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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Microplastics in Sediment Cores from Asia and Africa as Indicators of Temporal Trends in Plastic Pollution
ClearSpatial distribution and historical trend of microplastic pollution in sediments from enclosed bays of South Korea
This study analyzed sediment cores from enclosed bays in South Korea to reconstruct the historical trend of microplastic pollution. Plastic levels increased sharply from the 1990s onward, mirroring the rise in global plastic production and providing a long-term record of contamination in coastal sediments.
Can a Sediment Core Reveal the Plastic Age? Microplastic Preservation in a Coastal Sedimentary Record
Researchers used a sediment core from the NW Mediterranean Sea combined with state-of-the-art microplastic identification methods to reconstruct the historical record of microplastic pollution down to 11 micrometers in size. The core revealed a clear acceleration in microplastic burial rates since the 1960s and provided evidence that some polymer types are preserved well in sediment.
Tracking the microplastic accumulation from past to present in the freshwater ecosystems: A case study in Susurluk Basin, Turkey
Researchers tracked the historical accumulation of microplastics in freshwater lake sediment cores, finding a steady increase in particle deposition corresponding to rising plastic production since the mid-20th century and demonstrating that sediment archives can reconstruct the timeline of freshwater microplastic pollution.
Benthic foraminifera in Gulf of Mexico show temporal and spatial dynamics of microplastics
Researchers used benthic foraminifera from sediment cores in the Gulf of Mexico to reconstruct the temporal and spatial dynamics of microplastic accumulation since plastic production began. The study found that microplastic concentrations in sediment records reflected the historical increase in global plastic production over recent decades.
A review of microplastic distribution in sediment profiles
A review of microplastic distribution in marine sediment cores found that between 70–90% of environmental MPs accumulate in sediment profiles and that dated sediment cores can reconstruct historical MP deposition trends, with one Kuwaiti Bay core showing a 5-fold increase from 1951 to 2009.
The Paleoecology of Microplastic Contamination
This paper reviews how paleoecological methods — using naturally accumulating environmental archives like sediment cores — can be applied to reconstruct the historical timeline of microplastic contamination. Long-term records are needed to establish baselines and understand how rapidly microplastic pollution has escalated over the past century.
Anthropocene microplastic stratigraphy of Xiamen Bay, China: A history of plastic production and waste management
Researchers used a sediment core from Xiamen Bay, China to reconstruct the history of microplastic accumulation since 1952, finding that plastic pollution reflects historical events including the Cultural Revolution and rapid economic growth, with microplastic concentrations reaching 189,200 items/kg at their peak.
A temporal record of microplastic accumulation in sediment cores of the Great Lakes, North America, reflects macroeconomic and regional influences
Researchers analyzed sediment cores from Lake Huron and Lake Ontario spanning several decades to track historical trends in microplastic accumulation in the Great Lakes. They found that microplastic levels increased steadily from the 1960s through the late 1980s, mirroring global plastic production rates, with subsequent fluctuations reflecting economic shifts and regional factors. The study demonstrates that lake sediment records can serve as proxies for tracking both global and local changes in plastic pollution over time.
Sedimentary record of microplastics in coastal wetland, eastern China
Researchers analyzed sediment cores from coastal wetlands in Yancheng, China, to reconstruct the history of microplastic pollution and its connection to economic development and policy changes. Evidence indicates that microplastic accumulation patterns in wetland sediments closely track shifts in plastic production, waste management practices, and regional policy interventions over time.
Forty-year pollution history of microplastics in the largest marginal sea of the western Pacific
Researchers reconstructed a forty-year pollution history of microplastics in the northern South China Sea using lead-210 dated sediment cores, finding that contamination began in the 1980s and accelerated dramatically around 1998, tracking the region's rapid industrialization and population growth.
Reconstructing the first record of historical microplastic accumulation from lake sediments in Aotearoa New Zealand: A case study at Lake Wiritoa.
Researchers reconstructed historical microplastic accumulation records from lake sediment cores, establishing the first temporal record of MP deposition in a freshwater lake system. The sediment record revealed accelerating MP accumulation over the 20th century, mirroring global plastic production trends and marking the onset of plastic pollution in the stratigraphy.
Temporal distribution of microplastics and other anthropogenic particles in four marine species from the Atlantic coast (France)
Researchers examined how microplastic and other anthropogenic particle abundances in lake sediments have changed over time using sediment cores, linking increases to historical industrialization and urbanization. The temporal record provides context for understanding how plastic pollution has accelerated in recent decades.
