Papers

A Review of Eco-Corona Formation on Micro/Nanoplastics and Its Effects on Stability, Bioavailability, and Toxicity

When microplastics and nanoplastics enter water, natural substances like humic acid coat their surfaces, forming what scientists call an "eco-corona." This coating changes how the plastic particles behave, including how they clump together and how easily organisms absorb them. Importantly, the eco-corona can actually reduce some of the toxic effects of these plastic particles, such as growth problems and oxidative stress.

Analytical challenges in detecting microplastics and nanoplastics in soil-plant systems

This systematic review found that no universal, efficient, or cost-effective analytical method exists for detecting microplastics and nanoplastics in soil and plant samples, identifying this as the primary barrier to understanding plastic contamination in food systems. Current techniques like Py-GC/MS and vibrational spectroscopy each have significant limitations, especially for the smallest nanoplastic fractions that may pose the greatest health risks.

Photocatalysis toward Microplastics Conversion: A Critical Review

This review summarizes how photocatalysis, a process that uses sunlight and special materials to trigger chemical reactions, could potentially break down microplastics in water. While the technology is still in its early stages, it offers a promising approach to degrading the microplastics that have been detected in human blood, breast milk, and organs.

Microplastics derived from plastic mulch films and their carrier function effect on the environmental risk of pesticides

This review explains how plastic mulch films used in farming break down into microplastics that can absorb and carry pesticides, making the pesticides more toxic to living organisms. The combination of microplastics and pesticides is especially concerning because microplastics can change how pesticides behave in soil, potentially increasing the amount of harmful chemicals that enter the food chain.

Chronic environmental exposure to polystyrene microplastics increases the risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

A mouse study found that long-term exposure to polystyrene microplastics increased the risk of developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The microplastics accumulated in the liver and disrupted fat metabolism, causing inflammation and liver damage, which is concerning because most previous studies only looked at short-term exposure effects.

Green Synthesis of Copper Nanoparticles from the Aqueous Extract of Lonicera japonica Thunb and Evaluation of Its Catalytic Property and Cytotoxicity and Antimicrobial Activity

Researchers used honeysuckle plant extract to create tiny copper nanoparticles that can break down organic dyes and kill bacteria and fungi. The nanoparticles were tested for toxicity on human cells, establishing safe dosage levels. While not directly about microplastics, this green chemistry approach could help address water pollution from synthetic dyes that contribute to environmental contamination.

Nanoplastics and Human Health: Hazard Identification and Biointerface

This review covers what we know about nanoplastics and their potential effects on human health, including how they enter the body and what happens when they get inside cells. Nanoplastics can penetrate cell membranes and damage internal structures like mitochondria, which are responsible for producing energy in cells. The review also discusses strategies to reduce nanoplastic levels in the environment to protect human health.

Micro-and nano-plastics induce kidney damage and suppression of innate immune function in zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae

Zebrafish larvae exposed to polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics developed kidney damage and weakened immune defenses, making them much more vulnerable to bacterial infection. Both particle sizes suppressed key immune pathways, but nanoplastics primarily caused stress in cells' protein-processing systems while microplastics triggered fat buildup in the kidneys -- showing how different-sized plastic particles can harm health through distinct mechanisms.

Polystyrene microplastics-induced macrophage extracellular traps contributes to liver fibrotic injury by activating ROS/TGF-β/Smad2/3 signaling axis

In a mouse study, polystyrene microplastics caused liver scarring (fibrosis) by triggering immune cells called macrophages to release web-like traps that promoted inflammation. Smaller microplastic particles caused more severe liver damage than larger ones, and the damage involved a specific signaling pathway (ROS/TGF-beta/Smad2/3) that drives tissue scarring. This research reveals a new mechanism by which microplastics may contribute to chronic liver disease.

Assessing the combined impacts of microplastics and nickel oxide nanomaterials on soybean growth and nitrogen fixation potential

This study tested how polystyrene microplastics and nickel oxide nanoparticles affect soybean growth and nitrogen fixation in soil. Microplastics alone reduced photosynthesis, plant hormones, and the beneficial root bacteria that help plants capture nitrogen from the air. While this is a plant and soil study, it demonstrates how microplastics can disrupt agricultural ecosystems that humans depend on for food production.

Chronic exposure to polystyrene microplastics triggers osteoporosis by breaking the balance of osteoblast and osteoclast differentiation

Mice that drank water containing polystyrene microplastics for six months developed significant bone loss resembling osteoporosis, with weakened bone structure and reduced bone formation. The microplastics triggered inflammation in bone stem cells and disrupted the balance between bone-building and bone-breaking processes, suggesting that long-term microplastic exposure could contribute to bone disease.

Flavonoids Mitigate Nanoplastic Stress in <i>Ginkgo biloba</i>

This plant study found that nanoplastics caused growth problems, oxidative stress, and DNA damage in Ginkgo biloba and other plant species. The plants responded by producing more flavonoids (natural protective compounds) to fight the plastic-induced stress. While this is a plant study, it shows how nanoplastics can disrupt biological systems and highlights the broad environmental reach of plastic pollution.

