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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Population density and agricultural land cover influence microplastic concentrations in river sediments
ClearOccurrence of microplastic pollution in rivers globally: Driving factors of distribution and ecological risk assessment
Researchers constructed a global dataset of microplastic pollution across 862 river water and 445 sediment samples, identifying population density, GDP, and plastic waste generation as key driving factors of riverine microplastic distribution and ecological risk.
Impact of land cover on microplastics accumulation in freshwater sediments
Researchers tracked microplastic accumulation in freshwater sediments across sites with different land cover types, examining temporal trends to understand how land use affects plastic discharge into waterways. Land cover type was a significant predictor of sediment microplastic concentration, with urbanized and agricultural catchments showing higher accumulation.
Microplastic distribution and their abundance along rivers are determined by land uses and sediment granulometry
Researchers studied two river watersheds and found that microplastics were widespread in both water and sediment, with concentrations in water rising alongside increased urban land use. Interestingly, microplastics trapped in sediment were more influenced by the grain size of the riverbed than by human activity. The findings suggest that both human factors and natural river characteristics work together to shape where microplastics end up in freshwater systems.
Riverine macroplastic gradient along watercourses: A global overview
Researchers conducted a global overview of macroplastic pollution gradients along river systems, from upper reaches to lower stretches. The study found that plastic concentrations generally increase downstream, driven by population density and urbanization, and highlighted that upper and middle river zones have been largely overlooked in previous research.
Microplastic distribution and characteristics across a large river basin: Insights from the Neuse River in North Carolina, USA
Researchers characterized microplastic distribution across the Neuse River Basin in North Carolina, finding microplastics in both water and sediment at all sampling locations, with concentrations influenced by land use and proximity to urban areas.
Abundance, Distribution and Drivers of Microplastic Contaminant in Urban River Environments
Researchers surveyed microplastic distribution in urban river environments and identified key drivers of accumulation hotspots, finding that land use, hydrology, and infrastructure factors concentrated microplastics at predictable locations that could inform targeted management interventions.
Distribution of microplastics in soil and freshwater environments: Global analysis and framework for transport modeling
Researchers analyzed microplastic concentrations reported across 196 studies from 49 countries and found that levels in soils, sediments, and surface water can vary by up to eight orders of magnitude. The study suggests that inland sources like urban stormwater carry concentrations up to 100 times higher than rivers transporting microplastics to coastal areas, and that only 20% of studies captured particles below 20 micrometers, meaning actual contamination may be significantly underestimated.
Integrating land cover, point source pollution, and watershed hydrologic processes data to understand the distribution of microplastics in riverbed sediments
Researchers sampled riverbed sediments across the Meramec River watershed in Missouri and applied hydrological modelling to assess which factors best predict benthic microplastic distribution, finding that land cover and point source pollution variables outperformed discharge and sediment load in explaining spatial patterns, highlighting the dominance of anthropogenic sources over transport dynamics.
A Comprehensive Review of MP Pollution in Global Rivers: Distribution Patterns and Fluvial Transport Dynamics
A global review of microplastic pollution in river sediments found the highest concentrations in Africa and Asia, with wastewater treatment plants, industrial discharges, and urban runoff as the primary sources, and rivers transporting an estimated 70–80% of land-based plastic waste to the oceans. This synthesis underscores that rivers are critical intervention points for reducing the flow of microplastics into marine ecosystems.
Baseline Study on Microplastics in Indian Rivers under Different Anthropogenic Influences
Researchers collected microplastic samples from Indian rivers under different levels of anthropogenic influence and found MPs in all sites, with concentrations correlating with population density and industrial activity, providing one of the first systematic field datasets for major Indian river systems.
A Regional Difference Analysis of Microplastic Pollution in Global Freshwater Bodies Based on a Regression Model
Analysis of microplastic data from 37 freshwater locations worldwide found pollution is highest in Asia, that developing countries have more contamination than developed ones, and that urban areas exceed rural areas. Population density and GDP both correlated with microplastic concentrations, confirming human activity as the primary driver.
Impact of land cover on microplastics accumulation in freshwater sediments
Researchers collected sediment cores from four Pennsylvania watersheds with different land uses to examine how land cover influences microplastic accumulation in freshwater sediments over time. Urban and agricultural watersheds showed higher microplastic concentrations than forested watersheds, with fibers being the most common morphotype.
