We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Papers
58 resultsShowing papers from Beihang University
ClearSystematic Review of Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs): Distribution, Risks, and Implications for Water Quality and Health
This systematic review summarizes research on contaminants of emerging concern, including microplastics, pharmaceuticals, and industrial chemicals found in water sources. The findings highlight that these pollutants pose real risks to both ecosystems and human health, and that current water treatment methods may not fully remove them.
Seasonal Variations in Water Quality and Microplastic Contamination in the Surma River, Bangladesh: Implications for Aquatic Health and Human Safety
This study measured water quality and microplastic levels across three seasons in Bangladesh's Surma River, finding fiber-shaped microplastics as the most common type (55% of particles). The contamination poses a dual threat: microplastics accumulate in fish consumed by local communities, and seasonal flooding spreads the pollution further, increasing risks to both aquatic ecosystems and human food safety.
Microplastic distribution and its implications for human health through marine environments
This review summarizes recent research on how microplastics spread through the ocean and enter the human body through seafood, inhaled air, and skin contact. Studies show these tiny particles can cause inflammation, organ damage, breathing problems, and metabolic disruptions, highlighting the health risks of microplastic contamination in marine food sources.
Insights into human exposure to microplastics through drinking water: Current state of the science
This review analyzed 66 studies on microplastics in drinking water from 2018 to 2023 and found that tap water actually contained more microplastics on average (about 62 particles per liter) than bottled water (about 38 particles per liter). Most particles were small fragments and fibers made of common plastics like PET, polyethylene, and polypropylene. The researchers estimate that people ingest roughly 175 microplastic particles per day just from drinking water alone.
Application of Machine Learning in Nanotoxicology: A Critical Review and Perspective
This review evaluates how machine learning and artificial intelligence are being used to predict the toxic effects of nanomaterials, including nanoplastics, on human health and the environment. These computational tools can help screen thousands of materials for potential hazards much faster than traditional lab experiments, though the authors note that better data quality and standardized methods are still needed.
Microplastics sequestered in the soil affect the turnover and stability of soil aggregates: A review
This review examines how microplastics trapped in soil affect the structure and stability of soil clumps (aggregates) that are essential for healthy farming. Microplastics create weak points in soil structure and alter its physical and chemical properties, which can reduce soil's ability to hold water and support plant growth. Since healthy soil aggregates are the foundation of productive farmland, microplastic contamination could threaten food production over the long term.
Remote sensing and its applications using GNSS reflected signals: advances and prospects
Researchers reviewed how GPS and satellite navigation signals reflected off Earth's surface (GNSS-Reflectometry) can measure ocean conditions, soil moisture, ice thickness, and other environmental variables — and highlighted emerging uses including detecting microplastics on the ocean surface from space.
Perspectives on the Toxic Effects of Micro- and Nanoplastics on the Environment: A Bibliometric Analysis of the 2014 to 2023 Period
This bibliometric analysis mapped out a decade of research on the toxic effects of micro and nanoplastics, identifying key trends and knowledge gaps from 2014 to 2023. The field has grown rapidly, with studies increasingly focusing on how these tiny particles affect human health through oxidative stress, inflammation, and gut disruption. The review highlights that while environmental contamination is well documented, understanding of direct human health impacts is still developing.
Utilization of cotton byproduct-derived biochar: a review on soil remediation and carbon sequestration
This review examines how biochar made from cotton plant byproducts can be used to improve soil health and capture carbon dioxide. While not directly about microplastics, biochar has been shown in other studies to bind microplastics and reduce their mobility in soil. The use of agricultural waste-derived biochar for soil remediation could offer a dual benefit of improving crop productivity while helping to immobilize microplastic contaminants in farmland.
Snowballing Impact of Spontaneously Degrading Microplastics on Atmospheric Ice Nucleation
Researchers demonstrated that as microplastics degrade in the environment, they become increasingly effective at promoting ice formation in the atmosphere, which could alter precipitation patterns. The degradation process creates smaller particles with surface features that significantly boost ice-nucleating activity. The study suggests that the growing presence of degrading microplastics in the atmosphere may have underappreciated effects on weather and climate.
A critical review on the biological impact of natural organic matter on nanomaterials in the aquatic environment
This review examines how natural organic matter in aquatic environments forms an ecological corona on the surface of nanomaterials, influencing their behavior, toxicity, and environmental fate. Researchers found that eco-corona formation can either increase or decrease the hazards posed by nanomaterials to aquatic organisms, making it a critical factor for environmental risk assessment.
Low-temperature anode-free potassium metal batteries
Researchers developed a potassium metal battery that works without a traditional anode and can operate at extremely cold temperatures down to -40°C by using a special silicon-based electrolyte additive. This design achieves high energy efficiency and stable performance, which could advance battery technology for cold-climate applications.
