Richard C. Thompson

110.1k total citations · 36 hit papers
468 papers, 76.7k citations indexed

About

Richard C. Thompson is a scholar working on Pollution, Parasitology and Ecology. According to data from OpenAlex, Richard C. Thompson has authored 468 papers receiving a total of 76.7k indexed citations (citations by other indexed papers that have themselves been cited), including 121 papers in Pollution, 113 papers in Parasitology and 95 papers in Ecology. Recurrent topics in Richard C. Thompson's work include Microplastics and Plastic Pollution (121 papers), Recycling and Waste Management Techniques (88 papers) and Parasitic Infections and Diagnostics (85 papers). Richard C. Thompson is often cited by papers focused on Microplastics and Plastic Pollution (121 papers), Recycling and Waste Management Techniques (88 papers) and Parasitic Infections and Diagnostics (85 papers). Richard C. Thompson collaborates with scholars based in United Kingdom, Australia and United States. Richard C. Thompson's co-authors include Tamara S. Galloway, Mark A. Oakley Browne, Steven J. Rowland, Imogen E. Napper, François Galgani, Stephanie Wright, Morton A. Barlaz, David K. A. Barnes, Lars Gutow and Valeria Hidalgo‐Ruz and has published in prestigious journals such as Nature, Science and Journal of the American Chemical Society.

In The Last Decade

Richard C. Thompson

458 papers receiving 74.6k citations

Hit Papers

Lost at Sea: Where Is All... 2004 2026 2011 2018 2004 2009 2012 2011 2013 1000 2.0k 3.0k 4.0k 5.0k
What are hit papers?

Hit papers significantly outperform the citation benchmark for their cohort. A paper qualifies if it has ≥500 total citations, achieves ≥1.5× the top-1% citation threshold for papers in the same subfield and year (this is the minimum needed to enter the top 1%, not the average within it), or reaches the top citation threshold in at least one of its specific research topics.

