Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastic abundance, distribution and composition in water, sediments, and wild fish from Poyang Lake, China

Microplastics were measured in surface water, sediments, and fish (crucian carp) across Poyang Lake, China's largest freshwater lake, finding 5–34 items/L in water, 54–506 items/kg in sediments, and 0–18 items per fish, with heterogeneous spatial distribution related to anthropogenic and topographic factors. The study provides comprehensive multi-compartment baseline data on microplastic contamination in a major Chinese freshwater ecosystem.

2018 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 682 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and distribution of microplastics in China’s largest freshwater lake system

Researchers found high levels of microplastics in both water and sediment across China's largest freshwater lake system, Poyang Lake, with concentrations up to 1,064 particles per cubic meter in water. The study reveals widespread contamination even in protected nature reserves, emphasizing the scale of the freshwater microplastics problem.

2020 Chemosphere 126 citations
Article Tier 2

Levels And Distribution Characteristics of Microplastics In Water And Sediment of A Typical Shallow Lake In Northern China

Scientists measured microplastic levels in the water and sediment of Baiyangdian Lake, a shallow lake in northern China. They found between 1,000 and 20,000 microplastic particles per cubic meter of water and up to 2,200 particles per kilogram of sediment. Despite pollution control efforts, microplastics remain widespread in this lake ecosystem.

2021 Research Square (Research Square)
Article Tier 2

Microplastic distribution in large shallow lake sediments: Variations with offshore distance and implications for microbial communities

Researchers analyzed microplastic distribution in sediments of Taihu Lake at varying distances from shore and examined the effects on microbial communities. They found that microplastic abundance decreased with increasing distance from the shoreline, ranging from 240 to 1,120 items per kilogram. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in lake sediments can significantly alter the composition and diversity of local microbial communities.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Vertical distribution of microplastics in the sediment profiles of the Lake Taihu, eastern China

Researchers analyzed vertical microplastic distribution in sediment cores from Lake Taihu, China, finding microplastics at all depths down to 50 cm with total abundances of up to 8,100 particles/kg dry weight, suggesting that surface sediment sampling significantly underestimates total microplastic storage.

2022 Sustainable Environment Research 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in the Yangtze River Basin: Heterogeneity of abundances and characteristics in different environments

Researchers compiled microplastic data from 624 sampling sites across the Yangtze River Basin covering water, sediment, soil, and biota, revealing heterogeneous contamination patterns driven by local land use, population density, and wastewater infrastructure.

2021 Environmental Pollution 112 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution of microplastics in benthic sediments of Qinghai Lake on the Tibetan Plateau, China

Researchers mapped the distribution of microplastics in the bottom sediments of Qinghai Lake on the Tibetan Plateau, sampling from shore to center. The study found microplastics throughout the lake sediments even in this remote, high-altitude location, with abundance patterns influenced by factors such as tourism activity and water currents rather than simply decreasing from shore to center.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 47 citations
Article Tier 2

Comprehensive analysis of microplastics in water, sediment and fish from a large recreational lake

Researchers surveyed microplastics in water, sediment, and fish from a large recreational lake in China, finding MPs across all sampled compartments with higher concentrations near tourist facilities and boat launch areas, raising concerns about human exposure through lake recreation and consumption of contaminated fish.

2025 Environmental Research 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution and sedimentation of microplastics in Taihu Lake

Researchers surveyed microplastic abundance in water, sediment, and inflowing rivers of Taihu Lake, China's third-largest freshwater lake, finding widespread contamination with fibers as the dominant type and higher concentrations near urban and agricultural shorelines.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 142 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

[Occurrence Relationship Between Microplastics and Heavy Metals Pollutants in the Estuarine Sediments of Poyang Lake and the Yangtze River].

This study analyzed microplastic and heavy metal concentrations in sediments at the junction of Poyang Lake and the Yangtze River in China, finding substantial microplastic abundance (averaging ~982 particles/kg) that correlated with levels of copper, cadmium, lead, zinc, and chromium. The co-occurrence of these pollutants raises concern that microplastics and heavy metals may compound each other's environmental risks in this region.

2020 PubMed 16 citations
Article Tier 2

[Occurrence Characteristics of Microplastics in Baiyangdian Lake Water and Sediments].

This study measured microplastic abundance and characteristics in both the water and bottom sediments of Baiyangdian Lake in China, finding average concentrations of about 6,255 particles per cubic meter in surface water and 11,088 particles per kilogram in sediments. The dominant polymer in water was PET, while sediments were dominated by chlorinated polyethylene, and larger particles settled faster according to Stokes' law calculations. The results suggest textile washing wastewater and wear from boats and buildings are key local pollution sources, with important implications for understanding contamination of this important freshwater ecosystem.

