Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Effect of monsoon on microplastic bioavailability and ingestion by zooplankton in tropical coastal waters of Sabah

Researchers measured seasonal variation in microplastic concentrations and zooplankton ingestion of microplastics in Sepanggar Bay, Malaysia, finding that monsoon-driven environmental changes significantly affect both microplastic bioavailability and uptake by zooplankton in tropical coastal waters.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Zooplankton exposure to microplastic contamination in a estuarine plume-influenced region, in Northeast Brazil

Researchers examined microplastic contamination in estuarine plume waters off the coast of northeastern Brazil and its relationship with zooplankton. The study found significantly higher microplastic abundance during the high rainfall season, with fibers and fragments being the dominant types, and elevated concentrations in river plume areas compared to reef-adjacent waters, indicating land-based sources as major contributors.

2023 Environmental Pollution 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Evidence of microplastics in samples of zooplankton from Portuguese coastal waters

Researchers examined zooplankton samples collected from Portuguese coastal waters between 2002 and 2008 and found microplastics in a proportion of the samples, providing early retrospective evidence of microplastic contamination in Atlantic zooplankton. The study shows that plastic contamination of coastal zooplankton communities predates the recent surge of research attention.

2014 Marine Environmental Research 448 citations
Article Tier 2

Composition and spatial distribution of floating plastic debris along the estuarine ecocline of a subtropical coastal lagoon in the Western Atlantic

Researchers found microplastic densities of 7.32 particles per square meter in a subtropical Brazilian coastal lagoon, with plastic filaments — primarily polyester, polypropylene, and polyethylene — being the most abundant type, concentrated near the access channel.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatio-seasonal microplastics distribution along a shallow coastal lagoon ecocline within a marine conservation unit

Researchers conducted monthly sampling along a shallow coastal lagoon ecocline in a Brazilian marine conservation unit and found seasonal variation in microplastic abundance driven by rainfall and river inputs, with polyethylene and polypropylene fibers and fragments dominating the samples.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Suspended microplastics in a highly polluted bay: Abundance, size, and availability for mesozooplankton

Researchers quantified suspended microplastics in Guanabara Bay, Brazil using different mesh size nets, finding high microplastic abundance and characterizing size distributions to assess the availability of plastic particles for ingestion by mesozooplankton as an entry point into the food web.

2018 Marine Pollution Bulletin 92 citations
Article Tier 2

Changing in Spatial and Temporal Accumulation of Microplastics in the Water Column at Urban Ko Yo Community in Songkhla Lagoon, Thailand

Yearlong sampling at Ko Yo in Songkhla Lagoon, Thailand found microplastics throughout the water column with spatial and temporal variation linked to local aquaculture, fishing, tourism activities, and seasonal hydrodynamics.

2024 Trends in Sciences
Article Tier 2

Seasonal variation in microplastics and zooplankton abundances and characteristics: The ecological vulnerability of an oceanic island system

Researchers found seasonal variation in microplastic and zooplankton abundances around an oceanic island, with higher microplastic-to-zooplankton ratios in warmer months, suggesting the ecological risk to marine life from plastic ingestion fluctuates with environmental conditions such as temperature and precipitation.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 25 citations
Article Tier 2

High macroplastic pollution in a subtropical urban lake affects macroinvertebrate community structure

Researchers examined the effects of high macroplastic pollution in a subtropical urban lake on macroinvertebrate communities, finding that plastic debris significantly altered benthic assemblages and reduced biodiversity in freshwater ecosystems that have received less ecological attention than marine environments.

2025 Hydrobiologia
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in seawater and zooplankton: A case study from Terengganu estuary and offshore waters, Malaysia

Researchers collected seawater and zooplankton samples from Malaysian estuarine and offshore waters and found microplastics in both matrices, with zooplankton containing MP at higher concentrations than surrounding water, suggesting active uptake rather than passive ingestion during feeding.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 152 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodisponibilidad y bioacumulación de microplásticos en el zooplancton marino de un área marina protegida del Caribe

Researchers evaluated microplastic bioavailability and bioconcentration across seven zooplankton taxonomic groups in a Caribbean Marine Protected Area, finding microplastic ingestion during two contrasting hydroclimate seasons using oblique net tows at twelve stations.

