Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in sediments of tropical shallow lakes

Researchers found microplastics in all sediment samples from 48 tropical shallow lakes across a climatic gradient, with fibres dominating over fragments and polyester being the most common polymer, indicating widespread plastic contamination even in inland freshwater ecosystems.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in lakes and rivers: an issue of emerging significance to limnology

Researchers found that microplastic concentrations in freshwater lakes and rivers can exceed those of living organisms like zooplankton, with sediment levels matching the most contaminated marine sites, establishing microplastics as a significant issue for limnology.

2021 Environmental Reviews 141 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic debris in lakes and reservoirs

Researchers conducted the first standardized cross-national survey of plastic debris in 38 lakes and reservoirs, finding plastic in every water body sampled and showing that densely populated urban lakes and large reservoirs with long water-retention times accumulate plastic at concentrations rivaling the most polluted ocean garbage patches.

2023 Nature 356 citations
Article Tier 2

A comparative review of microplastics in lake systems from different countries and regions

Researchers reviewed microplastic contamination data from lake systems across multiple countries, finding that abundance, size, and polymer type varied widely by region and identifying land use, population density, and hydrological connectivity as key drivers of lake microplastic levels.

2021 Chemosphere 206 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

Monitoring of microplastic concentrations in 132 Iowa lakes in relation to abiotic, biotic, and anthropogenic factors

Researchers surveyed microplastic concentrations in 132 lakes across Iowa, examining how biological, physical, and human factors influence plastic levels. Lakes near populated areas and with greater human activity showed higher microplastic concentrations, demonstrating that freshwater lakes are broadly contaminated by plastic pollution.

2023 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microsynthetics in waters of the South American Pantanal

Researchers sampled microplastics from water courses, lakes, and floodplains across 16 locations in the South American Pantanal wetland using plankton nets, documenting microplastic contamination in one of the world's largest tropical freshwater ecosystems.

2022 Frontiers in Environmental Science 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics pollution in the South American Pantanal

Researchers sampled microplastics in the affluents and floodplains of the South American Pantanal wetland ecosystem, documenting this emerging threat to one of the world's largest tropical floodplains near urban pollution sources and in remote lowland areas.

2021 Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering 31 citations
Article Tier 2

High macroplastic pollution in a subtropical urban lake affects macroinvertebrate community structure

Researchers examined the effects of high macroplastic pollution in a subtropical urban lake on macroinvertebrate communities, finding that plastic debris significantly altered benthic assemblages and reduced biodiversity in freshwater ecosystems that have received less ecological attention than marine environments.

2025 Hydrobiologia
Article Tier 2

Research status and prospects of microplastic pollution in lakes

This review systematically covers microplastic pollution research in lakes, including sampling and identification methods, distribution patterns, ecological effects, and knowledge gaps, identifying lakes as important but understudied sinks for microplastic contamination.

2023 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Preliminary Assessment of Plastic Litter and Microplastic Contamination in Freshwater Depositional Areas: The Case Study of Puerto Misahualli, Ecuadorian Amazonia

Researchers conducted a preliminary assessment of plastic litter and microplastics in sediments at a riverine depositional area in the Ecuadorian Amazon, finding low-density polyethylene bags as the dominant macroplastic and documenting microplastic presence in an upper Amazon basin location.

2021 Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution of Patos Lagoon, south of Brazil

Researchers detected microplastics for the first time in Patos Lagoon in southern Brazil — the largest lagoon in South America — finding particles of polyethylene and other plastics in filtered water samples, confirming that this major freshwater ecosystem is already contaminated.

2021 Environmental Challenges 47 citations
Article Tier 2

High-levels of microplastic pollution in a large, remote, mountain lake

Researchers discovered high levels of microplastic pollution in a large, remote mountain lake, finding concentrations comparable to lakes in densely populated areas, suggesting that atmospheric deposition can deliver substantial microplastic loads to even isolated environments.

2014 Marine Pollution Bulletin 1428 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence, distribution and size relationships of plastic debris along shores and sediment of northern Lake Victoria

Researchers investigated the occurrence, distribution, and size of plastic debris along shores and sediment of northern Lake Victoria, finding micro-, meso-, and macro-plastics up to 1102 particles/kg dry sediment in shoreline sediment, with contamination significantly higher near fish landing beaches than recreational beaches.

2019 Environmental Pollution 112 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)
Article Tier 2

The revelry of plastic! Quali-quantitative variation of microplastics in freshwater before and after Carnival in south-eastern Brazil

Researchers conducted a quali-quantitative survey of microplastics in freshwater habitats, characterizing variation in abundance, polymer type, and morphology across multiple sites and linking pollution levels to upstream land use and human activity.

2024 Marine and Freshwater Research 4 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

Global microplastic contamination in freshwater lakes: Spatial patterns, environmental drivers, and methodological challenges

This review systematically analyzed 84 studies covering more than 300 lakes worldwide to assess global microplastic contamination in freshwater lake systems. Surface water MP concentrations ranged from below 0.001 to over 200 MP/L, with fibers and fragments dominating, polyethylene and polypropylene most common, and highest levels found in shallow, lowland, and eutrophic systems near urbanized shorelines.

2025 Environmental Research
Article Tier 2

Unveiling microplastics pollution in a subtropical rural recreational lake: A novel insight

Researchers conducted the first detailed assessment of microplastic pollution in a rural recreational lake in Bangladesh, analyzing both water and sediment samples. They found microplastics present throughout the lake, with fragments and fibers being the most common types, likely originating from agricultural runoff and recreational activities. The study reveals that microplastic contamination extends well beyond urban waterways into rural environments that have received little scientific attention.

2024 Environmental Research 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification, Abundance, and Distribution of Microplastics in Surface Water Collected from Luruaco Lake, Low Basin Magdalena River, Colombia

Researchers documented microplastic contamination in Luruaco Lake, Colombia, for the first time, assessing the identification, abundance, and seasonal distribution of microplastic particles in surface waters of this important Magdalena River basin lake.

2023 Water 36 citations