Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Occurrence and distribution of microplastics in marine sediments along the Belgian coast

Researchers surveyed marine sediments along the Belgian coast and found microplastics distributed across all sampled sites, documenting their occurrence and characteristics in this heavily trafficked North Sea coastal environment.

2011 Marine Pollution Bulletin 1391 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatial distribution of microplastics in sediments and surface waters of the southern North Sea

A systematic survey of microplastic distribution in sediments and surface waters of the southern North Sea found widespread contamination across the region, with spatial patterns reflecting currents, water depth, and proximity to shipping lanes and coastal inputs. The study provides a regional baseline for microplastic pollution in one of the world's busiest shipping and fishing areas.

2019 Environmental Pollution 275 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics Baseline Surveys at the Water Surface and in Sediments of the North-East Atlantic

Researchers measured microplastic concentrations at the sea surface and in sediments across the southern North Sea and northwestern Europe, finding highly variable but widespread contamination. Sediments contained far higher concentrations than surface waters, confirming that the seafloor acts as a major sink for microplastic pollution.

2017 Frontiers in Marine Science 308 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic abundance in beach sediments of the Kiel Fjord

Researchers assessed microplastic abundance in beach sediments at three sites in Kiel Fjord, Germany, finding plastics at all locations including one near a sewage treatment plant. The study highlights how multiple sources — recreational use, wastewater discharge, and plastic litter — contribute to microplastic accumulation in coastal sediments.

2021 Publishing Network for Geoscientific and Environmental Data (PANGAEA) (Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research)
Article Tier 2

A large-scale investigation of microplastic contamination: Abundance and characteristics of microplastics in European beach sediment

This large-scale investigation characterized microplastic contamination across a wide geographic area, documenting abundance and polymer types and providing a baseline dataset for tracking pollution trends over time.

2017 Marine Pollution Bulletin 450 citations
Article Tier 2

The role of oceanographic processes and sedimentological settings on the deposition of microplastics in marine sediment: Icelandic waters

Researchers analyzed microplastics from marine sediment cores collected at eight sites on the Iceland continental shelf, examining how oceanographic processes and sedimentological settings influence the deposition and distribution of microplastic debris on the seafloor.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 48 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in the Mediterranean Sea: Deposition in coastal shallow sediments, spatial variation and preferential grain size

Researchers sampled Mediterranean coastal shallow sediments and found microplastics throughout, with concentrations and polymer types reflecting land-based inputs and showing that coastal sediments are a significant regional reservoir for plastic debris.

2016 Marine Environmental Research 617 citations
Article Tier 2

The influence of depositional environment on the abundance of microplastic pollution on beaches in the Bristol Channel, UK

Researchers assessed the extent and variability of microplastic pollution across multiple beaches in the Bristol Channel, UK, finding that depositional environment characteristics significantly influenced the abundance and distribution of microplastic contamination in beach sand.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 47 citations
Article Tier 2

Global mapping for the occurrence of all-sized microplastics in seafloor sediments

Researchers compiled global seafloor microplastic data from 155 marine sediment samples including detailed sampling metadata and abundance measurements for 20 microplastic categories, providing foundational data for understanding the distribution and uncertainty of microplastic contamination on the seafloor.

2025 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in North Yellow Sea, China: Observations on occurrence, distribution and identification

Researchers surveyed microplastic pollution across the North Yellow Sea, documenting their occurrence, distribution, and characteristics, and finding widespread contamination with higher concentrations in coastal areas and near river inputs.

2018 The Science of The Total Environment 412 citations
Article Tier 2

Determination of the presence of microplastics in intertidal sediments of deception island, antarctica

Researchers determined the presence and characteristics of microplastics in intertidal sediments of Deception Island, Antarctica, providing evidence that plastic contamination has reached one of Earth's most remote environments and documenting the role of marine sediments as sinks for persistent microplastic pollution.

