Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Occurrence and transport of microplastics across the streambed interface during bank filtration

Researchers assessed microplastic occurrence and spatial distribution across surface water, riverbed sediments, and groundwater at two German lowland river sites -- the Teltow Canal and the Havel -- under bank filtration conditions, collecting monthly surface water and quarterly groundwater samples over one year alongside sediment freeze cores to 100 cm depth, analyzed by near-infrared spectroscopy.

2025
Article Tier 2

A depth-resolved snapshot of microplastic abundances in riffle heads in a gravelbed river

Researchers took depth-resolved samples from gravel riverbed sediments to map how microplastics distribute vertically through streambeds. They found significant quantities at depth, suggesting that riverbeds act as long-term reservoirs of microplastic pollution rather than just transient transport pathways.

2023 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Distribution at Different Sediment Depths in an Urban Estuary

Researchers sampled sediment cores from an urban estuary to map how microplastic particles are distributed at different depths over time. The study found that microplastic density varied with sediment depth, reflecting historical changes in plastic pollution and urban runoff.

2017 Frontiers in Marine Science 271 citations
Article Tier 2

Riverbed depth-specific microplastics distribution and potential use as process marker

Researchers examined the depth-specific distribution of microplastics in riverbed sediments, finding that particle concentration and type varied significantly with sediment depth. The findings suggest that riverbeds act as significant microplastic sinks, with deeper layers representing older accumulation zones.

2024 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 6 citations
Article Tier 2

New insights into the vertical distribution and microbial degradation of microplastics in urban river sediments

Vertical distribution and microbial degradation of microplastics in sediment cores were investigated, finding that microplastics were present throughout the vertical profile and that indigenous microbial communities were actively interacting with plastic particles. The study provided new insights into how sediment depth, redox conditions, and microbial activity shape microplastic fate in sediment repositories.

2020 Water Research 284 citations
Article Tier 2

Distinct microplastic patterns in the sediment and biota of an urban stream

Researchers found distinct microplastic contamination patterns between sediments and aquatic biota in an urban stream, with sediments accumulating more particles while biota showed selective uptake based on particle size and shape, highlighting the complex dynamics of microplastic distribution in urban freshwater systems.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of seasonal variation and resuspension on microplastics in river sediments

Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in river sediments across multiple seasons and examined the role of resuspension events, finding that MP levels varied significantly by season and that high-flow events released previously deposited particles, redistributing contamination downstream.

2021 Environmental Pollution 214 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing the Behavior of Microplastics in Fluvial Systems: Infiltration and Retention Dynamics in Streambed Sediments

Scientists used laboratory river-bed simulations to study how microplastics move from surface water down into streambed sediments. Smaller particles (1 micrometer) penetrated deeper into the sediment than larger ones, and higher water flow pushed more particles downward. This research helps explain how microplastics accumulate in river beds, which serve as both drinking water sources and habitats for aquatic organisms.

2024 Water Resources Research 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Classification of microplastic characteristics in surface water and sediments in the lower Mekong river (Vietnam) in the dry season

Researchers analyzed microplastic distribution and polymer composition at 17 locations along the Mekong River in Vietnam during the April 2024 dry season, collecting samples from both surface water and riverbed sediments and characterizing them by optical microscopy and FTIR spectroscopy. They found that microplastic densities were higher in more urbanized areas and were influenced by geographical location, transportation activities, population density, and local hydrological characteristics.

2025 Inżynieria Mineralna
Article Tier 2

Longitudinal and Vertical Transport of Microplastic Within Sediment in Rivers and Transitional Water Environments

Researchers investigated the longitudinal and vertical transport of microplastics within sediments in rivers and transitional water environments, developing models to quantify how sediment presence affects microplastic mobility and their transport toward coastal areas.

2025 Florence Research (University of Florence)
Article Tier 2

Co-occurrence of microplastics and heavy metals to urban river sediments: The vertical distribution characterization and comprehensive ecological risk assessment

Researchers studied how microplastics and heavy metals are distributed at different depths in urban river sediments and found that pollution risk actually increases deeper in the sediment. Polyethylene fragments were the most common type of microplastic found, and the combination of microplastics with heavy metals like zinc, arsenic, and cadmium creates a compounded ecological risk. These findings suggest that looking only at surface sediment may underestimate the true extent of pollution in urban waterways.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in urban New Jersey freshwaters: distribution, chemical identification, and biological affects

Researchers characterized microplastics in the heavily urbanized Raritan and Passaic Rivers in New Jersey, identifying polymer types at 15 sites using pyrolysis-GC/MS and finding that associated organic compounds can transfer between plastic and water phases, with embryonic zebrafish exposed to identified polymers showing physiological effects.

