Papers

Exploration of interaction mechanism and removal performance of polystyrene nanoplastics with covalent organic framework: Experimental and theoretical study

Researchers synthesized a covalent organic framework (COF) material and demonstrated it can remove polystyrene nanoplastics from water with 99% efficiency within two hours, driven primarily by electrostatic attraction, and retains strong performance across multiple regeneration cycles.

Response of wastewater treatment performance and bacterial community to original and aged polyvinyl chloride microplastics in sequencing batch reactors

This study found that PVC microplastics, both fresh and aged, severely harmed wastewater treatment processes by reducing the removal of harmful chemicals like ammonia and organic pollutants. The microplastics shifted the bacterial communities in the treatment system, reducing helpful nitrogen-removing bacteria while promoting other types. This means microplastic contamination of wastewater plants could lead to poorer water treatment quality, allowing more pollutants to reach rivers and drinking water sources.

Microplastics contamination in food and beverages: Direct exposure to humans

This review analyzed 108 studies on microplastic contamination in food and beverages, finding that humans are exposed through seafood, salt, drinking water, bottled water, and packaged foods. Bottled water showed particularly wide-ranging contamination levels of up to 6,292 particles per liter. The study concludes that dietary ingestion of microplastics is a significant and unavoidable exposure route that warrants further investigation.

Toxic effects of tire wear particles and the leachate on the Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis)

Researchers exposed Chinese mitten crabs to tire wear particles (TWPs) and their leachate, finding that while TWPs accumulated in liver, gill, and gut tissues, toxicity was sublethal — disrupting antioxidant defenses and energy metabolism at higher doses — and that TWPs and their leachate act through partially distinct molecular mechanisms.

Developmental toxicity and potential mechanisms exposed to polystyrene microplastics and polybrominated diphenyl ethers during early life stages of fat greenling (Hexagrammos otakii)

This study exposed developing fat greenling fish to polystyrene microplastics combined with a flame retardant chemical (BDE-47) and found that the microplastics increased the toxic effects of the chemical. The combined exposure caused greater developmental abnormalities, heart problems, and gene disruption than either pollutant alone. This is important because microplastics in the ocean commonly carry flame retardants and other industrial chemicals, potentially amplifying their harm to marine life and the seafood humans consume.

Adsorption mechanism of cefradine on three microplastics: A combined molecular dynamics simulation and density functional theory calculation study

Using computer simulations, researchers studied how the antibiotic cefradine attaches to three common types of microplastics (polyamide, polyethylene, and polypropylene). Hydrogen bonding was the main force driving antibiotic attachment to polyamide, while weaker forces dominated for the other plastics. This helps explain how microplastics can carry antibiotics through water environments, potentially contributing to antibiotic resistance that threatens human health.

Impact of polyethylene terephthalate microfibers on histopathological and molecular responses induced by cadmium in the polychaete Perinereis aibuhitensis

Researchers examined how polyester microfibers interact with cadmium toxicity in a marine worm species over 28 days. They found that the microfibers alone caused intestinal inflammation, and when combined with low levels of cadmium, significantly worsened the damage. The study suggests that microplastics in marine sediments can amplify the harmful effects of heavy metals on bottom-dwelling organisms.

Effects of long-term exposure to tire wear particle leachate on life-cycle chronic toxicity and potential toxic mechanisms in the marine copepod Tigriopus japonicus

Researchers studied the long-term effects of tire wear particle chemicals on marine copepods across multiple generations and found severe impacts on survival, reproduction, and sex ratios. At the highest exposure level, no animals survived to the second generation, and females nearly disappeared from the population. The findings highlight that tire wear particles, a major source of microplastic pollution in coastal waters, can cause devastating multigenerational harm to marine organisms even through chemical leaching alone.

Multi-Omics Platforms Reveal Synergistic Intestinal Toxicity in Tilapia from Acute Co-Exposure to Polystyrene Microplastics, Sulfamethoxazole, and BDE153

Researchers exposed tilapia to polystyrene microplastics combined with an antibiotic and a flame retardant to study their combined effects on gut health. Using multiple analytical methods, they found that the pollutant mixtures caused significant intestinal damage, including reduced immune activity, disrupted lipid metabolism, and decreased goblet cell density. The study suggests that microplastics and co-occurring contaminants can work together to amplify harmful effects on fish digestive systems.

Distinct responses of Caenorhabditis elegans to polyethylene microplastics and plant secondary metabolites

Researchers studied how polyethylene microplastics and plant-derived chemical compounds individually and together affect the roundworm C. elegans, a common soil organism. They found that while the plant compounds reduced worm reproduction and lifespan, microplastics had milder individual effects but modified the toxicity of the plant chemicals when combined. The study reveals that in real soil environments, the interactions between microplastics and natural plant chemicals create complex toxicity patterns.

Effects of environmental microplastic exposure on Chlorella sp. biofilm characteristics and its interaction with nitric oxide signaling

Researchers examined how environmental microplastic exposure affects the formation of algae biofilms and their interaction with nitric oxide signaling. They found that microplastics disrupted biofilm development and altered the way algae cells communicate through chemical signals. The study suggests that microplastic pollution could impair the natural ability of algae to form protective communities used in wastewater treatment applications.

