Work

Riverine emissions of microfibers from the Yangtze River into the ocean over 2 consecutive years of observation

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Estuaries represent critical land-sea transition zones that play vital roles in pollutant transport. As China's largest river-ocean interface, the Yangtze River Estuary (YRE) serves as a primary pathway for terrestrial microfibers entering marine environments. However, evaluating microfiber flux is challenging due to the absence of long-term continuous observations of microfibers. Here, we conducted a 2-year monthly field study in the YRE. We observe spatiotemporal heterogeneity in microfiber abundance, with an average of 1,452.60 ± 910.95 items·m −3 . Hydrological conditions influence microfiber abundance: increased river discharge enhances pollutant inputs, whereas extreme river discharge leads to dilution. Notably, river discharge also affects long-term changes in microfiber length. The Yangtze River Basin annually releases approximately 241 tons of microfibers, totaling 9.21 × 10 14 particles, into the ocean. Based on continuous field observations, our study enhances the estimation of the microfiber flux from rivers to the ocean, contributing to the assessment of their ecological impact on marine environments.

Source: Cell Reports Sustainability

DOI: 10.1016/j.crsus.2026.100656

Authors: Weisi Tian, Yiting Wei, Dongyu Xu, Bo Gao

Institutions: China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing Normal University

Language: English

Topic: Microplastics and Plastic Pollution

Subfield: Pollution

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Clean water and sanitation, Life below water

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $5,730