Rivers are considered the most important channel for microplastics traveling to the ocean from inland. The Yellow River is one of a main microplastics source for the Bohai Sea. As hydropower station operations—especially the artificial flood pulse—could significantly affect the transportation processes of microplastics, it is necessary to investigate the transportation regulation of microplastics from the Yellow River to the estuary. In this study, the distribution of microplastics (across 10 sections of the river from Xiaolangdi to the estuary) was detected at three stages (the pre-, inter-, and post-artificial flooding season). The result showed that the microplastic concentrations in the Yellow River ranged from 0.105 to 1.17 items m^-2. The main microplastic shapes found were foam and film, and the main components were expanded polystyrene and polyethylene. The average particle sizes were 1101.54, 484.93, and 509.46 μm at the three stages, respectively. The artificial flood accelerated the transport of microplastics from inland to the estuary and ocean; it also unified the overall particle size of microplastics along the river. The microplastics in the surface water of the study area likely originate mostly upstream of the Xiaolangdi Hydropower Station. The artificial flooding generated from water and sediment regulation transports a large amount of microplastics in the reservoirs and river channels to the estuary and offshore areas in a short time period via artificial flooding.

河流被认为是微塑料从内陆向海洋传播的最重要渠道。黄河是渤海的主要微塑料来源之一。由于水电站的运行（尤其是人工洪水脉冲）会严重影响微塑料的运输过程，因此有必要研究微塑料从黄河到河口的运输规律。在这项研究中，在三个阶段（人工洪水前，人工间和人工洪水后）检测了微塑料的分布（从小浪底到河口的10条河段）。结果表明，黄河中的微塑料浓度范围为0.105至1.17项目m ^-2。。发现的主要微塑性形状为泡沫和薄膜，主要成分为发泡聚苯乙烯和聚乙烯。三个阶段的平均粒径分别为1101.54、484.93和509.46μm。人工洪水加速了微塑料从内陆向河口和海洋的运输；它还统一了沿河的微塑料的总体粒径。研究区地表水中的微塑料可能主要来自小浪底水电站的上游。水和泥沙调节产生的人工驱油通过人工驱油在短时间内将水库和河道中的大量微量塑料运至河口和近海地区。