  1. Lost at Sea: Where Is All the Plastic?
    2004 5.5k citations Richard C. Thompson et al. profile →
  2. Accumulation and fragmentation of plastic debris in global environments
    2009 4.4k citations Richard C. Thompson et al. profile →
  3. Microplastics in the Marine Environment: A Review of the Methods Used for Identification and Quantification
    2012 4.0k citations Richard C. Thompson et al. profile →
  4. Accumulation of Microplastic on Shorelines Woldwide: Sources and Sinks
    2011 3.6k citations Tamara S. Galloway, Richard C. Thompson et al. profile →
  5. The physical impacts of microplastics on marine organisms: A review
    2013 3.4k citations Richard C. Thompson, Tamara S. Galloway et al. Environmental Pollution profile →
  6. Plastics, the environment and human health: current consensus and future trends
    2009 2.1k citations Richard C. Thompson et al. profile →
  7. Microplastics in freshwater systems: A review of the emerging threats, identification of knowledge gaps and prioritisation of research needs
    2015 2.0k citations Richard C. Thompson et al. profile →
  8. Are We Speaking the Same Language? Recommendations for a Definition and Categorization Framework for Plastic Debris
    2019 1.9k citations Richard C. Thompson et al. profile →
  9. Ingested Microscopic Plastic Translocates to the Circulatory System of the Mussel, Mytilus edulis (L.)
    2008 1.8k citations Tamara S. Galloway, Richard C. Thompson et al. profile →
  10. Occurrence of microplastics in the gastrointestinal tract of pelagic and demersal fish from the English Channel
    2012 1.6k citations Richard C. Thompson et al. Marine Pollution Bulletin profile →
  11. The impact of debris on marine life
    2015 1.6k citations Richard C. Thompson et al. Marine Pollution Bulletin profile →
  12. The deep sea is a major sink for microplastic debris
    2014 1.4k citations Richard C. Thompson et al. profile →
  13. Classify plastic waste as hazardous
    2013 1.3k citations Richard C. Thompson et al. profile →
  14. Release of synthetic microplastic plastic fibres from domestic washing machines: Effects of fabric type and washing conditions
    2016 1.1k citations Richard C. Thompson et al. Marine Pollution Bulletin profile →
  15. Microplastics in the seas
    2014 1.1k citations Richard C. Thompson et al. profile →
  16. Spatial Patterns of Plastic Debris along Estuarine Shorelines
    2010 982 citations Tamara S. Galloway, Richard C. Thompson et al. profile →
  17. Potential for Plastics to Transport Hydrophobic Contaminants
    2007 964 citations Tamara S. Galloway, Richard C. Thompson et al. profile →
  18. Microplastic Moves Pollutants and Additives to Worms, Reducing Functions Linked to Health and Biodiversity
    2013 883 citations Tamara S. Galloway, Richard C. Thompson et al. profile →
  19. Our plastic age
    2009 874 citations Richard C. Thompson et al. profile →
  20. Enhanced desorption of persistent organic pollutants from microplastics under simulated physiological conditions
    2013 837 citations Richard C. Thompson et al. Environmental Pollution profile →
  21. Adsorption of trace metals to plastic resin pellets in the marine environment
    2011 794 citations Richard C. Thompson et al. Environmental Pollution profile →
  22. Global warming releases microplastic legacy frozen in Arctic Sea ice
    2014 756 citations Richard C. Thompson et al. profile →
  23. Bioavailability and effects of microplastics on marine zooplankton: A review
    2018 710 citations Richard C. Thompson et al. Environmental Pollution profile →
  24. Characterisation, quantity and sorptive properties of microplastics extracted from cosmetics
    2015 705 citations Richard C. Thompson et al. Marine Pollution Bulletin profile →
  25. Microplastic—an emerging contaminant of potential concern?
    2007 644 citations Tamara S. Galloway, Richard C. Thompson et al. profile →
  26. Lost, but Found with Nile Red: A Novel Method for Detecting and Quantifying Small Microplastics (1 mm to 20 μm) in Environmental Samples
    2017 624 citations Richard C. Thompson et al. profile →
  27. Low levels of microplastics (MP) in wild mussels indicate that MP ingestion by humans is minimal compared to exposure via household fibres fallout during a meal
    2018 591 citations Ana I. Catarino, William Sanderson et al. Environmental Pollution profile →
  28. Accumulations of microplastic on shorelines worldwide: sources and sinks
    2011 570 citations Tamara S. Galloway, Richard C. Thompson et al. profile →
  29. Interactions between trace metals and plastic production pellets under estuarine conditions
    2014 529 citations Richard C. Thompson et al. profile →
  30. On the quantity and composition of floating plastic debris entering and leaving the Tamar Estuary, Southwest England
    2014 497 citations Richard C. Thompson et al. Marine Pollution Bulletin profile →
  31. Reaching New Heights in Plastic Pollution—Preliminary Findings of Microplastics on Mount Everest
    2020 480 citations Richard C. Thompson et al. profile →
  32. Twenty years of microplastic pollution research—what have we learned?
    2024 465 citations Richard C. Thompson et al. profile →
  33. Microplastics and seafood: lower trophic organisms at highest risk of contamination
    2019 430 citations Richard C. Thompson et al. profile →
  34. Transport of persistent organic pollutants by microplastics in estuarine conditions
    2014 418 citations Richard C. Thompson et al. Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science profile →
  35. Biology and Systematics of Echinococcus
    2016 295 citations Richard C. Thompson profile →
  36. The abundance and characteristics of microplastics in surface water in the transboundary Ganges River
    2021 293 citations Richard C. Thompson et al. Environmental Pollution profile →

Author Peers

Peers are selected by citation overlap in the author's most active subfields. citations · hero ref

