Papers

Microbial decomposition of biodegradable plastics on the deep-sea floor

Researchers demonstrated that microbes on the deep-sea floor can decompose certain biodegradable plastics, even at depths greater than 5,000 meters and near-freezing temperatures. However, not all biodegradable plastics broke down equally, with PLA (a common biodegradable plastic) showing no degradation at any site. This means that while some biodegradable alternatives do break down in the deep ocean, others persist just like conventional plastics.

The Toxicity of Microplastics Explorer (ToMEx) 2.0

This paper describes an update to the Toxicity of Microplastics Explorer (ToMEx), a public database of microplastic toxicity studies used by researchers worldwide for risk assessment. The updated database roughly doubled in size, yet key trends held steady: smaller particles tend to be more toxic, and there is still a lack of dose-response data needed to set safe exposure limits. This tool is important because it helps scientists and regulators determine what levels of microplastic contamination might actually harm human health and ecosystems.

Comprehensive Transcriptome Profiling of Antioxidant Activities by Glutathione in Human HepG2 Cells

Researchers used DNA microarray analysis to map the full range of genes activated by the antioxidant glutathione in human liver cells under both normal and stressed conditions. They found that glutathione activates protective antioxidant pathways, including the NRF2 system, and regulates a broad set of biological processes beyond its known role. The study provides a comprehensive molecular picture of how glutathione supports liver cell defense against oxidative damage.

Effect of solution pH on nanoplastic adsorption onto soil particle surface and the aggregation of soil particles

Researchers tested how soil pH affects polystyrene nanoplastic adsorption onto soil particles, finding that the nanoplastics' strongly negative surface charge prevented self-aggregation across all pH levels but that they readily adsorbed onto soil particles with high surface area and positive charge — with adsorption altering the soil particles' own aggregation behavior in ways that will influence nanoplastic mobility through soil.

A novel and simple method for measuring nano/microplastic concentrations in soil using UV-Vis spectroscopy with optimal wavelength selection

Researchers developed a simple UV-Vis spectroscopy method for measuring nano- and microplastic concentrations in soil, using optimized wavelength combinations to account for interference from soil particles. The study demonstrated a linear relationship between spectroscopic measurements and actual plastic concentrations, offering a potentially practical tool for monitoring plastic contamination across different soil types.

Estimating species sensitivity distributions for microplastics by quantitatively considering particle characteristics using a recently created ecotoxicity database

Researchers estimated species sensitivity distributions for microplastics using Bayesian modeling that accounts for particle characteristics such as size, shape, and polymer type. The study suggests that quantitatively considering these microplastic properties yields more accurate environmental risk assessments than traditional approaches that treat all microplastics as equivalent.

Replacing human judgment in fluorescence-based microplastic detection with machine learning: toward harmonization with spectroscopic methods

Researchers developed a machine learning application called NRmachine to replace subjective human judgment in fluorescence-based microplastic detection. The study found that the optimal ML model achieved detection probability of 50% for 40-micrometer particles and 90% for 100-micrometer particles, with accuracy comparable to established FTIR spectroscopy methods.

Bayesian species sensitivity distribution modeling for microplastic particles: integrating particle characteristics and intra-species variation

Researchers applied hierarchical Bayesian modeling to develop species sensitivity distributions for microplastics, incorporating particle size, shape, and censored effect data across up to 33 species, finding that smaller particles and fiber shapes are associated with lower chronic no-effect concentrations and estimating hazardous concentrations spanning several orders of magnitude.

Beppu Bay, Japan, as a candidate Global boundary Stratotype Section and Point for the Anthropocene series

Researchers evaluated Beppu Bay sediments as a candidate Global boundary Stratotype Section for the Anthropocene, finding unprecedented increases in 99 anthropogenic proxies above a 1953 flood layer, including microplastics, radionuclides, and industrial pollutants.

Illustrating a Species Sensitivity Distribution for Nano- and Microplastic Particles Using Bayesian Hierarchical Modeling

Researchers developed a Bayesian hierarchical model to construct species sensitivity distributions for nano- and microplastic particles, deriving hazardous concentration thresholds to support environmental risk assessment of plastic pollution.

Toward Sustainable Environmental Quality: Priority Research Questions for Asia

A horizon-scanning exercise identified 23 priority research questions for environmental health in Asia, covering air pollution, water quality, microplastics, chemical contaminants, and ecosystem degradation, reflecting the region's unique scale and diversity of environmental challenges.

Biodegradable Properties of PET Analogous Furan‐Based Polyesters in the Seas

Researchers tested whether polyethylene furanoate (PEF), a bio-based alternative to PET, biodegrades in marine environments using seawater from Osaka Bay. Laboratory BOD tests confirmed that PEF is marine biodegradable, suggesting it could reduce persistent plastic pollution compared to conventional PET.

