Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Nearshore and Subtidal Sediments in the Salish Sea: Implications for Marine Habitats and Exposure

Researchers surveyed microplastic concentrations in nearshore and subtidal sediments across the Salish Sea, focusing on spawning habitats for forage fish species. They found microplastics at every sampling site, with microfibers being most abundant and significantly higher concentrations near urban areas in Puget Sound compared to the San Juan Islands. The findings indicate that forage fish and their eggs are likely exposed to microplastics in their critical nearshore habitats, with potential implications for the broader marine food web.

2025 Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence of marine habitat on microplastic prevalence in forage fish and salmon in the Salish Sea

Scientists examined microplastic ingestion in forage fish and juvenile salmon across different marine habitats in the Salish Sea of the Pacific Northwest. They found that fish from nearshore urban areas had more microplastics in their stomachs than those from offshore or less developed areas. The results suggest that habitat type and proximity to human activity are important predictors of microplastic exposure in marine food webs.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Larval Fish Habitat Brims with Plastic

Research shows that larval fish habitats in the ocean are heavily contaminated with microplastics, raising concern about early-life exposure for a life stage that is both ecologically critical and vulnerable. Microplastic overlap with larval fish habitat poses a risk to future fish populations.

2020 Limnology and Oceanography Bulletin
Article Tier 2

Presence of Microplastics in the Vaquita Marina Protection Zone in Baja California, Mexico

Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in surface water and beach sand across ten transects and five beaches within the Vaquita Marina protection zone in Baja California, Mexico, a critical habitat for the critically endangered Vaquita porpoise. The study documented the presence and distribution of microplastics in this protected marine area, highlighting contamination risks to one of the world's most endangered marine mammals.

2023 Microplastics 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Extensive Microplastic Contamination in Southeastern Florida Forage Fishes

Forage fish from four coastal sites in southeastern Florida contained high levels of microplastics, with contamination levels comparable to or exceeding those in larger predatory species, highlighting the importance of lower trophic levels as vectors for plastic in marine food webs.

2024 Caribbean Journal of Science 1 citations
Article Tier 2

>b/b<: distribution and levels of contamination on the benthic biodiversity

Researchers assessed environmental health of sandy beaches by measuring microplastic distribution and contamination levels in biological communities, finding that MP abundance correlated with beach use intensity and the presence of nearby stormwater outfalls.

2025
Article Tier 2

Presence of microplastics in benthic and epibenthic organisms: Influence of habitat, feeding mode and trophic level

This study examined microplastic occurrence in benthic and epibenthic invertebrates from the Western English Channel, finding that habitat type, feeding mode, and trophic level all influenced microplastic ingestion rates. The results suggest that bottom-dwelling filter feeders and deposit feeders are among the most exposed organisms in seafloor food webs.

2018 Environmental Pollution 281 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and size distribution of microplastics in mudflat sediments of the Cowichan-Koksilah Estuary, Canada: A baseline for plastic particles contamination in an anthropogenic-influenced estuary

Researchers established baseline microplastic contamination levels in mudflat sediments of the Cowichan-Koksilah Estuary in Canada, documenting particle size distributions and polymer types in this ecologically important habitat for shellfish, fish, and birds.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Two forage fishes as potential conduits for the vertical transfer of microfibres in Northeastern Pacific Ocean food webs

Researchers examined microfibre ingestion in Pacific sand lance and Pacific herring collected by rhinoceros auklets across six colonies in British Columbia and Washington, finding very low prevalence (1.5% and 2.0% respectively) with no systematic relationship to local at-sea microplastic concentrations. A spike in contamination at one site in one year accounted for the majority of all microfibres recovered across 30 colony-years of sampling.

2018 Environmental Pollution 95 citations
Article Tier 2

The influence of depositional environment on the abundance of microplastic pollution on beaches in the Bristol Channel, UK

Researchers assessed the extent and variability of microplastic pollution across multiple beaches in the Bristol Channel, UK, finding that depositional environment characteristics significantly influenced the abundance and distribution of microplastic contamination in beach sand.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 47 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in invertebrates on soft shores in Hong Kong: Influence of habitat, taxa and feeding mode

Researchers surveyed microplastic occurrence in 38 invertebrate species across 18 mudflats and sandy beaches in Hong Kong, finding that feeding mode and habitat type were stronger predictors of microplastic ingestion than taxonomic group, with suspension feeders in mudflat environments showing the highest contamination. The study provides a broad baseline for microplastic uptake across coastal invertebrate communities.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 98 citations
Article Tier 2

Marine Litter Impact on Sandy Beach Fauna: A Review to Obtain an Indication of Where Research Should Contribute More

Researchers reviewed how marine litter interacts with sandy beach fauna, including entanglement, ingestion, and habitat effects. The review found that microplastic ingestion by beach invertebrates correlates with urbanization levels and sediment pollution, and that current research approaches have limitations in connecting laboratory exposure studies with real-world field conditions.

