Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution differences in freshwater river according to stream order: Insights from spatial distribution, annual load, and ecological assessment

Researchers compared microplastic pollution levels in a freshwater river across different land-use zones, finding higher concentrations near urban and agricultural areas than in forested regions. Fiber-type microplastics were predominant across all sampling locations.

2024 Journal of Environmental Management 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in urban streams across New Zealand: concentrations, composition and implications

Microplastic pollution was surveyed across urban streams throughout New Zealand, with plastic fragments and fibers detected at alarming concentrations in many waterways. The study highlights the widespread contamination of freshwater systems in New Zealand and identifies key sources including stormwater runoff and wastewater.

2019 New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 44 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance of Microplastics in Freshwater Streams of Rural Areas

This study surveyed microplastic concentrations in freshwater streams in rural areas, finding plastic particles including microbeads from personal care products and synthetic fibers in most samples. The results indicate that microplastic contamination extends well beyond urban settings into rural waterways.

2018 ISU Red - Research and eData (Illinois State University) 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification and Characterization of Microplastics in Freshwater Systems: a Close Look at the Poquessing Creek- a Delaware River Tributary

Scientists sampled a Pennsylvania creek tributary to the Delaware River and found microplastics at all sampling locations, with fibers and fragments being the most common types. Urban freshwater systems routinely carry microplastics that can accumulate in drinking water sources downstream.

2021 ScholarlyCommons (University of Pennsylvania) 2 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 risk assessment of microplastic pollution in a rural river system near a wastewater treatment plant, hydro-dam, and river confluence

This study measured microplastic pollution in a rural river in New York State and found elevated concentrations near a wastewater treatment plant, a hydroelectric dam, and a river junction. Even in this mostly forested and agricultural area, all sites were polluted with microplastics at concerning levels. The findings demonstrate that microplastic contamination is not just an urban problem and can affect rural waterways that communities depend on.

2024 Scientific Reports 76 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Western NY River Ecosystems

Researchers assessed microplastic pollution in river ecosystems of Western New York, characterizing particle abundance, types, and distribution across sampling sites. The study provides regional baseline data and highlights urban and agricultural land use as contributors to freshwater microplastic contamination.

2023 ThinkIR: The University of Louisville's Institutional Repository (University of Louisville)
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Abundance and Variation in the Blind Brook Stream

Researchers sampled sediment from multiple points along the Blind Brook stream to map microplastic distribution, finding that abundance varied significantly along the waterway and that fibers and fragments were the most common shapes detected.

2025 SUNY Digital Repository Support (State University of New York System)
Article Tier 2

Quantification and composition of microplastics in the Raritan Hudson Estuary: Comparison to pathways of entry and implications for fate

A comprehensive microplastic survey of the Raritan Hudson Estuary characterized particle abundance and polymer composition across multiple media and compared concentrations to known input pathways, identifying wastewater treatment plant effluent and stormwater as the dominant sources.

2021 Chemosphere 66 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and Quantification of Natural and Microplastic Items in Urban Streams: The Case of Mugnone Creek (Florence, Italy)

Researchers monitored microplastic and natural fiber fluxes in Mugnone Creek, a small urban stream in Florence, Italy, over two years across dry and wet seasons, finding the creek transports significant microplastic loads to the Arno River and ultimately the Tyrrhenian Sea.

2022 Toxics 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Widespread microplastic pollution in Indiana, USA, rivers

Researchers surveyed nine Indiana river watersheds and found microplastics in every single one, regardless of whether the surrounding land was urban, agricultural, or forested. Plastic fibers dominated across all sites, suggesting they arrive mainly via atmospheric deposition rather than runoff, which means even remote waterways are exposed. The findings indicate that rivers have a distinct microplastic profile compared to large lakes, and that flowing water ecosystems are pervasively contaminated throughout the midwestern United States.

