Papers

A systematic review of the effects of nanoplastics on fish

This systematic review examines how nanoplastics (extremely small plastic particles) affect fish, including their ability to cross biological barriers and accumulate in tissues. The findings are relevant to human health because fish are a major dietary protein source, and understanding how plastics move through aquatic food chains helps us assess our own exposure risks.

Editorial: Genotoxic pathways of reproductive outcomes

This editorial compiles research on genotoxic pathways affecting reproduction, including studies showing that nanoplastics accumulate progressively during fish growth stages and cause oxidative stress, altered immunity, neurotoxicity, and disrupted steroid hormone pathways. The collection highlights plastics alongside phthalates and other endocrine disruptors as emerging threats to reproductive health.

Electrochemical detection of heavy metal ions adsorbed on microplastics with varying surface charges

Using electrochemical techniques, researchers studied how microplastics with different surface charges absorb heavy metals like lead, chromium, zinc, and nickel from water. Negatively charged microplastics absorbed significantly more heavy metals than positively charged ones, driven by electrostatic attraction. This research helps explain how microplastics in the environment can concentrate toxic metals and potentially deliver them into the food chain and human body.

Harmful Effects of Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Human Body Systems: A Systematic Review

A new review of 30 studies found that tiny plastic particles called microplastics are now widespread in human bodies, showing up in blood, lungs, and other organs. Higher levels of these plastic particles were linked to more severe disease in the heart, lungs, digestive system, and reproductive organs. This research suggests that the plastic pollution around us may be harming our health, though more studies are needed to prove these plastics directly cause disease.

Ecotoxicological effects of micronized car tire wear particles and their heavy metals on the earthworm (Eisenia fetida) in soil

Researchers exposed earthworms to microplastics from ground-up car tires at various concentrations and sizes over 14 and 28 days. They found that the worms preferentially consumed smaller particles, which led to increased heavy metal accumulation and significant signs of oxidative stress at higher concentrations. The study highlights that tire-derived microplastics in soil can harm terrestrial organisms through both physical ingestion and the release of associated toxic metals.

Adsorption/desorption of mercury (II) by artificially weathered microplastics: Kinetics, isotherms, and influencing factors

Researchers studied how different types of weathered microplastics absorb and release mercury, finding that microplastics from wastewater treatment plants and rubber particles had the highest affinity for this toxic metal. While less than 3% of absorbed mercury was released in freshwater, up to 73% was released under conditions mimicking bird digestion, indicating that eating contaminated microplastics significantly increases mercury exposure. These findings are relevant to human health because they suggest that microplastics in seafood could deliver concentrated doses of toxic mercury during digestion.

Toxic Tire Wear Compounds (6PPD-Q and 4-ADPA) Detected in Airborne Particulate Matter Along a Highway in Mississippi, USA

Researchers used passive air samplers along a Mississippi highway to detect tire-derived toxic compounds — 6PPD-quinone and 4-ADPA — in airborne particulate matter at all sampling distances up to 30 meters, with particle deposition rates increasing threefold closer to the road, suggesting inhalation risk for people spending extended time near busy roads.

On airborne tire wear particles along roads with different traffic characteristics using passive sampling and optical microscopy, single particle SEM/EDX, and µ-ATR-FTIR analyses

Researchers used passive sampling and advanced analytical techniques including SEM/EDX and micro-ATR-FTIR to characterize airborne tire wear particles along roads with different traffic volumes and speeds. The study found that tire wear particles, a major category of microplastic pollution, varied in concentration and composition depending on traffic characteristics, highlighting roadways as a significant source of airborne microplastic contamination.

Prevalence and Distribution of Microplastics in Oysters from the Mississippi Sound

Scientists measured microplastic levels in oysters from ten locations across the Mississippi Sound along the Gulf Coast. They found microplastics in every sample, with concentrations ranging from about 5 to 31 particles per gram of oyster tissue, and plastic particles were present in all tissue types examined. Since oysters are filter feeders consumed by both wildlife and people, the findings point to microplastics as a concern for both ecosystem and food safety.

Occurrence of Microplastic Pollution at Oyster Reefs and Other Coastal Sites in the Mississippi Sound, USA: Impacts of Freshwater Inflows from Flooding

Researchers assessed microplastic pollution in water at oyster reef sites along the Mississippi Gulf Coast during a period of historic flooding that caused prolonged freshwater intrusion. The study found that flooding events increased microplastic concentrations in coastal waters, suggesting that extreme weather and freshwater inflows from rivers can intensify microplastic pollution in estuarine environments where filter-feeding shellfish are especially vulnerable.