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

Deep Sea Microplastic Pollution Extends Out to Sediments in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean Margins

Researchers surveyed deep-sea sediments across four areas of the Northeast Atlantic and detected microplastics at 75% of stations sampled, finding no hotspots and no clear correlation with depth or distance from land, demonstrating the widespread extent of deep-sea microplastic contamination.

2022 Environmental Science & Technology 21 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

Microplastic concentrations in beach sediments along the German Baltic coast

Researchers measured microplastic contamination on beaches along the German Baltic coast near river estuaries and tracked seasonal variation over several months, finding contamination at all sites. The study highlights that river mouths are hotspots for microplastic deposition on coastal beaches.

2015 Marine Pollution Bulletin 500 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

The fate of microplastic in marine sedimentary environments: A review and synthesis

A systematic review of 80 papers on microplastics in marine sediments found median concentrations varied widely by sediment environment, with fibers dominating many locations, and showed that sediment grain size and organic carbon content influence microplastic accumulation.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 381 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution characteristics and ecological risk assessment of microplastics in intertidal sediments near coastal water

Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in intertidal sediments from coastal areas and assessed the ecological risks these particles pose. They found microplastics in all sampled locations, with fibers and fragments being the most common shapes, and polyethylene and polypropylene the dominant plastic types. The study's risk assessment indicates that microplastic pollution in these transitional zones between land and sea warrants greater environmental attention.

2024 Marine Environmental Research 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence of environmental and anthropogenic factors on the composition, concentration and spatial distribution of microplastics: A case study of the Bay of Brest (Brittany, France)

Researchers surveyed microplastic concentrations in surface water and sediment at nine locations across the Bay of Brest, France, and found that pollution levels were highest near population centers and wastewater outfalls. The study identified both polymer types and size distributions, helping to trace the sources of microplastic contamination in this coastal bay.

2017 Environmental Pollution 422 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in the Weser estuary and the German North Sea

Microplastics were characterized in water and sediment samples from the Weser estuary and German North Sea coast, with concentrations decreasing offshore and fibers dominating in all matrices, consistent with urban and industrial river inputs as the primary source of coastal North Sea microplastic contamination.

2021 Environmental Pollution 75 citations
Article Tier 2

Diving into the Depths: Uncovering Microplastics in Norwegian Coastal Sediment Cores

Researchers analyzed microplastic vertical distribution in sediment cores from five sites along the Norwegian coast extending to Arctic waters, filling a gap in high-resolution depth profile data for European and Arctic sediments. Microplastics were found throughout core depths with concentrations generally increasing toward the surface in patterns reflecting historical plastic production growth.

2024 Environmental Science & Technology 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatial and temporal variability of microplastic abundance in estuarine intertidal sediments: Implications for sampling frequency

Researchers conducted repeated sampling of microplastics in estuarine intertidal sediments over time to characterize spatial and temporal variability. The study found high natural variability in microplastic abundance at small scales, suggesting single sampling events are insufficient for accurate contamination assessments.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 46 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution and characterization of microplastics in marine sediments from coastal and offshore in South Korea

Researchers conducted an intensive survey of microplastic levels and distribution in marine sediments from coastal areas, recognizing the seafloor as the ultimate repository for plastic particles. Microplastic concentrations in sediments were highest near urban and industrial coastlines, with fibers and fragments as the most common types.

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

An integrated assessment of microplastic pollution in coastal surface water and sediment of Japan

Researchers conducted a comprehensive survey of microplastic pollution across 14 coastal locations around Japan from Hokkaido to Okinawa, measuring concentrations of 288.7 g/km2 in surface water and 1,185 kg/km2 in sediment and characterizing polymer types, shapes, and size distributions.

2025
Article Tier 2

Microplastic abundance and characteristics in French Atlantic coastal sediments using a new extraction method

Researchers developed a new extraction method for microplastics from coastal Atlantic sediments in France and applied it to characterize microplastic abundance and composition, finding widespread contamination and demonstrating the method's improved efficiency for recovering particles from sediment matrices.

2018 Environmental Pollution 127 citations