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Individual and mixture exposures of polyethylene, polypropylene and polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics to freshwater microbial communities
AI summary
Researchers exposed the sea squirt Ciona intestinalis to fluorescently labeled microplastics, measuring ingestion rates, particle retention times, and egestion in fecal pellets. The filter feeder readily ingested particles across a range of sizes, but most were egested rapidly in fecal strings rather than being retained in tissues.
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The threats of micro- and nanoplastics to aquatic ecosystems and water health
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This review details how micro- and nanoplastics in global water sources indirectly threaten water quality by disrupting carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur biogeochemical cycles, transporting pathogens, and amplifying the persistence and bioavailability of co-occurring contaminants. The analysis calls for advanced water treatment technologies, early warning systems, and integrated regulatory frameworks to protect water security from the cascading effects of microplastic pollution.
Microbes’ and Microplastics’ Interactions in Freshwater Ecosystems: Fate and Implications for Environmental Health
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Researchers review how microorganisms in freshwater ecosystems interact with microplastic debris, exploring how plastic surfaces reshape microbial communities and biogeochemical cycles, and warning that these interactions have broad implications for aquatic ecosystem health and the spread of potentially harmful microbes.
Micro/nanoplastics in Aquatic Ecosystems: An Integrated Review of Occurrence, Toxicological Implications, Case Studies, Methodologies, and Future Recommendations
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This integrated review covers the occurrence, toxicology, and detection of micro- and nanoplastics across freshwater, marine, and estuarine ecosystems, using case studies to illustrate biomagnification through aquatic food webs and the compounding risk from co-occurring chemical contaminants. The review calls for stronger international collaboration and policy frameworks grounded in scientific evidence, recognizing that the pervasive nature of micro- and nanoplastics in aquatic systems poses escalating risks to both ecosystem integrity and human health.
Microplastics in Freshwater Environments: Sources, Fates and Toxicity
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Researchers reviewed the sources, environmental fate, and toxicity of microplastics in freshwater ecosystems, finding that microplastics cause physical injury and histological damage to aquatic organisms and act as vectors amplifying the toxicity of co-occurring chemical pollutants.
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