2025 Revista de Biología Tropical
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics pollution on the abundance and composition of interstitial meiofauna

Researchers found that microplastic accumulation in beach sediments negatively affected the abundance and community composition of meiofauna at lower intertidal levels on urban Colombian beaches, with microplastics explaining 39% of community variation in the most heavily impacted zone.

2023 Revista de Biología Tropical 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic ingestion in marine mesozooplankton species associated with functional feeding traits

This study examined microplastic ingestion in marine mesozooplankton species with different functional traits, finding that feeding mode, body size, and habitat use are key predictors of plastic uptake across zooplankton communities.

2024 Marine Environmental Research 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Lagoon Ecosystems: A Review on Occurrence and Methods for Microplastic Detection

This review synthesizes global evidence on the occurrence and abundance of microplastics in lagoon ecosystems across water, sediment, and biota, identifying critical knowledge gaps and recommending improved sampling and detection methods for more effective pollution management.

2023 Biology & Environment Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Zooplankton assemblage and microplastics associated with a coastal sandspit (Tubará, Atlántico)

Researchers surveyed zooplankton communities and microplastic presence in surface waters of the Colombian Caribbean coast near a sandspit and found microplastics in 100% of tow net samples. Microplastic abundance correlated with proximity to population centers, and the dominant zooplankton taxa overlap in size with microplastic particles, indicating high potential for inadvertent ingestion.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics ingestion in zooplankton in tropical estuarine fronts of Terengganu, Malaysia

Researchers surveyed microplastic ingestion by zooplankton in a tropical estuary in Terengganu, Malaysia, sampling across plume, front, and shelf zones during monsoon season. They found that zooplankton across all zones had ingested microplastics, with fibers being the most common type detected. The findings highlight the risk of microplastic trophic transfer through the marine food chain starting at the zooplankton level in productive tropical estuaries.

2026 Marine Pollution Bulletin
Article Tier 2

Assessing Microplastic Contamination in Zooplanktonic Organisms from Two River Estuaries

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in zooplankton sampled from two river estuaries, finding microplastics in a significant proportion of individual organisms from both sites. Fibre shapes dominated ingested plastics, and contamination levels were higher in the more urbanized estuary, indicating that land-based pollution inputs drive microplastic exposure in estuarine zooplankton.

2024 Water 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Impacts of Microplastics on Zooplankton

This review examines the impacts of microplastics on zooplankton communities, covering how microplastic ingestion and physicochemical alterations of aquatic environments affect zooplankton feeding, reproduction, and community structure. Zooplankton are highlighted as ecologically critical organisms whose disruption can cascade through aquatic food webs.

2023 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Zooplankton exposure to microplastics at global scale: Influence of vertical distribution and seasonality

Researchers used a global ocean model to assess zooplankton exposure to microplastics, finding that exposure varies significantly with depth, season, and zooplankton vertical migration patterns, with highest concentrations in subtropical gyres and near coastal pollution sources.

2022 Frontiers in Marine Science 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Zooplankton exposure to microplastics at the global scale: Influence of vertical distribution and seasonality

Researchers compiled a global dataset of variables used to model zooplankton exposure to microplastics, incorporating vertical distribution and seasonality factors to better characterize how different zooplankton depth preferences and seasonal migration patterns influence the degree of microplastic contact across ocean regions.

2022 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Impacts of macro - and microplastic on macrozoobenthos abundance in intertidal zone

This study assessed how macro- and microplastics affect the abundance of bottom-dwelling invertebrates in an intertidal zone, finding that plastic contamination is linked to reduced invertebrate diversity. The results highlight ecological impacts of plastic pollution in coastal ecosystems that provide food resources for humans.

2018 IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science 18 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

Spatial distribution of anthropogenic particles and microplastics in a meso-tidal lagoon (Arcachon Bay, France): A multi-compartment approach

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination across multiple compartments (surface water, water column, sediments, and oysters) in the Arcachon Bay, a meso-tidal Atlantic lagoon in France, mapping spatial distribution and finding widespread contamination throughout the system.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Plankton assemblages from microplastics of tropical coastal environments reveal high diversity and evidence of toxic species

Microplastic particles collected from beach sediments in the Johor and Singapore Straits harbored highly diverse plankton communities — including several documented harmful algal bloom species — detectable only through DNA sequencing rather than microscopy alone. This demonstrates that microplastics serve as rafts transporting potentially toxic microorganisms across coastal ecosystems, adding a biological dimension to the pollution risk they pose.

2023 Marine Environmental Research 12 citations