Author Last Decade Papers Cites
Richard C. Thompson 56.3k 40.7k 13.2k 7.3k 7.1k 468 76.7k
Andrew D. Eaton 18.3k 0.3× 12.9k 0.3× 1.4k 0.1× 8.3k 1.1× 160 0.0× 76 63.6k
Tamara S. Galloway 32.8k 0.6× 21.4k 0.5× 7.2k 0.5× 1.9k 0.3× 52 0.0× 227 41.3k
Peter G. Ryan 9.3k 0.2× 6.0k 0.1× 1.5k 0.1× 9.0k 1.2× 324 0.0× 513 19.6k
Martin Wagner 9.5k 0.2× 5.8k 0.1× 2.7k 0.2× 1.2k 0.2× 98 0.0× 353 21.3k
Chris Wilcox 14.1k 0.2× 9.5k 0.2× 3.3k 0.2× 2.9k 0.4× 41 0.0× 171 19.5k
Matthias C. Rillig 16.3k 0.3× 9.5k 0.2× 7.0k 0.5× 7.8k 1.1× 29 0.0× 543 52.4k
Carlos M. Duarte 7.2k 0.1× 4.1k 0.1× 1.7k 0.1× 58.0k 7.9× 92 0.0× 1.1k 99.1k
Jizhong Zhou 12.6k 0.2× 1.8k 0.0× 1.2k 0.1× 30.4k 4.2× 94 0.0× 770 62.0k
Davey L. Jones 9.2k 0.2× 5.4k 0.1× 5.2k 0.4× 10.1k 1.4× 30 0.0× 885 49.7k
David Tilman 3.2k 0.1× 1.8k 0.0× 1.1k 0.1× 45.5k 6.2× 208 0.0× 306 125.0k

Countries citing papers authored by Richard C. Thompson

Since Specialization
Citations

This map shows the geographic impact of Richard C. Thompson's research. It shows the number of citations coming from papers published by authors working in each country. You can also color the map by specialization and compare the number of citations received by Richard C. Thompson with the expected number of citations based on a country's size and research output (numbers larger than one mean the country cites Richard C. Thompson more than expected).

Fields of papers citing papers by Richard C. Thompson

Since Specialization
Physical SciencesHealth SciencesLife SciencesSocial Sciences

This network shows the impact of papers produced by Richard C. Thompson. Nodes represent research fields, and links connect fields that are likely to share authors. Colored nodes show fields that tend to cite the papers produced by Richard C. Thompson. The network helps show where Richard C. Thompson may publish in the future.

Co-authorship network of co-authors of Richard C. Thompson

This figure shows the co-authorship network connecting the top 25 collaborators of Richard C. Thompson. A scholar is included among the top collaborators of Richard C. Thompson based on the total number of citations received by their joint publications. Widths of edges represent the number of papers authors have co-authored together. Node borders signify the number of papers an author published with Richard C. Thompson. Richard C. Thompson is excluded from the visualization to improve readability, since they are connected to all nodes in the network.

