Papers

The Essentials of Marine Biotechnology

This comprehensive article reviews the field of marine biotechnology, which harnesses ocean organisms for applications in medicine, food, cosmetics, agriculture, and energy. Researchers describe the enormous diversity of marine life, from microorganisms to deep-sea species, and the promising biomolecules they produce. The study outlines both the opportunities and the environmental responsibilities involved in developing products inspired by or derived from marine resources.

Microplastics in mussels from the Boka Kotorska Bay (Adriatic Sea) and impact on human health

Researchers analyzed mussels from the Adriatic Sea coast of Montenegro and found microplastics in over half of the specimens, mostly in the form of blue fibers made from polyethylene and polypropylene. Based on typical mussel consumption in the region, they estimated that humans could ingest hundreds of microplastic particles annually through seafood. The study raises concerns about microplastic exposure through shellfish consumption along the Adriatic coast.

Prevention of Biofouling Due to Water Absorption of Natural Fiber Composites in the Aquatic Environment: A Critical Review

This review examines how natural fiber composites used in boats and marine structures absorb water and become damaged by marine organisms over time. While focused on engineering materials rather than health effects, the study is relevant to microplastic research because degrading composite materials in aquatic environments can release plastic particles and chemical additives into the water. Understanding how these materials break down helps identify an often-overlooked source of microplastic pollution in marine environments.

Exploring the Potential of Posidonia oceanica Fibers in Eco-Friendly Composite Materials: A Review

This review explores the potential of Posidonia oceanica, a marine seagrass abundant in the Mediterranean, as a natural fiber reinforcement in composite materials. The plant fibers show promise as fillers in both cementitious and polymer composites, offering a sustainable alternative to synthetic reinforcements that contribute to microplastic pollution. Using this abundant marine biomass in construction and manufacturing could reduce dependence on synthetic plastics while valorizing a natural resource.

Distribution and characterization of microplastics in marine sediments from the Montenegrin coast

Researchers characterized microplastic distribution in marine sediments along the Montenegrin coast, providing the first assessment of microplastic pollution status in this understudied region of the Adriatic Sea.

Tributaries as reservoirs and vectors of Microplastic pollution within a fluvial network: ecological implications for the Morača river basin

Researchers investigated microplastic pollution in tributaries of the Moraca river basin in Montenegro and found that these smaller waterways serve as both reservoirs and transport pathways for microplastic contamination. The study characterized the types, distribution, and sources of microplastics across the river network. The findings suggest that tributaries play a significant and previously underappreciated role in spreading microplastic pollution through freshwater systems.

Study of Microplastics and Inorganic Contaminants in Mussels from the Montenegrin Coast, Adriatic Sea

Researchers analyzed mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from three sites in Montenegro's Adriatic coast using optical and Raman microscopy, detecting microplastics in all samples along with elevated concentrations of trace metals, providing the first combined MPs and inorganic contaminant data for this coastline.

Protected natural areas are not protected from plastic pollution and its ecological risks: The case of Tara River in Montenegro, protected by UNESCO

Corrigendum to “Multilevel toxicity assessment of polypropylene microplastics and pyrene on mussels: DNA damage, oxidative stress, and physiological effects” [Mar. Pollut. Bull. 222(3) (2026) 118880]

Multilevel toxicity assessment of polypropylene microplastics and pyrene on mussels: DNA damage, oxidative stress, and physiological effects

Mussels were exposed to polypropylene microplastics and pyrene individually and together, revealing that DNA damage paradoxically decreased under co-exposure, suggesting complex antagonistic interactions between these two common marine pollutants.

Multilevel toxicity assessment of polypropylene microplastics and pyrene on mussels: DNA damage, oxidative stress, and physiological effects

This dataset accompanies the integrative toxicity assessment of polypropylene microplastics and pyrene co-exposure in Mytilus galloprovincialis mussels, documenting DNA damage, oxidative stress, and physiological responses at environmentally relevant concentrations.

Marine plankton community and net primary production responding to island-trapped waves in a stratified oligotrophic ecosystem

Researchers found that underwater waves generated by islands in the Adriatic Sea periodically push nutrients up toward the surface, creating temporary hotspots of biological activity and shifting the composition of microscopic marine communities — including bacteria associated with microplastic degradation — revealing how local ocean physics shapes ecosystem health.