Microplastics deposition in Arctic sediments of Greenland increases significantly after 1950
Analysis of a sediment core from Disko Bay, Greenland, spanning 85 years showed that microplastic deposition increased dramatically after 1950, directly tracking the global rise of plastic production, with concentrations ranging from about 1,000 to over 16,000 particles per kilogram at different depths. The record demonstrates that even remote Arctic seafloors have become a long-term sink for global plastic pollution, and that sediment cores can serve as historical archives of the plastic era.
Fifty-year pollution history of microplastics and influencing factors in offshore sediments: A case study of Ningbo, China
Researchers analyzed sediment cores from offshore Ningbo, China, to reconstruct a fifty-year pollution history of microplastics in the region. They found that microplastic abundance has gradually increased since the late 1960s, with polyamide, polyurethane, and PET being the most common polymer types. The study identified river sediment transport, typhoons, and human activities like plastic production and sewage discharge as key factors influencing microplastic distribution in offshore sediments.
Multidecadal increase in plastic particles in coastal ocean sediments
Analysis of dated sediment cores from the Santa Barbara Basin, California, showed a multi-decade increase in microplastic particle concentrations beginning around 1945 and accelerating in recent decades, mirroring the historical growth of plastic production. This sediment archive provides a clear record of how plastic pollution has progressively contaminated even relatively protected coastal marine environments.
Are microplastics the ‘technofossils’ of the Anthropocene?
Researchers reviewed dating methods and microplastic data from sedimentary cores globally, establishing a chronological sequence of microplastic polymer types in sediment records and validating it against 39 published dated cores, demonstrating that microplastic composition can serve as a supplementary dating tool for Anthropocene sediments on a centennial scale.
Harmonized efforts for the assessment of microplastic contamination trends using 210Pb dated sediment cores from an urbanized coastal lagoon (NW Mexico)
Researchers analyzed microplastics in lead-210 dated sediment cores from a coastal lagoon in northwest Mexico to reconstruct historical pollution trends going back decades. Microplastic concentrations began rising in the 1970s and have increased exponentially in recent decades, closely tracking regional urbanization and plastic production growth.
Historical trends of microplastic pollution in the Seine River (France) from 1960 to 2020 through the study of sedimentary archives
Researchers reconstructed the historical trend of microplastic pollution in the Seine River basin from 1960 to 2020 by analyzing sedimentary archives, using sediment cores as long-term records to track how contamination levels have changed upstream of Paris over six decades.
Centennial Records of Microplastics in Lake Cores in Huguangyan Maar Lake, China
Researchers analyzed lake sediment cores from Huguangyan Maar Lake in China to reconstruct a century-long record of microplastic pollution. They found that microplastic accumulation in the sediment closely tracked the history of global plastic production, with a sharp increase beginning in the mid-twentieth century. The study demonstrates that even isolated lakes without direct inlets can accumulate significant microplastic contamination, likely through atmospheric deposition.
Tracing history of pollution by pre-production plastic pellets and changes in environmental regulations by using coastal sediment archives
Researchers used radiometric dating of coastal sediment cores combined with microplastic extraction from successive core intervals to reconstruct a historical record of pre-production plastic pellet pollution and assess how changes in environmental regulations have influenced accumulation rates over time. The study linked temporal patterns in pellet deposition to specific regulatory milestones, demonstrating that marine sediment archives preserve a datable record of industrial plastic pollution history.
Multidecadal records of microplastic accumulation in the coastal sediments of the East China Sea
Analysis of sediment cores from the East China Sea inner shelf using SEM-EDS and microplastic-derived carbon quantification showed that microplastic accumulation has increased over decades, accelerating since the 1980s in parallel with China's rapid industrial and population growth.
Chronological evidence of microplastic accumulation and contamination onset in Central Baltic Sea sediments
Analysis of well-preserved Baltic Sea sediment cores revealed a 50-year chronological record of microplastic accumulation, showing contamination onset in the mid-20th century with accelerating deposition in recent decades.
Microplastic inventory in sediment profile: A case study of Golden Horn Estuary, Sea of Marmara
Researchers analyzed a 105 cm sediment core from the Golden Horn Estuary using radiodating, finding that over 90% of accumulated microplastics were buried below 15 cm, that MP pollution predated 1950, and peaked in the 1980s coinciding with peak global plastic production.
Vertical distribution of microplastics in bay sediment reflecting effects of sedimentation dynamics and anthropogenic activities
Researchers studied the vertical distribution of microplastics in sediment cores from the semi-enclosed Jiaozhou Bay, China, finding six polymer types with distribution patterns reflecting historical changes in plastic production and local pollution sources. Sediment depth was found to correlate with the era of plastic contamination, providing a record of microplastic accumulation over time.