2022 Microplastics 64 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in juvenile Chinook salmon and their nearshore environments on the east coast of Vancouver Island

Researchers investigated microplastic ingestion in juvenile Chinook salmon and their nearshore marine environments on the east coast of Vancouver Island, finding microplastics present in both fish digestive tracts and surrounding waters and characterizing the types of particles consumed.

2018 Environmental Pollution 94 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in Auckland (New Zealand) beach sediments

Researchers conducted the first large-scale investigation of microplastic contamination in beach sediments across 39 sites in Auckland, New Zealand, finding contamination at the majority of beaches surveyed. Mean abundance varied by coastal environment type, with estuarine and harbour sites generally showing higher concentrations than open ocean beaches.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 131 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance and characterization of microplastics on sandy beaches along the coastal area of Belize

Researchers quantified and characterized microplastic abundance on sandy beaches along the coastal zone of Belize, establishing baseline contamination data for a region of Central America and the Caribbean where such pollution assessments are critically lacking.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination of sandy beaches of national parks, protected and recreational areas in southern parts of the Baltic Sea

Researchers found microplastic contamination in all 51 surface beach sand samples across seven sites along the southern Baltic Sea, including national park and protected areas, at a mean of 68 items/kg dry weight. Expanded polystyrene fragments were the most common type (~38%), and protected areas did not differ substantially from recreational beaches.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 30 citations
Article Tier 2

The effects of trophic transfer and environmental factors on microplastic uptake by plaice, Pleuronectes plastessa, and spider crab, Maja squinado

Researchers examined microplastic uptake in plaice and spider crab from the Celtic Sea alongside their prey (sand eels), finding plastic contamination in roughly 42–50% of all three species and documenting the first confirmed trophic transfer of microplastics from prey to predator in a wild marine food chain, though proximity to land rather than fishing intensity predicted exposure levels.

2018 Environmental Pollution 159 citations
Article Tier 2

Prevalence of microplastics and anthropogenic debris within a deep-sea food web

Researchers documented microplastic prevalence across 17 genera spanning approximately five trophic levels in the Monterey Bay submarine canyon food web, finding evidence of trophic transfer of microplastics through the deep-sea ecosystem and higher contamination in organisms from mid-water and benthic habitats.

2021 Marine Ecology Progress Series 44 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution on sandy beaches of Puerto Rico

Researchers sampled sand from six northern beaches of Puerto Rico to determine microplastic abundance and composition, documenting the extent of microplastic pollution on Caribbean island coastal beaches that are considered biodiversity hotspots.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparative analysis of microplastic pollution in commercially relevant seafood across different geographical regions

Researchers analyzed microplastic pollution in commercially important seafood species, characterizing particle morphology and polymer composition across species. The study found microplastics in all species sampled, with differences in contamination levels linked to feeding ecology and habitat.

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

Abundance of microplastics in intertidal and subtidal regions: A) sediments and B) water.

This study presents abundance data for microplastics in both intertidal and subtidal regions, comparing concentrations in sediment and water across habitat zones.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Abundance and characterization of microplastics in amphipods from the Japanese coastal environment

Researchers found high levels of microplastic ingestion in coastal amphipods from Japan, with up to 76 particles per individual and 83% of particles smaller than 90 µm, predominantly polyethylene, raising concerns about microplastic transfer through coastal food webs.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance and distribution of microplastics on sandy beaches of Lima, Peru

This survey assessed microplastic pollution on four popular sandy beaches of Lima, Peru, sampling both intertidal and supralittoral zones. Microplastics were found at all sites, with fragments being the most common morphology, and concentrations varying across beach zones and locations.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 147 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing size-based exposure to microplastic particles and ingestion pathways in zooplankton and herring in a coastal pelagic ecosystem of British Columbia, Canada

Researchers assessed size-based microplastic exposure and ingestion pathways in zooplankton and larval Pacific herring in British Columbia's coastal waters, finding evidence of both direct consumption and trophic transfer of microplastics through the pelagic food web.

2021 Marine Ecology Progress Series 26 citations