Papers

Microplastics in marine ecosystems: A comprehensive review of biological and ecological implications and its mitigation approach using nanotechnology for the sustainable environment

This review summarizes how microplastics are harming marine ecosystems, from disrupting microbial communities and plankton to causing developmental problems in larger sea creatures. Through the food chain, these effects can ultimately reach humans, potentially causing hormone disruption and metabolic disorders. The authors also explore nanotechnology-based approaches and international cooperation as potential solutions for cleanup.

Environmental Pollutants as Emerging Concerns for Cardiac Diseases: A Review on Their Impacts on Cardiac Health

This review examines how environmental pollutants, including micro- and nanoplastics along with air pollution, heavy metals, and PFAS chemicals, contribute to heart disease. These pollutants trigger inflammation, oxidative stress, and damage to blood vessel linings, and the review highlights that combined exposures may be more harmful than any single pollutant alone.

Microplastics in the environment: Types, sources, and impact on human and aquatic systems

Unraveling the complexities of microplastics and PFAS synergy to foster sustainable environmental remediation and ecosystem protection: A critical review with novel insights

This review examines how microplastics and PFAS (sometimes called 'forever chemicals') interact in the environment, since both often come from the same everyday products. The authors found that microplastics can carry PFAS on their surface, and when organisms are exposed to both together, the combined toxic effects including oxidative stress and reproductive harm can be worse than either pollutant alone.

Microplastic residues in clinical samples: A retrospection on sources, entry routes, detection methods and human toxicity

A comprehensive review of microplastic pollution in freshwater and marine environments

This review summarizes the widespread contamination of freshwater and marine environments with microplastics, noting that these particles have now been detected in human blood, organs, and even breast milk. The paint and textile industries are among the top contributors, and current water treatment plants are not designed to filter out these tiny particles effectively.

Is Laccase derived from Pleurotus ostreatus effective in microplastic degradation? A critical review of current progress, challenges, and future prospects

This review explores using the enzyme laccase from oyster mushrooms as a natural way to break down persistent plastics like polyethylene, polystyrene, and PVC. While promising, the approach currently requires improvements through genetic engineering and optimized growing conditions to make it practical at scale. If successful, this biological approach could offer an environmentally friendly alternative to managing the growing microplastics problem.

Microplastics, their abundance, and distribution in water and sediments in North Chennai, India: An assessment of pollution risk and human health impacts

Researchers analyzed microplastic pollution in water and sediment samples from North Chennai, India, finding contamination at all sampling sites. Landfills, densely populated areas, and tourist spots had the highest concentrations, with pollution risk levels ranging from low to extremely high. The presence of microplastics in lake water used for drinking purposes is a concern for human health in the region.

Microplastics in water resources: Global pollution circle, possible technological solutions, legislations, and future horizon

This review summarizes the global scope of microplastic contamination in water and sediment, finding levels that vary enormously -- from near zero to thousands of particles per sample. Microplastics absorb other pollutants from their surroundings, potentially concentrating harmful chemicals, and they infiltrate food chains from the smallest organisms upward. The authors call for stronger legislation and a combination of technological innovation, recycling, and public awareness to address this widespread threat to ecosystems and human health.

Research progress of persistent organic pollutants in water: classification, sources, potential risks, and treatment approaches

This review summarizes existing research on persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in water, covering their sources, classification, and health risks. The paper notes that microplastics act as carriers for these long-lasting toxic chemicals, transporting them through water systems and potentially increasing human exposure. Understanding how microplastics interact with POPs is important because it means plastic pollution may amplify the health risks of other chemical contaminants.

Origin, ecotoxicity, and analytical methods for microplastic detection in aquatic systems

A Retrospection on Mercury Contamination, Bioaccumulation, and Toxicity in Diverse Environments: Current Insights and Future Prospects

This review examines mercury contamination in the environment, its accumulation in the food chain, and its toxic effects on living organisms. Mercury exposure through contaminated crops and seafood can cause cancer, genetic damage, and disruption of enzymes and proteins in the body. While focused on mercury rather than microplastics, the research is relevant because microplastics can absorb and transport mercury and other heavy metals into organisms.

