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Papers
89 resultsShowing papers from University of Koblenz and Landau
ClearThe recovery of European freshwater biodiversity has come to a halt
Researchers analyzed 1,816 freshwater invertebrate community datasets from 22 European countries spanning 1968 to 2020, finding that biodiversity recovered steadily through the 1990s and 2000s thanks to water quality improvements, but has largely plateaued since the 2010s. Emerging threats including climate warming, emerging pollutants like microplastics, and invasive species are now offsetting earlier conservation gains, signaling that stronger protections are urgently needed.
People need freshwater biodiversity
This paper catalogs nine essential services that freshwater biodiversity provides to people, from food and clean water to climate regulation and cultural value. While not directly about microplastics, freshwater ecosystems are increasingly threatened by microplastic pollution, which can harm the aquatic organisms that provide these critical benefits to human communities.
Vertical distribution of microplastics in an agricultural soil after long-term treatment with sewage sludge and mineral fertiliser
After 24 years of use, researchers found that sewage sludge applied as fertilizer deposited significantly more microplastics in farm soil than mineral fertilizer, with substantial amounts migrating deeper than the plow layer -- down to 70 cm. Textile-related plastic fibers were especially common in sludge-treated soil, and smaller fragments moved deeper over time. This shows that decades of applying treated sewage to farmland creates lasting microplastic contamination throughout the soil profile.
Microplastics in terrestrial ecosystems: Moving beyond the state of the art to minimize the risk of ecological surprise
This review highlights that microplastic pollution in terrestrial ecosystems, particularly soils, is significantly understudied compared to marine and freshwater environments. Researchers warn that the persistence, complex environmental interactions, and ability of microplastics to carry other contaminants could lead to unexpected ecological consequences in soil systems. The study calls for more research at larger scales and with realistic environmental conditions to better predict and prevent ecological surprises.
Microplastics in freshwaters: Comparing effects of particle properties and an invertebrate consumer on microbial communities and ecosystem functions
Researchers tested how different microplastic properties, including concentration, shape, and polymer type, affect microbial communities and ecosystem functions in freshwater environments. They found that the presence of an invertebrate consumer had a stronger influence on microbial activity than the microplastics themselves, though high concentrations of certain particle shapes did alter community composition. The study suggests that the ecological effects of microplastics in freshwater depend heavily on the broader biological context.
Polyacrylic acid-based nanoplastics used in cosmetics: a study of biodegradability and effects on heterotrophic and nitrifying microorganisms in the activated sludge
Researchers tested nanoplastics made from polyacrylic acid, commonly used in cosmetics, to see how they affect the microorganisms that treat wastewater in sewage plants. They found that at high concentrations, these nanoplastics initially inhibited the activity of both nutrient-removing and organic-matter-processing bacteria, though the effect decreased over time. Importantly, the nanoplastics were found to be non-biodegradable in all tests, raising concerns about their long-term accumulation in the environment.
Superabsorbent polymers in soil: The new microplastics?
This review examines whether superabsorbent polymers used in agriculture, personal care products, and construction could become a new form of microplastic pollution in soil. Researchers found that weathering may transform these polymers into solid plastic-like residues over time, though the specific conditions driving this transformation are not yet well understood. The study suggests more research is needed to determine the long-term environmental fate of these widely used materials.
A critical review of the overlooked challenge of determining micro-bioplastics in soil
This review addresses the overlooked challenge of detecting and measuring micro-bioplastics, which are microplastic fragments derived from biodegradable plastics like polylactic acid and polyhydroxybutyrate. Researchers found that because biodegradable plastics rarely encounter the specific conditions needed for complete decomposition in natural environments, they may paradoxically generate microplastics even faster than conventional plastics. The study concludes that new analytical methods, particularly thermoanalytical approaches, are urgently needed to assess the environmental fate and toxicity of these increasingly common materials.
Interactions between titanium dioxide nanoparticles and polyethylene microplastics: Adsorption kinetics, photocatalytic properties, and ecotoxicity
This study investigated how titanium dioxide nanoparticles interact with polyethylene microplastics in water and what the combined effects are on water fleas (Daphnia magna). Researchers found that the nanoparticles rapidly attached to microplastic surfaces and retained their ability to break down pollutants under UV light. The combination of these two common pollutants affected the mobility and behavior of the water fleas, suggesting that interactions between different types of pollution may create unexpected environmental risks.
Assessing the current state of plastic pollution research in Antarctica: Knowledge gaps and recommendations
This review assessed the current state of research on plastic pollution in Antarctica, one of the most remote regions on Earth. Researchers found that despite its isolation, plastic contamination has been detected across Antarctic environments and wildlife, though significant knowledge gaps remain. The study recommends standardized sampling methods and more comprehensive monitoring to better understand the true extent of plastic pollution in Antarctic ecosystems.
