Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Abundance and composition of microplastics in Tampico beach sediments, Tamaulipas State, southern Gulf of Mexico

Researchers analyzed beach sediments from Tampico, Mexico, on the Gulf of Mexico coast and found microplastics present in all samples. The most common types were fragments and fibers made of polyethylene and polypropylene, and concentrations ranged from 256 to 2,830 particles per 20 grams of sediment. The study adds to growing evidence that microplastic contamination is widespread along Gulf of Mexico coastlines.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 61 citations
Article Tier 2

The distribution and ecological effects of microplastics in an estuarine ecosystem

Researchers surveyed 22 intertidal sites and found that microplastic abundance, size, and diversity correlated with benthic microalgal communities and sediment biostabilization properties in an estuarine ecosystem.

2021 Environmental Pollution 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundant plankton-sized microplastic particles in shelf waters of the northern Gulf of Mexico

Researchers found abundant microplastic particles of plankton-like size in the waters of the northern Gulf of Mexico shelf, raising concerns about their potential to be ingested by zooplankton and higher trophic level species. The study highlights how semi-enclosed coastal seas can accumulate high concentrations of small plastic fragments.

2017 Environmental Pollution 197 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic concentration, characterization, and size distribution in the Delaware Bay estuary

Researchers measured microplastic concentrations and composition in the Delaware Bay estuary across two sampling campaigns. The study found that polyethylene and polypropylene were the dominant polymer types, and the highest microplastic levels were observed near visible debris along frontal zones, suggesting that estuarine dynamics play an important role in shaping microplastic distribution.

2024 Chemosphere 17 citations
Article Tier 2

A baseline for microplastic particle occurrence and distribution in Great Bay Estuary

Researchers analyzed archived sediment cores from Great Bay Estuary in the Gulf of Maine and found microplastics distributed throughout sediments at an average of 116 particles per gram, with accumulation increasing over several decades before showing signs of a recent decrease.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 35 citations
Article Tier 2

The distribution of sediment microplastics assemblages is driven by location and hydrodynamics, not sediment characteristics, in the Gulf of Maine, USA

Microplastics were extracted and characterized from 20 sediment samples across the Gulf of Maine and 27 polymer types were identified, with spatial distribution driven more by location and hydrodynamics than by local sediment grain size or composition.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Contamination and characterization of microplastics in different sediments of the river estuaries (the inner Gulf of Thailand)

Researchers measured microplastic contamination in river estuary sediments in the inner Gulf of Thailand, finding widespread contamination at all sites. The study characterizes the types and abundance of microplastics in a highly trafficked coastal region of Southeast Asia.

2019
Article Tier 2

Assessment of microplastic pollution in the Gulf of Suez: Abundance and polymeric composition in beach sediments

This study assessed microplastic abundance and polymer composition in sediments along the Gulf of Suez shores, identifying 268 microplastic particles with an average of 204.3 particles per kilogram of dry sediment, reflecting contamination from the region's intense shipping and industrial activities.

2023 Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in sediments from the southern Gulf of Mexico: Abundance, distribution, composition, and adhered pollutants

Researchers analyzed microplastics in sediment samples from the southern Gulf of Mexico, covering over 26,000 square kilometers. They found an average of about 16 microplastic particles per kilogram of sediment, with fibers being the most common type, and detected heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons adhered to the plastic surfaces. The study highlights how microplastics in ocean sediments can act as carriers of additional toxic pollutants, compounding environmental and health risks.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 30 citations
Article Tier 2

The current state of microplastic pollution in the world's largest gulf and its future directions

This review critically assesses microplastic pollution research in the Gulf of Mexico, the world's largest gulf, covering 14 studies across water, sediment, and biota. Researchers found microplastic concentrations ranging widely across environmental compartments, with fragments being the most common shape and polyethylene the most prevalent polymer, and noted that 46 out of 100 fish species in the region are susceptible to microplastic ingestion.

2021 Environmental Pollution 54 citations
Article Tier 2

Coastal gradients of small microplastics and associated pollutants influenced by estuarine sources

Researchers sampled small microplastics in the Gulf of Cadiz at 5 m depth and found higher densities (130 mg/m3) than most other regions worldwide, with concentrations decreasing from the coastline outward and predominantly composed of polymer fragments between 45 and 193 μm.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Study on the Mass Concentration Distributions of Marine Microplastics in Estuaries and Coastal Areas

Researchers characterized the mass concentration distribution of marine microplastics in estuarine and coastal environments, measuring spatial gradients between river mouths and open coastal waters and identifying estuaries as major transition zones for microplastic flux.

