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Papers
49 resultsShowing papers from IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute
ClearBiodegradable microplastics: Uptake by and effects on the rockpool shrimp Palaemon elegans (Crustacea: Decapoda)
Researchers fed shrimp three types of microplastics, including two biodegradable kinds (PLA and PHBV) and conventional polyethylene, and found that all types were readily eaten. Surprisingly, the biodegradable microplastics stayed in the shrimp's stomachs longer than the conventional plastic, and all types triggered stress-related enzyme activity. This suggests that biodegradable plastics are not necessarily safer for marine life than conventional plastics once they break down into microplastic-sized particles.
Assessing ecotoxicity of an innovative bio-based mulch film: a multi-environmental and multi-bioassay approach
Researchers assessed the environmental safety of an innovative bio-based mulch film made from polylactic acid using multiple testing approaches across different environments including soil, freshwater, and marine settings. They found that while the material showed good biodegradability, some degradation products caused mild toxic effects on certain test organisms. The study emphasizes the importance of comprehensive environmental testing before assuming that bio-based plastics are entirely safe alternatives to conventional agricultural plastics.
Integrating biodiversity impacts into seafood life cycle assessments: pathways for improvement
This study evaluated methods for measuring how seafood production affects biodiversity and found that current environmental assessments capture only about 20 percent of the relevant impacts on aquatic life. Researchers identified 39 distinct environmental impacts linked to seafood production, 90 percent of which relate to biodiversity loss at the genetic, species, or ecosystem level. The findings highlight major gaps in how the seafood industry's full ecological footprint is measured and call for more comprehensive assessment tools.
Environmental assessment of diets: overview and guidance on indicator choice
Researchers review which environmental indicators — such as greenhouse gas emissions, water use, and land impact — are most useful for assessing how sustainable different diets are, providing guidance for health experts, policymakers, and food industry decision-makers. The authors recommend that diet assessments always include at least five indicator areas including climate change, biodiversity impact, and effects on wild fish stocks to capture the full range of environmental trade-offs.
Degradation of a poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) compound in different environments
Researchers tested how a biodegradable plastic called PHBV breaks down under different environmental conditions, including soil burial, composting, and aquatic settings. They found that degradation rates varied considerably depending on the environment, with composting conditions producing the fastest breakdown. The study confirms that while PHBV is a promising alternative to conventional plastics, its real-world degradation depends heavily on disposal conditions.
Investigation of Removal Efficiency of Microplastics at Different Process Stages of a Wastewater Treatment Plant in the Textile Industry in Southern China
Researchers investigated microplastic removal efficiency at different stages of a textile industry wastewater treatment plant in southern China. Using laser infrared and mass spectrometry techniques, they found that the plant effectively reduced microplastic counts, though some particles still passed through to the effluent. The study highlights that textile manufacturing is a significant source of microplastic pollution and that treatment processes need continued improvement.
Ultrafiltration/Granulated Active Carbon-Biofilter: Efficient Removal of a Broad Range of Micropollutants
A treatment system combining membrane bioreactor ultrafiltration with granulated activated carbon (GAC) biofilter was evaluated for removal of pharmaceutical residues and other micropollutants from wastewater, achieving complete removal of all investigated substances including microplastics. The study identifies this two-stage advanced treatment approach as effective for a broad spectrum of micropollutants currently passing through conventional WWTPs.
A temporal record of microplastic pollution in Mediterranean seagrass soils
Lead-dated sediment cores from Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows along the Spanish Mediterranean coast showed that microplastic accumulation began around the 1950s–1960s and has increased since, with higher concentrations near agricultural plastic greenhouse areas.
Presence of nanoplastics in rural and remote surface waters
Researchers detected nanoplastics in surface waters at two contrasting sites—remote Siberian Arctic tundra and Swedish forests—confirming that nanoplastic contamination extends to rural and remote freshwater environments far from urban pollution sources.
Removal of rubber, bitumen and other microplastic particles from stormwater by a gross pollutant trap - bioretention treatment train
Researchers tested a gross pollutant trap followed by a bioretention cell as a stormwater treatment train in Australia and found it effectively removed over 95% of rubber, bitumen, and other microplastic particles larger than 100 µm, demonstrating the potential of combined treatment systems.
Comparative Description and Analysis of Oyster Aquaculture in Selected Atlantic Regions: Production, Market Dynamics, and Consumption Patterns
This study compares oyster aquaculture across several Atlantic regions, examining differences in production methods, market dynamics, and consumption patterns. Researchers found that oysters represent a promising sustainable food source, though regional variations in farming practices and market conditions significantly influence the industry's economic and environmental outcomes.
