Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Distribution and biological implications of plastic pollution on the fringing reef of Mo’orea, French Polynesia

This study quantified both macro- and microplastic pollution on the coral reef of Mo'orea in French Polynesia, finding plastic at every sampled beach and in reef sediments. The research demonstrates that even remote Pacific island coral reefs receive significant plastic contamination from oceanic gyres and local sources.

2017 PeerJ 43 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution and biological implications of plastic pollution on the fringing reef of Mo’orea, French Polynesia

This study documented the distribution and biological impacts of plastic pollution on the fringing coral reef of Mo'orea in French Polynesia, finding plastics throughout the ecosystem including entanglement of corals with macroplastics. The results show that even remote, protected coral reefs are affected by the global plastic pollution crisis.

2017
Article Tier 2

Plastic pollution in Leeward, Moorea and Cook islands (South Pacific): A baseline study

Researchers conducted a baseline survey of beach macrolitter and microplastics in surface waters and sediments across six islands in French Polynesia and the Cook Islands, finding high macroplastic contamination on most beaches with densities of 18-58 items per 100 meters. Surface water microplastic concentrations were low (0-4668 particles per km), suggesting localized contamination linked to tourism and coastal activities rather than widespread oceanic inputs.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin
Article Tier 2

Plastics are a new threat to Palau’s coral reefs

Researchers detected microplastics in seawater, sediments, and beach sand around the pristine coral reef system of Palau, confirming that even remote, well-protected marine environments are not free from plastic pollution and highlighting the global reach of this contamination.

2022 PLoS ONE 25 citations
Article Tier 2

The Distribution and Impact of Microplastics on Coral Reefs: an Ecosystem Approach

This study examines the distribution and ecological impact of microplastics on coral reef ecosystems, providing a Ph.D.-level ecosystem approach to understanding how microplastic pollution affects reef health and biodiversity.

2025 National University of Singapore
Article Tier 2

Low incidence of microplastics in coral reefs of Kāneʻohe Bay, Hawaiʻi, USA

This study measured microplastic and other micro-debris concentrations in sediment, seawater, sea cucumbers, and coral from fringing and patch reefs in Kane'ohe Bay, Hawaii. Microplastic pollution was lower than in most tropical coral reefs studied to date, though detectable concentrations were found across all sampled matrices, suggesting partial protection from open-ocean inputs by the bay's geography.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Preliminary Assessment into the Prevalence and Distribution of Microplastics in North and South Pacific Island Beaches

Researchers conducted a preliminary investigation into microplastic prevalence on eight beaches across North and South Pacific Island locations in New Zealand and Hawaii, analyzing contamination as a function of beach location, sand type, and microplastic morphology. The study found microplastics at all eight sites, highlighting the widespread distribution of plastic pollution across remote Pacific Island shorelines.

2023 Microplastics 4 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

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

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

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

Evaluation of microplastic ingestion by tropical fish from Moorea Island, French Polynesia

Researchers evaluated microplastic ingestion by four genera of adult tropical fish around Moorea Island, French Polynesia, finding microplastics in 21% of 133 digestive tracts examined. Ingested microplastic pieces averaged 1.25 per individual, with 70% of particles smaller than 0.3 mm, indicating widespread contamination of coral reef food webs.

2019 Marine Pollution Bulletin 83 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution and risk assessment around coral reefs of the Eastern Part, Thailand

This study assessed microplastic pollution and ecological risk in sediments and water around coral reefs in the Eastern Pacific, finding microplastic concentrations elevated near human activity and identifying polymer types associated with fishing gear and land-based plastic waste.

2025 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 2 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

Microplastics in coral from three Mascarene Islands, Western Indian Ocean

Researchers compared microplastic concentrations, morphotypes, sizes, colors, and polymer compositions across six coral genera from three remote Mascarene Islands in the western Indian Ocean over a 1200 km transect. Microplastics were detected in all coral genera across all islands, with polymer types and concentrations reflecting both local and long-range ocean transport of plastic debris.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics contamination in pearl-farming lagoons of French Polynesia

Microplastic contamination was documented in pearl-farming lagoons of French Polynesia, establishing a pollution baseline for these economically important tropical ecosystems and identifying local aquaculture activities as a contributing source.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 58 citations
Article Tier 2

Environmental implications of microplastic pollution in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean

Researchers assessed microplastic concentrations, distribution, and characteristics across the Northwestern Pacific Ocean, finding widespread contamination with significant spatial variation and identifying environmental implications for marine ecosystems in this understudied region.

2019 Marine Pollution Bulletin 94 citations
Article Tier 2

Chemical identification of microplastics in marine organisms from the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan

Researchers chemically identified microplastics found in marine organisms from the coral reefs of the Ryukyu Archipelago in Okinawa, Japan, characterizing polymer types and particle abundance in a region under high plastic pollution pressure. The study documented diverse polymer types in reef-associated marine organisms, reflecting the complex mixture of plastic sources in Pacific island coastal waters.

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

First detection of microplastics in reef-building corals from a Maldivian atoll

Researchers conducted the first survey of microplastic contamination in reef-building corals from a Maldivian atoll, examining 38 coral colonies across three species. They found that 58% of colonies contained microplastic particles in the 25-150 micrometer size range. The study provides initial evidence that even remote coral reef ecosystems in the Indian Ocean are affected by microplastic pollution, raising concerns about potential impacts on coral health.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 43 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution characteristics and transport pathways of soil microplastics in coral reef islands with different developmental stages and human activities

Researchers mapped microplastic contamination in the soil of coral reef islands in the South China Sea and found 1,068 to 1,616 particles per kilogram across islands at different stages of development. More developed islands with greater human activity had higher contamination levels, and ocean currents and monsoons were the main forces spreading microplastics to less developed islands. The study shows that even remote island ecosystems are not safe from microplastic pollution, which can affect the soil and water these communities depend on.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Unveiling Microplastic Abundance and Distribution in an Oceanic Island: Offshore Depository or Local Pollution Indicator

Microplastic abundance and distribution were documented across surface waters and sediments of an oceanic island, with findings indicating both local land-based pollution and ocean gyre-driven deposition of particles from distant sources.

2024 Sustainability 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Unveiling the hidden threat of microplastics to coral reefs in remote South Atlantic islands

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination of coral reefs on remote South Atlantic islands, finding widespread microplastic presence in reef environments and raising concerns about the physiological and ecological harm to coral ecosystems far from human population centers.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination of coral reef fish larvae of the Great Barrier Reef: baseline data and influences of oceanographic and ecological features

This study found microplastic contamination in coral reef fish larvae from the Great Barrier Reef, where larval fish are uniquely vulnerable because microplastics overlap in size with their natural zooplankton prey and are concentrated by the same oceanographic processes. Ingestion of microplastics by larvae could impair early development and recruitment to reef fish populations.

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

Microplastic abundance, distribution and composition in the mid-west Pacific Ocean

Researchers surveyed microplastic abundance, distribution, and composition across the mid-west Pacific Ocean, an area with previously limited data, finding widespread contamination across sampled stations. The dominant particle types were fibers and fragments, with concentrations varying by location and depth.

2020 Environmental Pollution 250 citations