Advances in Environmental Monitoring of the Caspian Sea

This overview introduced 11 papers from a special issue on environmental monitoring of the Caspian Sea, covering topics from sea level decline and oil pollution to algal blooms and marine protected areas. It emphasized the value of combining satellite remote sensing with in-situ measurements to monitor the ecological state of this unique and ecologically threatened inland sea.

Single and combined potential of polystyrene microparticles and fluoranthene in the induction of DNA damage in haemocytes of Mediterranean mussel (<i>Mytilus galloprovincialis</i>)

Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) exposed to polystyrene microplastics with adsorbed fluoranthene showed greater DNA damage in immune cells than mussels exposed to either contaminant alone, suggesting a vector effect where microplastics amplify the genotoxicity of co-pollutants. Comet assay and micronucleus tests confirmed elevated genotoxicity under combined exposure.

Multilevel toxicity assessment of polypropylene microplastics and pyrene on mussels: DNA damage, oxidative stress, and physiological effects

An integrative study exposed Mediterranean mussels to polypropylene microplastics and pyrene for 7 and 14 days, finding combined exposure caused greater DNA damage, oxidative stress, and physiological impairment than either pollutant alone in heavily polluted coastal conditions.

Microplastics in fish and sediments from the Montenegrin coast (Adriatic Sea): Similarities in accumulation

Researchers found microplastics in both fish gastrointestinal tracts and sediments along the Montenegrin Adriatic coast, with similar polymer types detected in both matrices, suggesting sediment contamination reflects and predicts accumulation patterns in local fish species.

The EU Interreg Project “ADRINET”: Assessment of Well-Known and Emerging Pollutants in Seafood and Their Potential Effects for Food Safety

A Mediterranean seafood biomonitoring project (ADRINET) found negligible cadmium and antibiotic contamination in commercially fished species, but detected high levels of microplastics in the stomachs and guts of sea bass and sea bream. This highlights that microplastic ingestion by fish is a persistent concern for food safety in the Mediterranean, even in areas not heavily affected by industrial pollution.

Spatial distribution of marine macro-litter on the seafloor in the northern Mediterranean Sea: the MEDITS initiative

Researchers modeled the spatial distribution of plastic macro-litter on the northern Mediterranean seafloor using MEDITS trawl survey data from 2013-2015, identifying accumulation hotspots using generalized additive models incorporating depth, latitude, longitude, and other environmental covariates.

Microplastic pollution in rivers of the Adriatic Sea basin in Montenegro: Impact on pollution of the Montenegrin coastline

Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in sediments along three Montenegrin river shores draining into the Adriatic Sea, finding an average of 164 MPs/kg dominated by polyethylene and polypropylene fibers and fragments, identifying these rivers as both sinks and potential sources of coastal microplastic pollution.

Distribution of Microplastic Pollution in Skadar Lake within the National Park of Montenegro

Cardiac activity in the Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis Lamarck, 1819) as a biomarker for assessing sea water quality in Boka Kotorska Bay, South Adriatic Sea

The heart rates of Mediterranean mussels were used to assess water quality at three sites in Montenegro's Boka Kotorska Bay, with mussels near the port showing the poorest health. Mussels are widely used as sentinel organisms for microplastic and chemical pollution because they filter large volumes of water and accumulate contaminants.

Microplastics in Surface Sediments along the Montenegrin Coast, Adriatic Sea: Types, Occurrence, and Distribution

This is the first study to document microplastics in surface sediments along the coast of Montenegro in the Adriatic Sea. Fibers and fragments were the dominant types found, highlighting that microplastic contamination has reached this less-studied part of the Mediterranean.

Emerging contaminants in extreme environments: Microplastics monitoring in karst springs of Montenegro

Sustainable activities in Croatian marinas – towards the “green port” concept

This study examined the adoption of 'green port' sustainability principles in Croatian marinas, analyzing the regulatory framework, international certifications, and current practices, finding that while awareness is growing, widespread implementation of comprehensive sustainability measures remains limited.