Papers

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Article Tier 2

Microplastic Accumulation in Hong Kong’s Marine Sediment: Spatial Pattern and Potential Sources

Researchers conducted a comprehensive survey of microplastics in marine sediments across Hong Kong's waters. They found microplastics at every sampling site, with fibers and fragments being the most common forms and polypropylene and polyethylene the dominant plastics. The spatial patterns suggest that coastal urbanization and water circulation are key factors driving where microplastics accumulate in sediments.

2025 Environment & Health 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in the marine waters and sediments of Hong Kong

Seasonal surveys of surface water and sediments across four coastal locations in Hong Kong found microplastics at all sites, with the highest concentrations in the most urbanized harbor areas. This first comprehensive study of Hong Kong coastal waters reveals that even heavily trafficked port environments accumulate large quantities of microplastic pollution.

2016 Marine Pollution Bulletin 355 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Accumulationin Hong Kong’s MarineSediment: Spatial Pattern and Potential Sources

Researchers conducted a comprehensive survey of microplastics in marine sediments across Hong Kong, finding uneven distribution with abundance ranging from near zero to high levels in urbanized areas. Source analysis pointed to household waste, fishing activity, and stormwater runoff as primary contributors.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Abundance and Characteristics of Microplastics in Seawater and Corals From Reef Region of Sanya Bay, China

Researchers quantified microplastic abundance in seawater and coral samples from Sanya Bay, China, finding 15-22 items per liter in seawater and up to 3.6 items per coral polyp, with fibers and fragments as the predominant particle types in reef ecosystems.

2021 Frontiers in Marine Science 37 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatial and temporal variations of coastal microplastic pollution in Hong Kong

This study documented microplastic contamination in the coastal environment of Hong Kong across multiple sites from 2016 to 2017, finding the highest levels in an industrialized harbor area. Repeated contamination across years confirms that microplastic pollution in Hong Kong's coastal waters is persistent and linked to ongoing urban and industrial activities.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Disentangling the anthropogenic and environmental correlates of microplastic pollution in the coastal waters of a metropolis in Southern China

Researchers surveyed 31 sites across Hong Kong's coastal waters and found microplastics at every location, with concentrations ranging widely depending on local conditions. They analyzed both human activity patterns and environmental factors to identify the main drivers of contamination. The study found that population density and proximity to urban discharge points were strongly associated with higher microplastic levels in surface waters.

2025 Environmental Pollution 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and characteristics of microplastics in the coral reef, sea grass and near shore habitats of Rameswaram Island, India

Researchers compared microplastic occurrence and characteristics alongside heavy metal contaminants in water and sediment across coral reef, seagrass, and nearshore habitats of Rameswaram Island, India, finding mean concentrations ranging from 24 to 96 items/L and identifying habitat-specific differences in contamination profiles.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 71 citations
Article Tier 2

Hong Kong at the Pearl River Estuary: A hotspot of microplastic pollution

Beach surveys around Hong Kong found microplastic densities averaging over 5,500 items per square meter, higher than many other reported coastal areas, with expanded polystyrene dominating. The high contamination reflects Hong Kong's position at the heavily polluted Pearl River Estuary and underscores the regional plastic pollution problem.

2015 Marine Pollution Bulletin 383 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of microplastic pollution in corals, seawater, and marine sediments in the Gulf of Thailand

Researchers assessed microplastic occurrence, abundance, and characteristics in coral, seawater, and sediment samples from two reef sites in the Gulf of Thailand, detecting microplastics in all coral samples at concentrations ranging from 0.24 to 2.60 particles per gram and finding spatial variability across reef species and sites.

2025 Frontiers in Marine Science
Article Tier 2

Distribution and environmental risk assessment of microplastics in continental shelf sediments in the southern East China Sea: A high-spatial-resolution survey

Researchers conducted a high-spatial-resolution survey of microplastics in surface sediments across the southern East China Sea continental shelf, finding omnipresent contamination dominated by polyethylene fibers and fragments, with concentrations elevated near urban coastal areas.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 39 citations
Article Tier 2

Species-specific microplastic enrichment characteristics of scleractinian corals from reef environment: Insights from an in-situ study at the Xisha Islands

Microplastics were detected in seawater, sediment, and three scleractinian coral species at five atolls in the Xisha Islands, with average seawater concentrations of 9.5 particles per liter and species-specific differences in microplastic enrichment patterns observed.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 43 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution and characterization of microplastics in marine sediments from coastal and offshore in South Korea

Researchers conducted an intensive survey of microplastic levels and distribution in marine sediments from coastal areas, recognizing the seafloor as the ultimate repository for plastic particles. Microplastic concentrations in sediments were highest near urban and industrial coastlines, with fibers and fragments as the most common types.

