TITLE:
Occurrence Characteristics and Control Countermeasures of Microplastics in Surface Water of the Yellow River Basin
AUTHORS:
Tianxiao Han, Yuxia Xu, Liqun Xu
KEYWORDS:
Microplastics, Yellow River Basin, Occurrence Characteristics, Control Technologies
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Applied Sciences,
Vol.16 No.10,
October
15,
2026
ABSTRACT: As an emerging pollutant, microplastics have attracted widespread global attention in recent years. To explore the occurrence characteristics of microplastics in surface water of the Yellow River Basin and the progress of relevant countermeasures, this study conducted a comprehensive analysis based on 129 sampling sites across 11 river reaches. The results show that fibers and fragments are the dominant microplastic shapes in the compiled dataset. Microplastics are mostly colored, white or transparent, with PET, PP, PE and PS as major polymer types. Particles smaller than 1000 μm dominate at most sites in included studies, yet differences in particle-size classifications across publications limit their basin-wide applicability. Potential sources of microplastics include agricultural activities, domestic discharge, industrial emissions, fishery-related inputs, tourism-related inputs and atmospheric transport. Current countermeasures are mainly advanced in three aspects: source substitution, degradation technology and recycling. However, these technologies still need to be translated into efficient, economical and sustainable practical applications. This study can provide scientific references for microplastic pollution control and management in the Yellow River Basin.