2023 PubMed 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Taihu Lake, China

Researchers surveyed Taihu Lake in China — one of the largest freshwater lakes in the country — and found microplastics throughout, with concentrations and polymer composition reflecting surrounding urban and industrial inputs.

2016 Environmental Pollution 1165 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigation on microplastic pollution of Dongting Lake and its affiliated rivers

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in Dongting Lake and its affiliated rivers in China, collecting 15 surface water and 15 sediment samples from across the lake district and finding microplastic abundances of 0.62-4.31 items/m3 in water and 21-52 items/100 g dry weight in sediments. Fibers dominated and the results indicate the lake system is a significant microplastic sink fed by surrounding river networks.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 113 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution and Sedimentation of Microplastics in Taihu Lake

Researchers studied microplastic distribution and sedimentation in Taihu Lake, one of China's largest freshwater lakes, and its surrounding rivers. Microplastics were found throughout the lake with higher concentrations near urban and industrial areas, raising concerns for water quality and aquatic life.

2022 4 citations
Article Tier 2

[Characterization of Microplastic Pollution of Sediments from Urban Lakes].

Sediments from urban lakes in Maanshan City, China contained microplastics in both spring and summer, with fragments and fibers as the most common types. Local industrial and domestic activities were identified as the likely sources, adding to evidence of widespread microplastic contamination in freshwater sediments.

2020 PubMed 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Bacterial community structure of water, sediment and microplastics in Poyang Lake wetland.

This study compared the bacterial communities living on four types of microplastics (film, foam, fiber, and fragment) in Poyang Lake wetland in China against the bacterial communities in the surrounding water and sediment. The microplastic surfaces hosted distinct microbial communities that differed from both the water and sediment, with foam microplastics supporting the least diverse communities. This "plastisphere" research is important because the unique bacteria colonizing plastic surfaces could spread pathogens or alter nutrient cycles in freshwater wetland ecosystems.

2023 PubMed
Article Tier 2

Unmasking Microplastic Pollution: A Study on the Distribution and Impact of Microplastics in Yuehai Lake, China

This study surveyed microplastic characteristics and distribution across water samples from Yuehai Lake in China, finding widespread contamination with fragments and fibers, and identifying local anthropogenic activities and atmospheric deposition as primary sources.

2025 Science Letters
Review Tier 2

The current situation of water pollutants and pollution source in Poyang Lake: A review

This review of pollution in China's largest freshwater lake, Poyang Lake, finds that microplastics are accumulating alongside heavy metals and elevated nitrogen and phosphorus from industrial discharge and human activity. Because Poyang Lake feeds the Yangtze River and supports major fisheries, microplastic buildup there has potential downstream consequences for aquatic ecosystems and the people who depend on them.

2023 Theoretical and Natural Science 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in sediments from the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea, China

Researchers sampled sediments from the Bohai Sea and Yellow Sea and found widespread microplastic contamination, with fibers and fragments as the dominant forms, and higher concentrations near river mouths and urban coastlines.

2018 The Science of The Total Environment 531 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Contamination in Water and Sediment at Maninjau Lake, Indonesia

Researchers quantified microplastic contamination in surface water and sediment across 10 locations in Maninjau Lake, Indonesia, finding abundances ranging from 65.63 to 195.31 particles/m3 in water and 199.52 to 7,000 particles/kg dry weight in sediment. Fiber, film, fragment, and granule shapes were identified, highlighting contamination risks to a lake critical for water supply, hydroelectric energy, and aquaculture.

2025 ASM Science Journal
Article Tier 2

Pollution status of microplastics in the freshwater environment of China: a mini review

This review assessed microplastic pollution in China's freshwater environments including rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, finding widespread contamination in surface waters, sediments, and biota with variations linked to population density and industrial activity.

2022 33 citations
Article Tier 2

How hydrodynamic conditions dominate the microplastic footprint in the largest freshwater lake in China

Researchers collected microplastics from surface water across China's Poyang Lake and used hydrodynamic flow data to model how three dominant particle types—PE fibers, PP fragments, and PE films—migrate under different flow conditions. Hydrodynamic conditions were the dominant control on microplastic spatial distribution, with still-water zones accumulating the highest concentrations.

2025 Environmental Research 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Characteristics and distribution of microplastics in shoreline sediments of the Yangtze River, main tributaries and lakes in China—From upper reaches to the estuary

Microplastic concentrations were measured in shoreline sediments from 54 sites along the Yangtze River, its tributaries, and adjoining lakes from the upper reaches to the estuary, revealing widespread contamination that generally increased toward the more urbanized lower river. The study provides one of the most spatially comprehensive surveys of Yangtze River microplastic pollution to date.

2022 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 17 citations