The impact of nanomaterials on autophagy across health and disease conditions

Researchers examined how nanomaterials — including nanoplastics — interact with autophagy, the cell's internal recycling and cleanup system. Depending on the type and dose, nanoplastics can either trigger helpful cellular defense responses or push cells toward self-destruction, a dual nature that has important implications for both environmental health and the design of nanomaterial-based medicines.

Microplastics distribution and potential health implications of food and food products

Recent analytical techniques, and potential eco-toxicological impacts of textile fibrous microplastics (FMPs) and associated contaminates: A review

This review examines textile fibers as a major and growing source of microplastic pollution, covering their release from clothing during washing and wear, detection methods, and toxic effects. Fibrous microplastics have been found throughout the food chain and can affect the nervous system, digestive system, and circulatory system of living organisms. The review highlights that textile microfibers are among the most common types of microplastics found in the environment.

A novel investigations on medical and non-medical mask performance with influence of marine waste microplastics (polypropylene)

This study used recycled marine microplastics made of polypropylene to manufacture face mask fabric through the melt-blown process. The researchers found they could produce effective masks while reusing ocean plastic waste, offering a way to address both microplastic pollution and mask demand. However, the long-term effects of wearing masks made from recycled microplastic materials on respiratory health need further study.

Zebrafish and Drosophila as Model Systems for Studying the Impact of Microplastics and Nanoplastics ‐ A Systematic Review

This systematic review examines how zebrafish and fruit flies are being used as model organisms to study the effects of micro- and nanoplastics on living systems. These animal models help researchers understand how plastic particles interact with biological tissues, providing insights that are relevant to potential human health effects.

Automated micro-plastic detection and classification using deep convolution neural network pre-trained models and transfer learning

Researchers compared several artificial intelligence models for automatically detecting and classifying microplastics into categories like beads, fibers, and fragments from images. While the models performed well at identifying fiber-type microplastics, they struggled with beads and fragments, highlighting the need for better training data and techniques. Improving automated detection is important because it could enable faster, cheaper environmental monitoring of microplastic contamination in water and food sources.

Deciphering the Neurotoxic Burden of Micro- and Nanoplastics: From Multi-model Experimental Evidence to Therapeutic Innovation

This review summarizes research on how micro- and nanoplastics damage the brain and nervous system, covering evidence from cell studies, animal experiments, and clinical observations. Plastic particles can cross the blood-brain barrier, disrupt the gut-brain connection, cause oxidative stress, and trigger inflammation that leads to memory problems and cognitive decline. The review also discusses potential treatment strategies, making it a useful resource for understanding the brain health risks of plastic exposure.

A review on advances in hybrid magnetic nanoparticles for microplastics removal: Mechanistic insights and emerging prospects

This review examines the use of hybrid magnetic nanoparticles as a new approach to remove microplastics from water, especially the very small particles under 10 micrometers that traditional treatment methods miss. These magnetic materials can be functionalized to attract and capture microplastics, then separated from the water using magnets. While still mostly at the research stage, this technology could eventually improve water treatment and reduce human exposure to the smallest and most harmful microplastic particles.

Invisible Threats: Microplastics in Milk and Their Implications for Human and Animal Health

IoT-Driven Image Recognition for Microplastic Analysis in Water Systems using Convolutional Neural Networks

Researchers developed an IoT-based system using artificial intelligence to automatically detect and count microplastics in water samples through image recognition. The system uses cameras at distributed sensor points to continuously monitor waterways and can identify microplastics of different sizes, shapes, and colors. This technology could improve environmental monitoring of microplastic pollution in real time, helping communities and agencies respond faster to contamination threats in drinking water sources.

Microplastics in food: Occurrence, toxicity, green analytical detection methods and future challenges

This review examines how microplastics enter the human food chain through seafood, drinking water, salt, honey, and other products, and assesses what is known about their health effects. The authors also evaluate newer, more environmentally friendly analytical methods for detecting microplastics in food samples. While the full health impacts remain uncertain, the widespread presence of microplastics in food makes continued monitoring and research essential.

RETRACTED: Environmental fate of aquatic pollutants and their mitigation by phycoremediation for the clean and sustainable environment: A review

This retracted review covered how algae-based remediation could help clean up water pollutants including microplastics, pharmaceuticals, and pesticides. It discussed how nanomaterials and microplastics interfere with marine ecosystems and can harm both aquatic life and humans. Note: this paper has been retracted, so its findings should be treated with caution.