Effects of environmental and anthropogenic factors on the distribution and abundance of microplastics in freshwater ecosystems
Researchers reviewed nearly 6,500 articles to identify the environmental and human factors driving microplastic distribution in freshwater ecosystems worldwide. They found that both natural factors like water flow and temperature, and human activities like urbanization and agriculture, significantly influence where microplastics accumulate in rivers and lakes. The study provides a framework for predicting microplastic pollution hotspots and prioritizing monitoring efforts in freshwater systems.
Microplastic accumulation in benthic macroinvertebrates is widespread, regardless of the river ecological status
A broad survey of freshwater benthic macroinvertebrates across multiple rivers found that microplastic accumulation was widespread regardless of local urban development levels, suggesting that factors beyond proximity to urban areas—such as river hydrology and upstream sources—drive MP exposure in freshwater invertebrates.
Lead levels and abundance of microplastics in surface water and sediment along a rural–urban river gradient
Researchers sampled water and sediment along a rural-to-urban river and found microplastics at every location, with concentrations decreasing downstream in surface water but not following a clear pattern in sediment. They also found that higher microplastic levels in sediment were linked to higher lead concentrations, suggesting the two pollutants tend to accumulate together.
Significant regional disparities in riverine microplastics
Researchers built a comprehensive framework to compare microplastic pollution across 76 rivers spanning Asia, Europe, and Africa, revealing significant regional differences. Rivers in Asia tended to have higher microplastic concentrations than those in Europe, and land use patterns strongly influenced contamination levels. The study highlights the need for standardized methods to enable meaningful global comparisons of riverine microplastic pollution.
Effects of land use on the distribution of soil microplastics in the Lihe River watershed, China
Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination across five different land use types in a Chinese river watershed. They found that urban soils had the highest microplastic levels, followed by agricultural areas, with woodland having the lowest, and that population density strongly correlated with microplastic diversity. The study suggests that human activity intensity and plastic waste disposal are the main drivers of soil microplastic pollution at the watershed scale.
Abundance, Distribution, and Drivers of Microplastic Contamination in Urban River Environments
Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in sediments from the River Tame and its tributaries flowing through Birmingham, UK, finding microplastics in every sample at an average of 165 particles per 100 grams. The study identified urban density, wastewater treatment plant proximity, and river hydrodynamics as key drivers of microplastic accumulation hotspots in urban rivers.
Influential factors on microplastics occurrence in river sediments
A Bayesian network analysis of river sediment data found that microplastic type is more strongly influenced by catchment land use and population than by sediment particle size, while microplastic concentration showed a positive relationship with clay content. The study improves understanding of which landscape factors drive microplastic accumulation in river sediments.
Quantitative assessment on the distribution patterns of microplastics in global inland waters
Researchers compiled data from over 5,000 observations across 301 published studies to map microplastic levels in freshwater bodies worldwide, finding concentrations ranging from near zero to 4.3 million particles per cubic meter. Human development, farming activity, and water runoff were the strongest predictors of contamination, with China and parts of Asia showing particularly high levels.
Influence of microplastics on nutrients and metal concentrations in river sediments
Researchers investigated how microplastics influence nutrient and metal concentrations in river sediments, finding that microplastics alter the distribution of pollutants through their capacity to adsorb contaminants and support biofilm formation on their hydrophobic surfaces.
Prevailing impacts of river management on microplastic transport in contrasting US streams: Rethinking global microplastic flux estimations
Researchers compared microplastic transport in managed versus unmanaged US streams, finding that river management practices like channelization and damming significantly alter MP distribution patterns, suggesting global microplastic budgets need to account for river infrastructure.
Decadal changes in microplastic accumulation in freshwater sediments: Evaluating influencing factors
Researchers analyzed decadal trends in microplastic accumulation using freshwater sediment cores, examining how land use, hydrological factors, and global plastic production influenced deposition over time. Microplastic concentrations increased consistently across cores, with local factors modulating the rate of accumulation at individual sites.
Agricultural plastic Legacy in river Sediments: Abundance, oxidation, and occurrence characteristics of microplastics across rural China
Researchers conducted a comprehensive survey of microplastics in sediments from 25 agricultural rivers across Henan Province, China, finding an average abundance of 1,016 items/kg. MP oxidation degree and polymer composition varied across rivers, reflecting the legacy of agricultural plastic use and the weathering of resident MPs.