic sinks.
Characterisation of microplastic contamination in sediment of England's inshore waters
Researchers collected sediment samples from 22 Marine Protected Areas across English inshore waters and found microplastics in 61% of them. The study used an opportunistic, cost-effective sampling approach that could be integrated into existing environmental monitoring programs to track microplastic contamination in protected areas.
Microplastic distribution in surface sediments along the Spanish Mediterranean continental shelf
Researchers found microplastic contamination in coastal sediments along the Spanish Mediterranean continental shelf between Algeciras and Barcelona, with densities ranging from below detection limits to 1,380 particles per kilogram dry weight, predominantly fibers and fragments.
Microplastics in a mosaic of Marine Protected Areas from southeastern Brazil: An assessment based on filter-feeding bivalves
Researchers used filter-feeding bivalves as biological monitors to assess microplastic contamination across 28 marine protected areas along a heavily populated stretch of coastline in southeastern Brazil. They found microplastics in bivalves from all sites surveyed, demonstrating that protected status alone does not shield marine areas from plastic pollution. The study highlights how diffuse, transboundary plastic contamination reaches even designated conservation zones.
A global snapshot of microplastic contamination in sediments and biota of marine protected areas
A global snapshot of microplastic contamination in sediments and biota across marine protected areas (MPAs) found that microplastics are ubiquitous even in these conservation zones, undermining their protective function. The review synthesizes occurrence data and calls for microplastic monitoring to be integrated into MPA management plans.
Plastic pollution in marine ecosystems: spatiotemporal assessment in beach sediments of protected coastal areas
Researchers conducted a spatiotemporal assessment of plastic pollution including microplastics in beach sediments across 13 beaches in marine protected areas in Colombia and the Canary Islands, Spain, evaluating plastic debris under varying environmental conditions in ecologically sensitive coastal zones.
Distribution and abundance of microplastics in coastal sediments depends on grain size and distance from sources
A large survey of intertidal and subtidal sediments at protected coastal sites in Ireland found microplastics at 87 locations with concentrations correlated to sediment grain size and distance from urbanized areas, suggesting that even habitats within conservation zones accumulate significant microplastic loads from diffuse regional sources.
Presence, Spatial Distribution, and Characteristics of Microplastics in Beach Sediments Along the Northwestern Moroccan Mediterranean Coast
Researchers surveyed fourteen beaches along the northwestern Moroccan Mediterranean coast and found microplastics in every sediment sample, averaging about 59 particles per kilogram of dry sand. Fibers were the dominant shape at nearly 78%, with tourism, fishing, and wastewater discharges identified as the most likely pollution sources. The findings indicate moderate but widespread microplastic contamination along this coastline.
A systematic review on microplastic pollution in water, sediments, and organisms from 50 coastal lagoons across the globe
This systematic review examined microplastic pollution in 50 coastal lagoons worldwide. These important ecosystems showed higher microplastic levels near populated areas with heavy human activity. Fibers and fragments made of polyethylene, polyester, and polypropylene were the most common types found, highlighting how everyday plastics end up contaminating the waters where our seafood comes from.
Mikroplastik Pada Sedimen di Zona Pemukiman, Zona Perlindungan Bahari dan Zona Pemanfaatan Darat Kepulauan Karimunjawa, Jepara
This Indonesian study investigated microplastic types and abundances in sediments across different zones of the Karimunjawa National Park, comparing residential, marine protected, and buffer zones. The results show that even protected marine areas in Indonesia are not immune to microplastic contamination.
Microplastics in Turkish coastal lagoons: Unveiling the hidden threat to wetland ecosystems
Researchers conducted the first comprehensive assessment of microplastic pollution in five coastal lagoons in northeastern Mediterranean Turkey, recovering over 15,500 microplastic particles from water and sediment samples. Water concentrations were significantly higher in November than in June, with fibers being the dominant type and polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyester the most common polymers. The findings point to agricultural runoff, fishing gear, and mismanaged waste as significant pollution sources in these ecologically important wetland ecosystems.
Mapping microplastic overlap between marine compartments and biodiversity in a Mediterranean marine protected area
Researchers mapped microplastic distribution across water, sediment, and biota in a Mediterranean marine protected area, revealing significant overlap between microplastic hotspots and biodiversity-rich zones, raising concerns about ecological impacts in supposedly protected habitats.
Plastic litter in sediments from a marine area likely to become protected (Aeolian Archipelago's islands, Tyrrhenian sea)
Researchers surveyed plastic litter in sediments near the Aeolian Islands in Italy, a marine area under consideration for protected status, finding microplastics in all samples at levels comparable to harbor environments. The findings show that even relatively pristine marine areas designated for protection are not immune to plastic pollution.