Removal of microplastics from agricultural runoff using biochar: a column feasibility study

Researchers tested whether biochar columns could filter microplastics from agricultural runoff water in the Mississippi Delta region. They found that biochar effectively captured microplastics from farm runoff, with removal efficiency depending on flow rate and column design. The study demonstrates a low-cost, nature-based approach that farmers could potentially use to reduce microplastic pollution flowing from agricultural fields into nearby waterways.

Influence of sulfur/chlorine-containing pesticides on the aging and heavy metal dynamics of PBAT and LDPE microplastics in soil

Researchers investigated how sulfur- and chlorine-containing pesticides affect the aging of biodegradable PBAT and conventional LDPE microplastics in soil. They found that certain pesticides accelerated the degradation and surface changes of the microplastics, while also influencing how the plastics adsorbed and released heavy metals. The study reveals that pesticide-microplastic interactions in agricultural soils may create compound contamination risks.

Microplastics in Marine Environment: Occurrence, Distribution, and Extraction Methods in Marine Organisms

This review summarized the occurrence, distribution, and extraction methods of microplastics in marine organisms, highlighting how these particles enter marine food webs through runoff and atmospheric deposition and pose risks to ecosystems and human health.

Research progress on microplastics in wastewater treatment plants: A holistic review

This review provides a holistic assessment of microplastics in wastewater treatment plants, covering sampling methods, occurrence patterns across treatment stages, removal efficiencies, and the environmental risks posed by microplastic discharge through effluent and sludge.

Microplastics in the Mississippi River System during Flash Drought Conditions

Researchers characterized microplastic pollution across seven sites in the Mississippi River System during both flash drought and normal flow conditions. They found that drought conditions altered the composition and concentration of microplastic polymers at sampling sites, likely due to changes in water levels and flow dynamics. The study provides some of the first data on how extreme weather events influence microplastic distribution in one of North America's most important river systems.

Field Evaluation of Rice Husk Biochar and Pine Tree Woodchips for Removal of Tire Wear Particles from Urban Stormwater Runoff in Oxford, Mississippi (USA)

A field study evaluated rice husk biochar and pine wood chips as passive filters for capturing tire-rubber microplastics from stormwater runoff, finding both materials effectively reduced tire particle concentrations in drainage, with biochar showing particularly strong adsorption capacity.

Distribution and characteristics of microplastics in beach sand near the outlet of a major reservoir in north Mississippi, USA

Microplastics were sampled from beach sand near the outlet of a major flood control reservoir in Mississippi, with concentrations and polymer types reflecting inputs from the reservoir catchment rather than typical coastal sources. The study fills a gap in knowledge about microplastic distribution in inland beach environments associated with large freshwater reservoirs.

Microplastics profile in sludge from a university wastewater treatment plant and the influence of chemical digestions on Nile red stained microplastics

Labeling Microplastics with Fluorescent Dyes for Detection, Recovery, and Degradation Experiments

Researchers optimized fluorescent dye staining protocols for labeling 17 different plastic polymer types using four textile dyes and Nile red for detection, recovery, and degradation experiments. Dye performance varied significantly by polymer type and staining conditions, and standardized protocols were recommended to improve comparability across microplastic studies.

PFAS: Ecological Implications, Remedial Actions and Ethical Considerations

This review covers the ecological implications of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), their extreme environmental persistence due to the strength of the C-F bond, and current remediation strategies including thermal and chemical approaches. The authors also address ethical dimensions of PFAS production and regulation given their known toxicity.

Separation and identification of microplastics in marine organisms by TGA-FTIR-GC/MS: A case study of mussels from coastal China

A method using thermogravimetric analysis coupled with FTIR and GC-MS (TGA-FTIR-GC-MS) was developed and validated for detecting, identifying, and quantifying microplastics in marine mussels (Mytilus edulis). The multi-detector approach enabled simultaneous polymer identification and quantification in biogenic matrices.

Occurrence, Distribution, and Extraction Methods of Microplastics in Marine Organisms

This review synthesizes global data on microplastic occurrence and distribution across marine organisms, comparing the advantages and limitations of different extraction and identification methods used in the field.

Direct µ-FTIR analysis of microplastics deposited on silicon in indoor air environments

Direct micro-FTIR analysis of microplastics deposited on silicon wafers was optimized for improved detection sensitivity and throughput. The refined protocol reduces sample preparation steps and improves the accuracy of polymer identification, advancing the standardization of microplastic analysis methods.

Single-Pot Method for the Collection and Preparation of Natural Water for Microplastic Analyses: Microplastics in the Mississippi River System during and after Historic Flooding

Researchers developed a single-pot collection and preparation method for microplastic analysis in natural water using mason jars, applied it to surface grab samples from the Mississippi River system during and after historic 2019 flooding, and quantified microplastics larger than approximately 30 micrometers using Nile red fluorescence detection.