2023 River Research and Applications 14 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

Pervasive occurrence of microplastics in Hudson-Raritan estuary zooplankton

Researchers found microplastics in the majority of zooplankton samples collected across the Hudson-Raritan estuary, with fibers being the most prevalent particle type, indicating that estuarine zooplankton are extensively exposed to microplastic contamination and represent a pathway for plastic entry into the food web.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 37 citations
Article Tier 2

Fluvial Concentrations of Microplastics in a Suburban Micro-Watershed: Sampling Methodology and Analysis

Researchers designed a low-cost sampling station to collect and quantify microplastics in a shallow suburban stream in South Carolina. They found that microplastic abundance increased from the top of the watershed to the bottom, rising from about 269 to 715 particles per 10 cubic meters of surface water. Fibers were the dominant type, and the study highlights the need for standardized sampling methods for small freshwater streams.

2024 Environmental Engineering Science 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in urban aquatic environments: Occurrence characteristics in urban streams and stormwater runoff from urban surfaces

Researchers examined microplastic contamination in urban streams and stormwater runoff across different seasons and found that wastewater treatment plant discharges were a major source during dry weather. During rainy periods, stormwater runoff from roads and rooftops contributed additional microplastics, predominantly fibers and fragments. The study highlights that urban water systems receive microplastic pollution from multiple pathways year-round.

2024 Journal of Environmental Management 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Temporal/Spatial Trends and Concentrations of Microplastics in Streams Throughout the Central Illinois Watersheds

This study measured microplastic concentrations across streams in a U.S. city, finding elevated levels downstream of wastewater treatment plants and in urban waterways. The results highlight urban wastewater discharge as a key pathway delivering microplastics from everyday activities — including laundry — into freshwater systems.

2018 ISU Red - Research and eData (Illinois State University)
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and distribution of plastic particles (10–25,000 μm) and microfibers in the surface water of an urban river network in Japan

This study assessed the occurrence and distribution of plastic particles (10-25,000 micrometers) and microfibers in the surface water of an urban river network in Japan, finding that plastic abundance was closely tied to urban land use and proximity to discharge points.

2023 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 16 citations
Article Tier 2

The effect of urban point source contamination on microplastic levels in water and organisms in a cold‐water stream

Microplastic concentrations in water, macroinvertebrates, and trout in a Wisconsin stream increased significantly downstream of stormwater outfalls and a wastewater plant. The study demonstrates that point sources of pollution drive measurable increases in microplastic contamination in freshwater food webs.

2019 Limnology and Oceanography Letters 48 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Four Estuarine Rivers in the Chesapeake Bay, U.S.A.

Researchers surveyed microplastics in four estuarine rivers of the Chesapeake Bay watershed and found contamination across all sites, with fibers as the dominant type and concentrations reflecting inputs from surrounding urban and suburban land use.

2014 Environmental Science & Technology 664 citations
Article Tier 2

First evidence of microplastics in a freshwater river and their relationship to water quality

Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in a freshwater river used for recreational purposes and found a significant relationship between microplastic abundance and water physicochemical quality parameters, along with the presence of three organic compounds, providing evidence that microplastic pollution and water quality are closely linked.

2025 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
Article Tier 2

Sources, Occurrence, and Analysis of Microplastics in Freshwater Environments

This review summarizes current knowledge on microplastic sources and occurrence in freshwater environments, noting that freshwater systems are major conduits delivering microplastics to the ocean. The review highlights that freshwater microplastic research lags far behind marine studies despite rivers and lakes being primary pollution pathways.

2022 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in streams spanning an urbanisation gradient

Researchers sampled microplastics in small streams across an urbanization gradient and found contamination at all sites, with concentrations comparable to those in larger rivers and lakes. Fragments and small particles between 63 and 500 micrometers were the most common forms detected. Surprisingly, catchment-scale factors like population density and stormwater overflows did not predict microplastic levels well, suggesting that local-scale sources may be more important for pollution in small streams.

2019 Environmental Pollution 218 citations
Article Tier 2

An Assessment of Microplastic Pollution in Several Streams of Gyeonggi-do

This study assessed microplastic pollution in several streams in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, finding microplastic concentrations in freshwater environments and contributing data to a literature dominated by marine studies.

2023 Journal of Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastics in Paradise: Quantifying Microplastics in Lake Champlain Beaches

Researchers quantified and characterized microplastics on Lake Champlain beaches, finding contamination at all sampled sites with fragments and fibers as the dominant particle types. The study documents that even inland freshwater shorelines accumulate significant microplastic loads over time.

2025 SUNY Digital Repository Support (State University of New York System)