Papers

Molecular and Cellular Effects of Microplastics and Nanoplastics in the Pathogenesis of Cardiovascular, Nervous, Urinary, Digestive, and Reproductive System Diseases: A Global Systematic Review

This systematic review examines how micro- and nanoplastics cause damage at the cellular level across multiple body systems, including the heart, brain, kidneys, gut, and reproductive organs. The key mechanisms include oxidative stress, inflammation, and disruption of protective barriers in the body, suggesting that ongoing plastic exposure may contribute to a wide range of health problems.

Microplastics in the environment: The role of polymer science

This paper highlights why understanding polymer science is essential for addressing the microplastics problem. Researchers argue that microplastics behave differently from other microparticles because of their unique polymer-specific interactions with the environment and living organisms. The study calls for interdisciplinary collaboration between polymer scientists and environmental researchers to develop better identification methods, risk assessments, and remediation strategies.

Microplastic Exposure for Pinnipeds (Pinnipedia): A Rapid Review

This review summarizes research on microplastic exposure in pinnipeds, including seals, sea lions, and walruses, drawing from 26 published studies. Researchers found that microplastics have been detected in pinniped scat, gastrointestinal tracts, and blubber, with the particles coming from both direct environmental intake and transfer through the food chain. The findings raise concerns about the long-term health effects of microplastic accumulation in these marine mammals, many of which are already under threat from other human-caused pressures.

Evolution of Microplastics Released from Tea Bags into Water

Researchers tested eight types of tea bags to measure how many plastic particles they release into water at different temperatures and brewing times. They found that synthetic polymer bags (nylon and polypropylene) released nanoscale particles that remained stable and resisted enzymatic breakdown, while cellulose-based particles were easily degraded. Despite high particle concentrations, the released particles showed no cytotoxicity in cell tests, likely due to their negative surface charge.

Study on primary microplastics in cosmetics: their isolation, spectral and thermal analysis

Researchers analyzed eight personal care and cosmetic products to isolate and characterize intentionally added microplastics. They found that the standard combination of FTIR and Raman spectroscopy was not always sufficient for accurate detection, and that thermal analysis via DSC proved particularly useful for identifying microplastics when spectroscopic methods fell short.

Recent Insights into Microplastic Pollution and Its Effects on Soil Carbon: A Five-Year Ecosystem Review

This review of 46 studies examines how microplastics influence carbon cycling in different soil ecosystems. The majority of studies reported increased CO2 and methane emissions in soils containing microplastics, though some found opposite or neutral effects depending on soil type and the characteristics of the microplastics, highlighting the need for further research to understand these complex interactions.

Self-Consistent Field Modelling of Microplastic Particle Formation and Adsorption of Macromolecular Pollutants

Researchers applied a self-consistent field modeling approach to simulate microplastic particle formation and pollutant adsorption, finding that softer microplastic particles with broader interfacial layers adsorb greater amounts of polymer pollutants, with adsorption increasing as pollutant concentration in solution rises.

Nanoplastics Alter Lateral and Transverse Distributions of Cholesterol in Model Cell Membranes

Researchers used atomic-scale molecular dynamics simulations to model how nanoplastics alter the lateral and transverse distribution of cholesterol in model cell membranes. Nanoplastic insertion disrupted lipid bilayer organisation, raising concerns that membrane cholesterol redistribution could impair normal cell signalling and membrane function.

Understanding the ecological impacts of biodegradable microplastics

This review synthesizes literature on the ecological impacts of biodegradable microplastics, finding that despite their eco-friendly marketing, most published studies report significant negative effects on plant growth, animal reproduction, microbial diversity, and enrichment of pathogens.

Complexes of cellulose model particles with polycations: composition, properties and cytotoxicity

Researchers used cellulose particles of 200–250 nm as a model for biodegradable microplastics, characterizing their stability in water-salt media and interaction with polycations to establish a reference system for studying the environmental fate of biodegradable plastic alternatives.

Migration of cationic polymer between anionic polymer microspheres

Cationic polymers adsorbed onto anionic polystyrene microspheres in aqueous solution were found to migrate freely between particles over time, resulting in uniform redistribution—demonstrating that polymer-coated microplastics can redistribute surface-bound toxicants as they interact with other particles in the environment.

Analysis of Slow-Released Fertilisers as a Source of Microplastics

Analysis of slow-release fertilisers coated with polymer shells found that these products can release microplastics into agricultural soils as the coatings degrade. Two major manufacturers' products showed varying polymer compositions and differing abilities to adsorb soil contaminants, raising concerns about MP accumulation from fertiliser use.

Antimicrobial activity of model microplastics loaded with a toxic polycation

This study tested whether microplastic particles coated with a toxic antibacterial polymer retain the ability to kill bacteria, finding that the plastic-polymer complexes were as effective at killing both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria as the free polymer alone. The microplastic beads alone had no antimicrobial effect, but once loaded with the toxic polymer they became potent carriers of bacterial toxicity. This demonstrates that microplastics can act as vectors for antimicrobial agents in aquatic environments, with implications for disrupting microbial communities essential to ecosystem function.

MICROSCAN database - IR spectra of microplastic particles from the Arctic marine environment

The Effect of Applying Model Nanoplastic Particles to Soil on the Composition of Its Microbial Community

Researchers conducted a one-month laboratory incubation experiment applying 0.55 µm polystyrene latex nanoplastics to soil to investigate effects on microbial community composition, finding that nanoplastic contamination altered soil microorganism diversity and activity in ways dependent on soil physicochemical properties and nanoplastic concentration.

Micro-Sized Polymer Hydrogels as Model Microplastics: Interaction with Polycationic Toxins in Solution and Precipitate

Researchers synthesized two types of micro-sized polymer hydrogel particles as model microplastics — soft anionic microgels mimicking aged MPs and hard-core microspheres mimicking initial MPs — and examined their electrostatic interactions with polycationic toxins in solution and precipitate phases. The study reveals how surface charge properties of MP models govern pollutant adsorption behavior, with implications for understanding toxin transport by real microplastics.

Preliminary Proposal for Standardizing the Protocol for the Determination of Microplastics’ Influence on the CO2 and/or CH4 Emission in Agricultural Soils

Researchers proposed a standardized protocol for determining the influence of microplastics on CO2 and CH4 emissions in agricultural soils, addressing the lack of comparability across existing research methodologies. Key recommendations include stringent contamination controls, selection of microplastic types and concentrations representative of agricultural environments, consistent experiment durations, and use of gas chromatography for analysis.

Nanosized microplastics damage cell membranes by altering lateral and transverse distributions of cholesterol

Researchers used atomic-scale molecular dynamics simulations to investigate how nanosized polystyrene microplastics interact with cholesterol-containing model cell membranes, examining changes to lateral and transverse cholesterol distributions. The simulations reveal that nanoplastic particles disrupt membrane organization by altering cholesterol positioning, providing a molecular mechanism for the membrane damage associated with nanoplastic exposure.

Effects of Particle Shape and Surface Structure on the Adsorption Properties of Polystyrene Microplastics

Researchers analyzed how particle shape and surface structure affect the adsorption properties of polystyrene microplastics toward organic pollutants, reviewing experimental literature to disentangle the influence of surface layer morphology from bulk particle characteristics. The study found that surface porosity and roughness significantly modify adsorption capacity and kinetics, cautioning that results from idealized model spheres may not accurately represent the behavior of environmentally aged or irregularly shaped microplastic particles.