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

Heavy metals contamination of sedimentary microplastics in Hong Kong

Researchers conducted the first study of heavy metal contamination on microplastics found on sandy beaches in Hong Kong. They found that polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene were the most common plastic types, with iron, zinc, and manganese being the most concentrated metals. Samples from western Hong Kong sites near the Pearl River had significantly higher metal concentrations, suggesting the river is a major source of heavy metals on microplastics.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 124 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance and Characteristics of Microplastics in Coral Reefs at Penimbangan Waters

Researchers assessed microplastic abundance and characteristics in coral reef tissues and sediments at Penimbangan Beach, finding MPs in all 12 coral samples analyzed. Fiber and fragment types dominated, with polymers matching common fishing and packaging materials, reflecting local pollution inputs to the reef ecosystem.

2025 Advances in Tropical Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences
Article Tier 2

The spatial distribution of microplastic in the sands of a coral reef island in the South China Sea: Comparisons of the fringing reef and atoll

Microplastic abundance in coral reef island sands of the South China Sea was measured at fringing reef sites (90–530 items/kg) and atoll sites (60–610 items/kg), with the lower-human-activity Xisha Islands atoll showing higher concentrations attributed to oceanic current accumulation. The study reveals that even remote coral reef ecosystems are contaminated with microplastics and that oceanographic factors can outweigh local human activity.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 74 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatial distribution of microplastics around an inhabited coral island in the Maldives, Indian Ocean

Researchers investigated microplastic accumulation across fore reef, reef flat, and beach sediment environments surrounding a small inhabited coral island in the Maldives, finding 1,244 individual microplastic pieces across 22 sampling sites. The study reveals that even remote inhabited islands in the Indian Ocean show significant microplastic contamination, with spatial distribution patterns reflecting local hydrodynamics and human activities.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 109 citations
Article Tier 2

Contamination of microplastics in tropical coral reef ecosystems of Sri Lanka

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination across ten coral reef ecosystems in Sri Lanka, finding microplastics in corals, water, and sediments with fibers and fragments being the dominant types, representing a previously unquantified threat to tropical reef systems.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence And Abundance Of Microplastics In Coral Reef Sediment: A Case Study In Sekotong, Lombok-Indonesia

Microplastics were found in coral reef sediments in Sekotong, Lombok, Indonesia, with possible contributions from ocean current transport through the Indonesian Throughflow. The findings highlight that microplastic contamination has reached Indonesia's coral reef ecosystems, which are among the most biodiverse on Earth.

2018 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) 60 citations
Article Tier 2

The influences of spatial-temporal variability and ecological drivers on microplastic in marine fish in Hong Kong

Researchers found that over 57% of marine fish in Hong Kong waters contained microplastics, with higher abundance in fish from more polluted western waters during the wet season, and that omnivorous fish ingested significantly more microplastics than carnivorous fish regardless of collection location or season.

2023 Environmental Pollution 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatiotemporal characterisation of microplastics in the coastal regions of Singapore

Researchers characterized the spatiotemporal distribution of microplastics along Singapore's coastal waters, finding fragments as the dominant type at 70%, with higher concentrations at the surface and polymer compositions including polyethylene and polypropylene.

2023 Heliyon 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantitative and qualitative determination of microplastics in oyster, seawater and sediment from the coastal areas in Zhuhai, China

Researchers quantified microplastics in oysters, seawater, and sediment along the Zhuhai coastline, finding 0.14–7.90 items/g in oyster soft tissue, 10–27.5 items/L in seawater, and 0.053–0.26 items/g in sediment, with polyethylene fibers as the dominant type across all matrices.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 107 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatial Distribution of Microplastics Abundance Along Selected Beaches in Kelantan, Malaysia

Researchers surveyed ten beaches along the Kelantan coast in Malaysia and found over 1,600 microplastic particles, averaging about 5.4 pieces per gram of sediment, with fragments being the most common type. PVC, polypropylene, and polystyrene were the dominant polymer types, and intertidal zones were the most heavily contaminated areas. The study provides important baseline data on microplastic pollution patterns along these Malaysian coastlines, which can help guide future cleanup and prevention efforts.

2025 Scientific Research Journal 4 citations
Article Tier 2

A case study of distribution and characteristics of microplastics in surface water and sediments of the seas around Shenzhen, southern coastal area of China

This study characterized microplastics in surface water and sediments at 14 sites in the seas around Shenzhen, China, finding concentrations of 3.8 to 7.8 particles per liter in water and 26,000 to 100,000 particles per kilogram in sediments. Fibers and films dominated, polyethylene was the main polymer, and ecological risk was assessed as high, with microplastic abundance correlating with urbanization rate.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 54 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance of microplastics and its ecological risk assessment in coral reef regions of Peninsular Malaysia

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in surface waters around coral reef regions of Peninsular Malaysia. They detected microplastics at all sampling sites, with the Perhentian Islands showing significantly higher levels than Tioman Island, likely due to oceanographic differences. Small fragments and fibers of polyethylene and polypropylene were the most common types found, providing baseline data on microplastic pollution in these sensitive reef ecosystems.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 13 citations