All Works

20 of 20 papers shown
1.
Green, Dannielle S., et al.. (2025). Minimal Impacts of Tyre Particle Exposure on Estuarine Meiofaunal Community Structure, Primary Production, and Nutrient Cycling. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering. 13(1). 181–181. 1 indexed citations
2.
Clark, Nathaniel J., et al.. (2025). Determining the accumulation potential of nanoplastics in crops: An investigation of 14C-labelled polystyrene nanoplastic into radishes. Environmental Research. 284. 122687–122687. 1 indexed citations
3.
Liu, Lu, et al.. (2025). Polluted waters. 2(4). 100388–100388.
4.
Thompson, Richard C., et al.. (2024). Building for tomorrow. 1(12). 100288–100288. 1 indexed citations
5.
Almroth, Bethanie Carney, M Fernández, Richard C. Thompson, et al.. (2024). Informing the Plastic Treaty negotiations on science - experiences from the Scientists’ Coalition for an Effective Plastic Treaty. SHILAP Revista de lepidopterología. 4(1). 6 indexed citations
6.
Cordova, Muhammad Reza, Muhammad Hafizt, Yaya Ihya Ulumuddin, et al.. (2024). From riverbank to the sea: An initial assessment of plastic pollution along the Ciliwung River, Indonesia. Marine Pollution Bulletin. 206. 116662–116662. 7 indexed citations
7.
Godfrey, Stephanie S., Alan J. Lymbery, Adrian F. Wayne, et al.. (2024). The parasites of free-ranging terrestrial wildlife from Australia’s south-west. Australian Journal of Zoology. 71(5). 1 indexed citations
8.
O’Shaughnessy, Kathryn A., Antony M. Knights, Stephen J. Hawkins, et al.. (2023). Metrics matter: Multiple diversity metrics at different spatial scales are needed to understand species diversity in urban environments. The Science of The Total Environment. 895. 164958–164958. 17 indexed citations
9.
Clark, Nathaniel J., Astrid Fischer, Lee J. Durndell, Tamara S. Galloway, & Richard C. Thompson. (2023). Translocation of 14C-polystyrene nanoplastics into fish during a very-low concentration dietary exposure. Chemosphere. 341. 140058–140058. 8 indexed citations
10.
Foggo, Andy, et al.. (2019). Characterising the deterioration of different plastics in air and seawater. Marine Pollution Bulletin. 141. 595–602. 69 indexed citations
11.
Windsor, Fredric M., Isabelle Durance, Alice A. Horton, et al.. (2019). A catchment‐scale perspective of plastic pollution. Global Change Biology. 25(4). 1207–1221. 292 indexed citations
12.
Thompson, Richard C., et al.. (2019). ‘Hang on a Tick’ – Are Ticks Really the Vectors for Australian Trypanosomes?. Trends in Parasitology. 35(8). 596–606. 18 indexed citations
13.
Catarino, Ana I., et al.. (2018). Low levels of microplastics (MP) in wild mussels indicate that MP ingestion by humans is minimal compared to exposure via household fibres fallout during a meal. Environmental Pollution. 237. 675–684. 591 indexed citations breakdown →
14.
Evans, A., Louise B. Firth, Stephen J. Hawkins, et al.. (2018). From ocean sprawl to blue-green infrastructure – A UK perspective on an issue of global significance. Environmental Science & Policy. 91. 60–69. 57 indexed citations
15.
Reed, Sarah E., et al.. (2018). Microplastics in marine sediments near Rothera Research Station, Antarctica. Marine Pollution Bulletin. 133. 460–463. 194 indexed citations
16.
Hawkins, Stephen J., A. Evans, Louise B. Firth, et al.. (2016). Impacts and effects of ocean warming on intertidal rocky habitats.. Bournemouth University Research Online (Bournemouth University). 51 indexed citations
17.
Cacabelos, Eva, Gustavo M. Martins, Richard C. Thompson, et al.. (2016). Factors limiting the establishment of canopy-forming algae on artificial structures. Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science. 181. 277–283. 17 indexed citations
18.
Witt, Matthew J., Emma V. Sheehan, Stuart Bearhop, et al.. (2011). Assessing wave energy effects on biodiversity: the Wave Hub experience. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A Mathematical Physical and Engineering Sciences. 370(1959). 502–529. 76 indexed citations
19.
Moore, Pippa J., SJ Hawkins, & Richard C. Thompson. (2007). Role of biological habitat amelioration in altering the relative responses of congeneric species to climate change. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 334. 11–19. 70 indexed citations
20.
Thompson, Richard C. & Ian Robertson. (2003). Gastrointestinal parasites of dogs and cats: Current issues. Murdoch Research Repository (Murdoch University). 7 indexed citations

Rankless uses publication and citation data sourced from OpenAlex, an open and comprehensive bibliographic database. While OpenAlex provides broad and valuable coverage of the global research landscape, it—like all bibliographic datasets—has inherent limitations. These include incomplete records, variations in author disambiguation, differences in journal indexing, and delays in data updates. As a result, some metrics and network relationships displayed in Rankless may not fully capture the entirety of a scholar's output or impact.

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