2025 Water 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Type and Distribution of Microplastics in Beach Sediment along the Coast of the Eastern Gulf of Thailand

Researchers examined microplastic distribution in beach sediments along the eastern Gulf of Thailand across two monsoon seasons, finding up to 1,698 pieces/m2 at the most contaminated site with PET (39.6%) and polyamide (22.8%) as the dominant polymer types among 17 identified.

2021 Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics on beaches along the eastern Gulf of Thailand – A preliminary study

Researchers quantified microplastics at the high-tide line of 21 beaches along the eastern Gulf of Thailand, finding highly variable contamination levels ranging from 420 to over 200,000 particles per kilogram of sand.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 110 citations
Article Tier 2

The occurrence of microplastic contamination in littoral sediments of the Persian Gulf, Iran

Researchers surveyed littoral sediments of the Persian Gulf for microplastics, finding plastic particles across all sampling sites with a variety of polymer types. The study provides early baseline contamination data for a region with major petrochemical and industrial activity.

2017 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 202 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in mangrove and beach sediments on southeast Florida barrier islands

Researchers quantified and characterized microplastic abundance, distribution, and variation in estuarine mangrove and beach sediments across southeast Florida barrier islands. The study aimed to improve understanding of microplastic hazards in these coastal ecosystems to support conservation efforts for mangrove and beach environments.

2025 Shore & Beach
Article Tier 2

Textural characteristics and abundance of microplastics in Tecolutla beach sediments, Gulf of Mexico

Researchers analyzed the textural characteristics and abundance of microplastics in surface sediments from Tecolutla beach on the Gulf of Mexico coast, contributing baseline data on coastal microplastic pollution in an understudied region of Mexico.

2022 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and spatial distribution of microplastics in sediments from Norderney

Researchers surveyed sediments from Norderney in the North Sea and found widespread microplastic contamination, documenting spatial distribution patterns and particle characteristics across this tidally influenced coastal environment.

2014 Environmental Pollution 608 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution and occurrence of microplastics in estuaries of São José Bay, Brazilian equatorial margin

Researchers examined the distribution and occurrence of microplastics in estuaries of São José Bay on the Brazilian equatorial margin, characterizing MP abundance, morphology, and polymer composition across multiple sampling sites.

2025 LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas)
Article Tier 2

Type and Distribution of Microplastic Contamination in Beach Sediment Along the Coast of the Lower Gulf of Thailand

Microplastic contamination was surveyed at five beaches along Thailand's lower Gulf Coast, with Talo Kapo showing the highest abundance and fragment-type particles being most common. The findings document baseline plastic pollution levels and polymer types across different coastal settings.

2023 Applied Ecology and Environmental Research 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Seasonal distribution and abundance of microplastics in the coastal sediments of north eastern Arabian Sea

Researchers documented seasonal variation in microplastic abundance along India's North Eastern Arabian Sea coast, finding 4,400 to 15,300 items per kilogram of dry sediment with fibers as the dominant form across ten identified polymer types.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 44 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and distribution of microplastics in surface sediments from the Gulf of Thailand

Researchers investigated the distribution and characteristics of microplastics in surface sediments across the Gulf of Thailand, finding an average abundance of 150.4 pieces/kg dry weight with fragment shapes dominating, and observed a correlation between sediment grain size and microplastic content. The results establish baseline contamination data for this Southeast Asian coastal region.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 100 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in the Barra Norte and Mocambo Beach Sediments, Gulf of Mexico, Mexico

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in beach sediments at two sites along the Gulf of Mexico coast in Mexico. They found thousands of microplastic particles per kilogram of sediment at both locations, with all particles being fibers, predominantly made of cellophane and PET. The findings add to the growing body of evidence that beach environments in the Gulf of Mexico are heavily contaminated with microplastic fibers from textile and packaging sources.

2025 Carpathian Journal of Earth and Environmental Sciences 2 citations
Review Tier 2

Microplastics in the Northern Gulf of Mexico: A Literature Review

This review synthesized available literature on microplastics in the Northern Gulf of Mexico, finding that water column concentrations appear below global averages while shoreline sediment concentrations are slightly above average. The authors note that fewer biological specimens in the region appear to contain microplastics but stress that data gaps remain significant and continued monitoring is needed.

2025 Microplastics