Understanding the mechanism of microplastic-associated antibiotic resistance genes in aquatic ecosystems: Insights from metagenomic analyses and machine learning

By analyzing large-scale genetic datasets with machine learning, researchers found that the type of microplastic strongly influences which bacteria grow on it and which antibiotic resistance genes those bacteria carry. Surprisingly, biodegradable plastics like PLA (often marketed as eco-friendly) posed a higher risk of harboring antibiotic resistance genes than conventional plastics, raising concerns about resistance spreading through water systems to humans.

The combined effects of azoxystrobin and different aged polyethylene microplastics on earthworms (Eisenia fetida): A systematic evaluation based on oxidative damage and intestinal function

Scientists studied how the pesticide azoxystrobin and aged polyethylene microplastics together affect earthworms, and found the combination was significantly more toxic than either pollutant alone. The aged microplastics helped the earthworms absorb more pesticide, leading to greater weight loss, more oxidative damage, and worse intestinal damage. This is important for human health because it shows that microplastics in agricultural soil can increase the bioavailability and toxicity of pesticides that may end up in our food.

Polystyrene Microplastics Induce Oxidative Stress in Mouse Hepatocytes in Relation to Their Size

Researchers exposed mouse liver cells to polystyrene microplastics of different sizes and found that smaller particles caused more oxidative stress and damage than larger ones. The microplastics disrupted protective antioxidant systems and increased harmful reactive oxygen species inside the cells. This suggests that the smallest microplastic particles may pose the greatest risk to liver health because they can enter cells more easily and cause more internal damage.

Simultaneous exposure to nanoplastics and cadmium mitigates microalgae cellular toxicity: Insights from molecular simulation and metabolomics

In a surprising finding, researchers discovered that when nanoplastics and cadmium (a toxic metal) were present together at high concentrations, their combined effect on microalgae was actually less toxic than either pollutant alone. The nanoplastics appeared to bind with the cadmium, reducing its ability to enter and damage cells. While this suggests some pollutant interactions may be unexpectedly complex, it does not mean nanoplastics are protective -- the study highlights how much we still need to learn about how plastic pollution interacts with other contaminants.

Polystyrene microplastics facilitate renal fibrosis through accelerating tubular epithelial cell senescence

Mice exposed to polystyrene microplastics at doses relevant to human exposure developed kidney inflammation and scarring (fibrosis) within 28 days. The microplastics caused kidney tube cells to age prematurely, triggering a chain reaction that activated scar-forming cells through a specific signaling pathway. This study provides evidence that microplastic exposure could contribute to chronic kidney damage in people.

A biodegradable oxidized starch/carboxymethyl chitosan film coated with pesticide-loaded ZIF-8 for tomato fusarium wilt control

Researchers developed a biodegradable mulch film made from starch and chitosan that can replace traditional polyethylene plastic films used in farming. The new film releases a fungicide slowly to protect tomato plants from disease, breaks down naturally in soil, and is safe for earthworms. This offers a practical solution to reduce the massive amount of microplastic pollution caused by conventional plastic mulch films left in agricultural soils.

Understanding the clinical and molecular epidemiological characteristics of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infections within intensive care units of three teaching hospitals

Researchers analyzed carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) — a dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacterium — in intensive care units across three hospitals and found it is common and growing increasingly resistant over time. Early identification and aggressive management are critical to stopping its spread in hospital settings.

Self-rotating wood-based floating solar-driven interfacial evaporator for continuous and high-efficiency desalination

Curcumin Mitigates Microplastic-Induced Damage in Livestock and Poultry: Mechanistic Insights and Strategies for Sustainable Farming

This review examines how curcumin, a natural compound from turmeric, can protect livestock and poultry from microplastic-induced damage. The research shows that curcumin activates antioxidant defenses and reduces inflammation caused by microplastic exposure in animals, suggesting that natural dietary supplements may offer a strategy for mitigating some health effects of plastic contamination.

Association between long-term exposure of polystyrene microplastics and exacerbation of seizure symptoms: Evidence from multiple approaches

This study found that long-term exposure to polystyrene microplastics may worsen seizure symptoms by disrupting gut bacteria and triggering inflammation that damages brain cells. Using both human data and animal experiments, the researchers showed that microplastics can set off a chain reaction from the gut to the brain, leading to a type of cell death called ferroptosis in the hippocampus. The findings suggest that chronic microplastic exposure could be a hidden risk factor for people with seizure disorders.

Polystyrene nanoplastics aggravated dibutyl phthalate-induced blood-testis barrier dysfunction via suppressing autophagy in male mice

In a mouse study, polystyrene nanoplastics combined with dibutyl phthalate (a common plasticizer chemical) caused significantly worse damage to the blood-testis barrier than either substance alone. The nanoplastics carried the phthalate into the reproductive system, where the combination reduced sperm quality, impaired sperm development, and damaged the protective barrier around the testes. This research shows how nanoplastics can make other common plastic chemicals more dangerous to male fertility.

Melatonin-Mediated Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants

This review examines how melatonin, a molecule found in all living organisms, helps plants cope with environmental stresses like drought, extreme temperatures, salinity, and heavy metal contamination. Researchers found that melatonin works by neutralizing harmful reactive oxygen species and activating plant defense pathways. The study suggests that melatonin-based treatments could help improve crop resilience in the face of increasing environmental challenges, including soil pollution.