Microplastic Spectral Classification Needs an Open Source Community: Open Specy to the Rescue!
Researchers developed Open Specy, a free, open-source tool for spectral classification of microplastics using Raman and infrared spectroscopy. The platform addresses a critical gap in microplastic research by providing accurate, cost-free identification tools and a community-shared spectral library that better represents the diversity of environmental microplastic pollutants.
Impact of polyacrylic acid as soil amendment on soil microbial activity under different moisture regimes
Researchers examined how polyacrylic acid, a synthetic superabsorbent polymer used as a soil amendment, affects soil microbial activity under different moisture conditions. The study found that high concentrations suppressed microbial respiration in sandy soil, while in loam soil the effects were more variable and influenced by drying-rewetting cycles, highlighting concerns about synthetic polymers altering soil ecosystems.
Monitoring of biofilm development and physico-chemical changes of floating microplastics at the air-water interface
Researchers monitored biofilm development on floating polyethylene microplastics and found that biofilm growth increased particle density, metal adsorption capacity (52% higher for lead), and surface cracking, but did not cause the particles to sink even after 12 weeks.
Development of an Inexpensive and Comparable Microplastic Detection Method Using Fluorescent Staining with Novel Nile Red Derivatives
Researchers developed an inexpensive fluorescent staining method using novel Nile Red derivatives for microplastic detection, validating it by measuring microplastics in German wastewater treatment plant effluent over one year with improved precision and selectivity.
Comparing effects of microplastic exposure, FPOM resource quality, and consumer density on the response of a freshwater particle feeder and associated ecosystem processes
Researchers found that realistic microplastic concentrations had minimal direct effects on freshwater particle feeders compared to the much stronger influences of food resource quality and consumer density on growth, survival, and ecosystem processes in stream microcosms.
Microplastic load and polymer type composition in European rocky intertidal snails: Consistency across locations, wave exposure and years
Researchers examined microplastic loads in rocky intertidal snails across four European locations, finding consistent polymer type compositions and ingestion patterns regardless of geographic location, wave exposure, or sampling year.
Technological Solutions for Water Sustainability: Challenges and Prospects
This book provides an overview of sustainable water management technologies for the Global South, with a focus on India. It covers new materials for water purification including nanocomposites for removing contaminants, low-cost sensor technologies for monitoring water quality, and strategies for urban water infrastructure management. The study suggests that integrated approaches combining advanced materials, new treatment technologies, and improved infrastructure planning are needed to address water sustainability challenges.
Freshwater insects of different feeding guilds ingest microplastics in two Gulf of Guinea tributaries in Nigeria
Scientists collected freshwater insects from two Nigerian tributaries of the Gulf of Guinea and found microplastics ingested across different feeding guilds, providing rare baseline data on microplastic contamination of African freshwater ecosystems.
Adaptable Process Design as a Key for Sustainability Upgrades in Wastewater Treatment: Comparative Study on the Removal of Micropollutants by Advanced Oxidation and Granular Activated Carbon Processing at a German Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant
Researchers compared advanced oxidation (UV + H2O2) and granular activated carbon for micropollutant removal in wastewater, finding that advanced oxidation achieved up to 97% removal with greater process flexibility and lower resource consumption.
Terrestrial ecotoxicity of plastics: Effect factors for life cycle impact assessment
Scientists studied how plastic pollution in soil harms plants and small animals to create a scoring system that measures environmental damage. They found that tiny plastic particles smaller than 1 micrometer are about 7 times more toxic to soil life than larger plastic pieces. This research helps us better understand how plastic waste in our environment affects the ecosystems that support food production and other services we depend on.
Plastic mulching in agriculture. Trading short-term agronomic benefits for long-term soil degradation?
This study examined plastic mulch use in agriculture, arguing that short-term crop benefits come with long-term costs as mulch fragments accumulate in soil as microplastics and disrupt soil structure, biology, and water dynamics.
Chemical Mixtures and Multiple Stressors: Same but Different?
This review highlights the parallels between chemical mixture research and multiple stressor ecology, arguing that both fields face similar challenges in predicting joint effects and would benefit from integrated frameworks combining chemical and non-chemical stressor assessments.
Occurrence and Distribution of Microplastics in Soils and Intertidal Sediments at Fildes Bay, Maritime Antarctica
Researchers found microplastic contamination in soils and intertidal sediments at Fildes Bay in Maritime Antarctica, with higher concentrations near research stations, demonstrating that even remote polar environments are affected by microplastic pollution.
Aquatic Biofilms—Sink or Source of Microplastics? A Critical Reflection on Current Knowledge
This review critically assessed the relationship between aquatic biofilms and microplastics, examining how biofilms colonize plastic surfaces and may serve as both sinks and sources of microplastics in aquatic ecosystems.