Microplastic retention by marine vegetated canopies: Simulations with seagrass meadows in a hydraulic flume
Flume experiments with seagrass canopies of varying density showed that Zostera marina effectively retained microplastics (PP, PS, PA, PET) at flow velocities up to 30 cm/s, with sediment accumulating 1–2 orders of magnitude more particles than the plant structure itself.
Traffic-related microplastic particles, metals, and organic pollutants in an urban area under reconstruction
A study in a Gothenburg urban reconstruction area simultaneously measured microplastics, metals, and organic pollutants in road washwater, sweepsand, and stormwater, finding correlations among pollutant types and highlighting road runoff as a key pathway for co-transport to receiving waters.
Toward sustainable environmental quality: Priority research questions for Europe
A horizon scanning exercise for Asia identified 23 priority research questions needed to advance sustainable environmental quality, covering environmental toxicology, chemistry, biological monitoring, and risk assessment methodologies relevant to the region's unique biodiversity and pollution pressures. The Asian focus highlights how globally identified environmental challenges manifest with distinctive characteristics in high-population, rapidly industrializing contexts.
Summer sea ice melt and wastewater are important local sources of microlitter to Svalbard waters
Scientists sampled waters around Svalbard and found that seasonal melting of sea ice is a significant local source of microplastics, releasing particles accumulated over winter, while untreated wastewater discharge was another important local source in this Arctic environment.
An efficient and gentle enzymatic digestion protocol for the extraction of microplastics from bivalve tissue
A novel tissue digestion protocol using pancreatic enzymes and a pH buffer was developed for extracting microplastics from bivalve tissue, achieving 97.7% tissue removal overnight without damaging four plastic polymers or six textile fiber types as verified by FTIR. The method provides a faster, gentler, and more polymer-compatible alternative to existing chemical digestion protocols for bivalve microplastic analysis.
An Outdoor Aging Study to Investigate the Release of Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) from Functional Textiles
Researchers investigated the release of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances from functional textiles during outdoor weathering in Sydney, finding that PFAS-treated polyamide fabrics release fluorinated compounds into the environment through aging and degradation.
Early-Stage Simplified SSbD Screening of a Removable, PVC-Free Screen-Printing Ink: A Qualitative Life Cycle Perspective
Researchers conducted a qualitative sustainability screening of a water-based, partially bio-based, PVC-free screen-printing ink using the EU Safe and Sustainable by Design framework and LCBROM methodology, finding potential reductions in toxicity and environmental persistence compared to conventional plastisol inks, while identifying trade-offs in material cost, fossil-based ingredient reliance, and durability that require future quantitative life-cycle validation.
Microplastics (MPs) in urban roadside snowbanks: Quantities, size fractions and dynamics of release
Tire wear particles and road wear particles were found to dominate microplastic contamination in urban roadside snowbanks in northern Sweden, with MPs detected across multiple size fractions. The study documented a large pulse of MP release when snowbanks melt in spring, identifying snowmelt as a seasonal point source of microplastics entering urban waterways.
Microplastics in Arctic invertebrates: status on occurrence and recommendations for future monitoring
Researchers used fluorescence microscopy and Raman spectroscopy to characterize microplastics in bottled water from 11 brands sold in China. Concentrations ranged widely across brands, with polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and polystyrene as the most detected polymers.
Marine biomass for a circular blue‐green bioeconomy? A life cycle perspective on closing nitrogen and phosphorus land‐marine loops
A life cycle assessment of seven marine biomass production systems in Sweden found that mariculture of low-trophic species such as kelp, mussels, and ascidians contributed to eutrophication mitigation by removing nutrients from coastal waters and recovered phosphorus from the marine environment, with low energy and carbon footprints suggesting a positive role in a circular blue-green bioeconomy.
Occurrence of tire and bitumen wear microplastics on urban streets and in sweepsand and washwater
Tire tread wear and bitumen particles were the dominant anthropogenic microplastics found on urban roads and in sweeping waste and stormwater in a Norwegian study, with concentrations up to 2,561 particles per liter in road dust samples. Street sweeping removed significant quantities of these particles, and sodium iodide density separation proved effective for their analytical isolation.
Are cosmetics a significant source of PFAS in Europe? product inventories, chemical characterization and emission estimates
Analysis of the European cosmetics ingredient database identified approximately 170 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance structures used in cosmetics in the European Economic Area, providing the first estimate of PFAS emissions from cosmetics use in the region.
Microplastics as a Vector for Exposure to Hydrophobic Organic Chemicals in Fish: A Comparison of Two Polymers and Silica Particles Spiked With Three Model Compounds
Three-spined sticklebacks fed microplastic-contaminated diets showed measurable transfer of hydrophobic chemicals (including an estrogen mimic, a pesticide, and a PAH) from the plastics into fish tissues, though transfer rates were low. The study confirms that ingested microplastics can act as vectors for chemical contaminants in fish, even if the overall exposure remains modest.