Sources, Risks, and Remediation Technologies of Pollutants in Aquatic Environments
This editorial introduces a special issue focused on pollutants in aquatic environments, covering their sources, ecological risks, and cleanup technologies. The collection addresses contamination from industrial wastewater, agricultural runoff, and urban sewage, including emerging pollutants like microplastics. The work highlights the need for continued research into effective remediation strategies to protect water quality and aquatic ecosystems.
Characteristics and Migration Dynamics of Microplastics in Agricultural Soils
This review summarizes 30 years of research on microplastic pollution in agricultural soils, covering how these particles enter farmland through mulch films, irrigation water, and atmospheric deposition. Researchers found that microplastics can alter soil structure, affect microbial communities, and influence crop growth in various ways. The study highlights the need for standardized methods to measure and manage microplastic contamination in farming systems.
Multilayered hollow transition metal nitride spheres made from single-source precursors for SERS analytics
Researchers developed a new synthesis method for creating multilayered hollow transition metal nitride spheres with high surface area, which can be used for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy applications. The molybdenum nitride hollow spheres demonstrated enhanced Raman activity useful for trace detection of polychlorophenol and microplastics. The study offers a potential advancement in analytical tools for identifying microplastic contamination at very low concentrations.
Challenges in assessing ecological and health risks of microplastics and nanoplastics: tracking their dynamics in living organisms
Researchers proposed a new method for tracking micro- and nanoplastics in living organisms using fluorescent monomers built directly into the plastic particles during synthesis. Current detection methods require destructive sampling and only provide static snapshots, missing the real-time movement of particles through biological systems. This fluorescent monomer approach is designed to enable continuous, stable imaging of plastic particles as they move through complex biological environments.
Ultrastable long-term tracking and quantification of nanoplastics in complex environmental matrices
Researchers developed a europium-based tracer system for long-term tracking and quantification of nanoplastics in water, sediment, and organisms. The method demonstrated high stability over 28 days and enabled detection at concentrations as low as 0.5 micrograms per liter, revealing that over 95 percent of nanoplastic particles settled into sediment within 10 days in experimental conditions.
Removal of Ciprofloxacin from Wastewater by Ultrasound/Electric Field/Sodium Persulfate (US/E/PS)
Researchers developed an ultrasound-enhanced electro-activated persulfate system for removing the antibiotic ciprofloxacin from wastewater, achieving effective degradation through combined oxidation processes involving sulfate and hydroxyl radicals.
Environmental Behaviors, Ecological Risks, and Toxic Mechanisms of Emerging and Legacy Contaminants in China: From Distribution to Management
Researchers reviewed the environmental distribution, ecological risks, and toxic mechanisms of both emerging and legacy contaminants in China's aquatic environments, examining how industrialization and urbanization drive the co-occurrence and combined pollution that threatens ecosystem integrity and human health.
Oligomer self assembly is a major source of nanoplastic release from household plastic cutting boards
Researchers found that a 10-minute chopping session on plastic cutting boards released thousands of microplastics and tens of millions of nanoparticles, with one month of light aging increasing nanoparticle release by up to 963%. Chemical analysis revealed that a majority of these nanoparticles formed through oligomer self-assembly rather than mechanical fragmentation alone, a previously overlooked mechanism. The study identified a global exposure peak in 2021 driven by increased home cooking during the pandemic, with the Americas showing the highest exposure levels.
Atmospheric deposition of microplastics in a rural region of North China Plain
Researchers investigated atmospheric microplastic deposition in a rural area of the North China Plain, finding significant quantities of microplastics deposited through both dry and wet pathways, with fibers and polyethylene being the dominant types.
Progress and Prospects of Microplastic Biodegradation Processes and Mechanisms: A Bibliometric Analysis
This bibliometric analysis maps the research landscape of microplastic biodegradation from 2012 to 2022, revealing a sharp increase in publications peaking around 2020-2021. Researchers identified key institutions and summarized the main biodegradation processes, including microbial degradation, photodegradation, and thermo-oxidative degradation of various plastic types. The study highlights that while biological approaches to breaking down microplastics show promise, significant gaps remain in understanding the complete degradation mechanisms.
Impact of Indoor Air Pollution in Pakistan—Causes and Management
This review analyzed indoor air pollution sources and health impacts in Pakistan, identifying household energy use, tobacco smoke, and building materials as key contributors and recommending policy interventions to reduce exposure-related health burdens.
Effect of biodegradable PBAT microplastics on the C and N accumulation of functional organic pools in tropical latosol
Researchers investigated how biodegradable PBAT microplastics affect carbon and nitrogen storage in tropical soil and found that they significantly increased carbon in all major soil organic pools. The largest increase occurred in particulate organic matter, where PBAT debris was incorporated into the soil carbon pool, boosting total carbon by 116-191%. The study suggests that while biodegradable microplastics add carbon to soil, this may create a misleading picture of soil health since the carbon comes from plastic contamination rather than natural organic sources.