2017 AIMS environmental science 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution and transport of microplastic and fine particulate organic matter in urban streams

Researchers found that urban streams both transport and retain microplastic and fine particulate organic matter, using particle transport dynamics methods to quantify retention rates and identify streams as significant intermediary sinks in the plastic pollution pathway to oceans.

2021 Ecological Applications 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Vertical Distribution of Microplastics in the Water Column and Surficial Sediment from the Milwaukee River Basin to Lake Michigan

Microplastics were measured in water surface, water subsurface, and sediment samples along the Milwaukee River continuum to Lake Michigan, finding density-dependent vertical distribution with low-density polymers concentrated at the surface and high-density polymers in sediments. The study demonstrates a clear polymer partitioning pattern with depth in freshwater systems.

2019 Environmental Science & Technology 440 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantifying and Characterizing Microplastics in the Greater Philadelphia Region

Researchers quantified and characterized microplastic contamination across waterways in the Greater Philadelphia region, examining how plastic degradation from weathering, heat, water, and biological activity introduces microplastics into local water bodies and the atmosphere. The study assessed the scope of contamination and documented the implications of microplastic pollution for aquatic and human health in an urban watershed context.

2025 Digital Commons - Ursinus (Ursinus College)
Article Tier 2

Revealing microplastic dynamics: the impact of precipitation and depth in urban river ecosystems

Microplastic abundance was monitored at different depths and during different precipitation events in urban rivers in Brazil, finding that rainfall significantly increases MP concentrations and that deeper water layers can carry higher loads than surface water.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance, Distribution and Drivers of Microplastic Contaminant in Urban River Environments

Researchers surveyed microplastic distribution in urban river environments and identified key drivers of accumulation hotspots, finding that land use, hydrology, and infrastructure factors concentrated microplastics at predictable locations that could inform targeted management interventions.

2018 Preprints.org 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of land cover on microplastics accumulation in freshwater sediments

Researchers collected sediment cores from four Pennsylvania watersheds with different land uses to examine how land cover influences microplastic accumulation in freshwater sediments over time. Urban and agricultural watersheds showed higher microplastic concentrations than forested watersheds, with fibers being the most common morphotype.

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

Spatio-vertical distribution of riverine microplastics: Impact of the textile industry

Microplastic distributions were mapped vertically and spatially along a river impacted by the textile industry, finding elevated fiber concentrations near industrial discharge points and in deeper river sediment layers. The study links textile manufacturing to localized microplastic hotspots and documents vertical accumulation patterns in riverine sediments.

2022 Environmental Research 43 citations
Article Tier 2

Trapped microplastics within vertical redeposited sediment: Experimental study simulating lake and channeled river systems during resuspension events

Researchers simulated sediment resuspension events to study how microplastics of different densities, sizes, and shapes become trapped within redeposited sediment layers, finding that particle properties strongly influence vertical redistribution patterns in lake and river systems.

2023 Environmental Pollution 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigations on microplastic infiltration within natural riverbed sediments

Researchers used laboratory flume experiments to investigate how sediment grain size affects the infiltration of four types of microplastics (PET spheres, PET ellipsoids, polystyrene fragments, and polyamide fibers) into riverbed sediments. Sediment particle size, microplastic shape, and density were key factors controlling how deeply microplastics penetrate into the hyporheic zone.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatio-temporal trends in microplastic presence in the sediments of the River Thames catchment (UK)

A 30-month study tracked microplastic concentrations in sediments across the River Thames catchment in the UK, finding an average of 61 items per kg dry weight with sub-millimeter polyethylene fragments dominating. Industrial land use near sampling sites was associated with elevated microplastic concentrations and distinct polymer types.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatial distribution and vertical characteristics of microplastics in the urban river: The case of Qinhuai River in Nanjing, China

Researchers investigated the spatial distribution and vertical characteristics of microplastics in the Qinhuai River in Nanjing, China. The study found an average concentration of about 668 microplastic items per liter, with abundance patterns varying between surface and deep water at different points along the river, and identified correlations between microplastic presence and shifts in microbial community structure.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Concentration Depth Profiles of Microplastic Particles in River Flow and Implications for Surface Sampling

This study measured microplastic concentration depth profiles in river flow and found that particles are not uniformly distributed in the water column, with implications for sampling strategy and the accuracy of estimates of total microplastic transport.

2021 Environmental Science & Technology 83 citations