The uptake and elimination of polystyrene microplastics by the brine shrimp, Artemia parthenogenetica, and its impact on its feeding behavior and intestinal histology

Researchers studied the uptake, elimination, and intestinal effects of polystyrene microplastics on brine shrimp larvae. They found that the larvae ingested microplastics at rates dependent on concentration, exposure time, and food availability, and that the particles caused intestinal damage. The study demonstrates that microplastic contamination can harm the health and feeding behavior of zooplankton larvae, which are critical components of marine food webs.

Nanoplastics affect the growth of sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus intermedius) and damage gut health

Researchers exposed sea urchins to nanoplastics at two concentrations for 28 days and found significant reductions in growth rates and digestive enzyme activity. The nanoplastics caused visible damage to intestinal tissue and altered gut bacterial community composition, with several bacterial groups appearing exclusively in exposed animals. The study suggests that nanoplastic exposure can harm marine invertebrates by disrupting both digestive function and gut microbial balance.

Ingestion, egestion and post-exposure effects of polystyrene microspheres on marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma)

Researchers studied how marine medaka fish ingest, accumulate, and egest polystyrene microspheres, finding that both larvae and adults readily consumed the particles during a 48-hour exposure. While fish cleared most particles within a day of recovery, some remained in their digestive tracts after a full week. Notably, larvae exposed to microplastics for just 14 days showed significant long-term effects on survival, growth, and reproduction over the following 120 days, suggesting lasting legacy effects from early microplastic exposure.

Nanoplastics exposure simplifies the network structure of sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus) gut microbiota and improves cluster randomness

Researchers exposed sea cucumbers to nanoplastics and found that the particles significantly reduced the diversity and stability of their gut bacteria, shifting the microbial community toward potentially harmful species. The good news is that after 35 days in clean water, the gut microbiome largely recovered to its pre-exposure state. The study reveals that while nanoplastic exposure disrupts the gut health of marine animals, some recovery is possible once the exposure stops.

Microplastic characteristics in organisms of different trophic levels from Liaohe Estuary, China

Researchers collected organisms from multiple trophic levels at Liaohe Estuary, China, and measured microplastic ingestion across primary consumers, secondary consumers, and top predators, finding that MP abundance did not increase consistently with trophic level, suggesting complex feeding and depuration dynamics.

Application of Reproductive Toxicity Caused by Endocrine Disruptors in Rotifers: A Review

This review synthesizes research on how endocrine-disrupting chemicals, including microplastics, affect reproduction in rotifers, which are critical organisms in aquatic food webs. The study found that microplastics can cause transgenerational reproductive delays in rotifers, and that oxidative stress is a common toxicity mechanism, with combined pollutant exposures producing context-dependent synergistic or antagonistic effects on these organisms.

An overview of microplastics in oysters: Analysis, hazards, and depuration

This review summarized microplastic analysis methods, hazards, and depuration strategies in oysters, highlighting that microplastics serve as carriers for contaminants and that depuration periods can significantly reduce microplastic loads in oyster tissues.

Bibliometrics and visualization analysis of research in the field of sustainable development of the blue economy (2006–2021)

This bibliometric analysis of blue economy sustainable development research from 2006-2021 identified four major research themes and found that most research is conducted independently with limited inter-institutional collaboration.

Toxic effects of nitrite and microplastics stress on histology, oxidative stress, and metabolic function in the gills of Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei

The gut microbial of sea urchin ( <i>Strongylocentrotus intermedius</i> ) under different temperatures: Microbial structure and co-occurrence patterns

Researchers exposed sea urchins to five temperatures ranging from 13 to 25°C and used high-throughput sequencing to show that elevated temperatures increase gut bacterial diversity, shift dominant genera, alter key metabolic pathways, and strengthen deterministic assembly processes, providing mechanistic insight into how warming reshapes invertebrate gut microbiomes.

The Effects of Short-Term Exposure to pH Reduction on the Behavioral and Physiological Parameters of Juvenile Black Rockfish (Sebastes schlegelii)

Researchers found that short-term exposure to reduced pH levels significantly altered the swimming behavior, metabolic rate, and stress physiology of juvenile black rockfish, highlighting the vulnerability of coastal fish to ongoing ocean acidification.

Atmospheric Deposition of Multi-Class Substances into the Ocean: Synthesis of Fluxes, Seasonal Spatial Patterns and Ecological Risks

Scientists reviewed existing research and found that air pollution from land—including nutrients, metals, microplastics, and other chemicals—is constantly falling into oceans worldwide, with the heaviest contamination near populated coastlines. While the overall health risks to marine life appear low in most areas, pollution hotspots exist near regions with lots of human activity, and contamination reaches even remote ocean areas. This matters because these pollutants can work their way up the food chain and potentially affect the seafood we eat.

Metagenomics reveals combined effects of microplastics and antibiotics on microbial community structure and function in coastal sediments

A metagenomic study of coastal sediments exposed to combined microplastic and antibiotic pollution found that co-exposure altered microbial community composition and significantly elevated the abundance and diversity of antibiotic resistance genes compared to either pollutant alone.