Concentrations and characteristics of microplastic particles collected by neuston net or pump system in the surface layer of Tokyo Bay

Researchers compared microplastic concentrations, size distributions, shapes, and polymer compositions in Tokyo Bay surface waters collected simultaneously by neuston net and pump system. The pump system captured a much broader range of MPs—especially small and fibrous particles—at higher concentrations than the net, revealing that sampling method choice fundamentally shapes reported MP data.

Time-resolved fragmentation pathways of expanded polystyrene microplastics: Intrinsic pathway modulated by sand morphology and degradation state

Researchers used pot-mill experiments to study how expanded polystyrene (EPS) fragments over time (6-240 hours), varying beach vs. river sand morphology and virgin vs. degraded starting material. Two dominant fragment size classes emerged at distinct time points, with sand morphology and prior degradation state strongly influencing fragmentation pathways.

Toward all-dislocation-ceramics for high ionic conductivity produced by dry pressing at relatively low temperatures with and without ultrasound

Researchers used numerical simulations to study whether all-dislocation ceramics for solid electrolytes could be produced by dry pressing at relatively low temperatures. The simulations explored how mobile and immobile dislocation evolution under applied pressure could yield ceramics with high ionic conductivity.

Material identification and imaging of microplastics when dispersed in water using near-infrared light toward combination with a flow cell

Researchers developed a near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy method for identifying and imaging microplastics in water without requiring drying, testing it on polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, and polymethyl methacrylate particles. The method was designed to integrate with a flow cell for continuous measurement, enabling real-time microplastic identification in water samples.

A 75-year history of microplastic fragment accumulation rates in a semi-enclosed hypoxic basin

A sediment core from a semi-enclosed hypoxic basin revealed a 75-year record of increasing microplastic fragment accumulation rates, with the pace accelerating in line with global plastic production growth. The study also found that biological activity and ocean dynamics influenced microplastic sinking and deposition patterns.

Particle size Measurement and Detection of Bound Proteins of non-Porous/Mesoporous Silica Microspheres by Single-Particle Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

Researchers applied single-particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to measure the size of non-porous and mesoporous silica microspheres and detect proteins bound to their surfaces. The study extended the technique beyond nanoparticles and carbon-based particles to characterize silica microspheres relevant to pharmaceutical and environmental applications.

Effects of particle size on marine biodegradation of poly(l-lactic acid) and poly(ε-caprolactone)

Distribution and accumulation patterns of tire-derived particles in coastal and lake sediments

Tire and road wear particles (TRWP) — tiny fragments shed every time a vehicle brakes or turns — are among the largest sources of microplastics globally, and this study found them in sediments across 32 of 36 sampling sites in Japanese lakes and coastal waters. Critically, at 30 of those 36 sites, concentrations exceeded levels considered safe for aquatic ecosystems, suggesting widespread ecological risk. The research also found that TRWP tend to travel with fine soil particles and organic matter, offering clues about how these pollutants disperse through river systems and settle in aquatic environments.

Highly efficient Nile red staining for the rapid quantification of microplastic number concentrations using flow cytometry

Scientists developed an improved method for staining microplastics with a fluorescent dye (Nile red) that embeds the dye inside the plastic particles rather than just coating the surface, resulting in much brighter and more reliable detection. Combined with high-speed flow cytometry, the technique can rapidly count microplastic particles smaller than 10 µm in environmental water samples with recovery rates above 99%. Faster and more accurate counting methods like this are important for scaling up microplastic monitoring across many water sources.

Empirical evaluation of the strength and deformation characteristics of natural and synthetic gas hydrate-bearing sediments with different ranges of porosity, hydrate saturation, effective stress, and strain rate

Not relevant to microplastics — this paper evaluates the mechanical strength and deformation of gas hydrate-bearing deep-sea sediments, relevant to methane extraction and the global carbon cycle but not to plastic pollution.

Highly Scalable, Wearable Surface‐Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

Researchers developed highly scalable wearable surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) sensors capable of detecting molecular-level chemical information from the skin, advancing the field of non-invasive chemical sensing with potential applications in environmental exposure monitoring.

Trends and Advances in Inductively Coupled Plasma Tandem Quadruple Mass Spectrometry (ICP-QMS/QMS) With Reaction Cell

This review summarized advances in inductively coupled plasma tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry (ICP-QMS/QMS) from 2018-2021, highlighting its expanding applications in environmental, food, biological, and material sciences including single-particle analysis of nanoplastics and trace element speciation.