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Papers
97 resultsShowing papers from University of Amsterdam
ClearThe distribution of subsurface microplastics in the ocean
This study combined data from nearly 2,000 ocean sampling stations to map how microplastics are distributed at different depths. Smaller microplastics spread more evenly through the water column, while larger ones tend to concentrate near the surface. At deep ocean depths, microplastics make up an increasing share of total organic particles, suggesting they are becoming a significant part of the deep ocean environment.
The recovery of European freshwater biodiversity has come to a halt
Researchers analyzed 1,816 freshwater invertebrate community datasets from 22 European countries spanning 1968 to 2020, finding that biodiversity recovered steadily through the 1990s and 2000s thanks to water quality improvements, but has largely plateaued since the 2010s. Emerging threats including climate warming, emerging pollutants like microplastics, and invasive species are now offsetting earlier conservation gains, signaling that stronger protections are urgently needed.
The Open Burning of Plastic Wastes is an Urgent Global Health Issue
Open burning of plastic waste is a widespread but overlooked global health crisis that releases toxic gases and ash into the air, soil, and water. Campaigns against plastic pollution sometimes inadvertently increase burning, and existing laws against the practice are rarely enforced. The authors call for greater awareness of burning risks and phasing out certain single-use plastics.
Predicting environmental concentrations of nanomaterials for exposure assessment - a review
This review covers advances in predicting how much engineered nanomaterials end up in the environment, which is essential for assessing exposure risks. Scientists have progressed from basic estimates to more sophisticated models that account for particle size, movement, and chemical changes, helping researchers better understand potential human and ecological exposure levels.
Including environmental and climatic considerations for sustainable coral reef restoration
This essay argues that coral reef restoration projects need to give more weight to environmental conditions like water quality, temperature trends, and pollution levels when planning where and how to restore reefs. While not specifically about microplastics, marine microplastic pollution is among the environmental stressors that can undermine restoration efforts. Considering these factors during planning could improve the long-term success of reef conservation.
Polyester biodegradability: importance and potential for optimisation
This review discusses how biodegradable polyester plastics could replace fossil-fuel-based plastics, helping reduce the buildup of persistent plastic waste in the environment. The researchers explain that biodegradability varies greatly depending on conditions like temperature and environment, and even biodegradable plastics may not break down in all settings. While developing better biodegradable materials could reduce long-term microplastic pollution, the study cautions that these plastics are not a complete solution since they may still fragment into microplastics before fully degrading.
Biodegradable Plastics: Standards, Policies, and Impacts
This review evaluates the promise and limitations of biodegradable plastics as a solution to plastic pollution. Researchers found that while biodegradable plastics can help reduce environmental persistence, many only break down under specific industrial composting conditions and do not readily degrade in natural environments like oceans or landfills, highlighting the need for clearer standards and consumer education.
Communicating Confidence in the Reliability of Micro- and Nanoplastic Identification in Human Health Studies
This paper proposes a framework for improving confidence in how scientists identify and measure micro- and nanoplastics in human tissues and body fluids. The authors argue that studies need to use multiple complementary analysis methods and clearly report their limitations to produce reliable data. Better standardization in detection methods is critical for accurately assessing how much microplastic is actually inside people's bodies and what health risks it may pose.
Large quantities of small microplastics permeate the surface ocean to abyssal depths in the South Atlantic Gyre
Researchers discovered unexpectedly high concentrations of small microplastics, up to 244 pieces per cubic meter, from the ocean surface all the way down to near-seafloor depths in the South Atlantic. The study suggests that these tiny particles, mostly made of higher-density polymers, are far more abundant than previously estimated and distribute more evenly through the water column than larger microplastics, potentially making them a major but overlooked component of ocean plastic pollution.
FRAGMENT-MNP: A model of micro- and nanoplastic fragmentation in the environment
Researchers developed an open-source computer model called FRAGMENT-MNP that simulates how plastic debris breaks down into smaller micro- and nanoplastic particles over time in the environment. The model predicts fragmentation patterns based on the physical properties of different plastics and environmental conditions. This tool gives scientists a new way to understand and forecast how plastic pollution evolves, which is important because particle size affects how plastics move through ecosystems and interact with living organisms.
Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in the Aquatic Environment: How Can Regions at Risk be Identified in the Future?
This review discusses the growing concern over pharmaceuticals and personal care products as environmental contaminants in aquatic systems, particularly in regions with limited monitoring infrastructure. Researchers outline key research priorities for the next decade, including improving predictions of where these chemicals pose the greatest risk. The study emphasizes the need for better global surveillance and risk assessment models to protect both ecosystems and human health.
Coral reef benthic community changes in the Anthropocene: Biogeographic heterogeneity, overlooked configurations, and methodology
This meta-analysis of 523 articles found that coral reef communities are shifting toward alternative configurations beyond the traditional coral-to-algae narrative, with sponges, soft corals, and other organisms increasingly dominating degraded reefs. The study revealed strong biogeographic heterogeneity in these transitions, with different ocean regions experiencing distinct community shifts. Microplastic pollution is among the stressors contributing to coral reef degradation, and understanding these community transitions helps predict ecosystem-level impacts of combined anthropogenic pressures.
The fate of plastic in the ocean environment – a minireview
This review examines the fate of plastic debris in the ocean, covering production volumes, entry pathways, degradation mechanisms, and the emerging topic of nanoplastics. The study highlights that of the 359 million tonnes of plastic produced in 2018, an estimated 14.5 million tonnes entered the ocean, where physical, chemical, and biological processes break it into progressively smaller and potentially more hazardous fragments.
Hydrothermal liquefaction of plastics: a survey of the effect of reaction conditions on the reaction efficiency
This review summarizes how hydrothermal liquefaction, a process that uses hot pressurized water, can be used to chemically recycle waste plastics. Researchers examined how different reaction conditions affect the efficiency of breaking down plastics into useful products. The study suggests that this technique holds promise as a practical approach to addressing the global plastic waste crisis.
Perspective on the Therapeutic Applications of Algal Polysaccharides
Researchers reviewed the extraction, structural properties, and therapeutic bioactivities of algal polysaccharides — complex carbohydrates from marine and freshwater algae — summarizing evidence for their anticancer, antiviral, antidiabetic, and immunomodulatory effects and identifying knowledge gaps needed to develop them as pharmaceuticals.
What if you eat nanoplastics? Simulating nanoplastics fate during gastrointestinal digestion
Researchers simulated what happens to nanoplastics as they pass through the human digestive system, from the mouth through the stomach and intestines. They found that digestive conditions significantly altered the size and surface properties of the particles, which could affect how readily they are absorbed into the body. The study provides important insights into how the gut environment transforms nanoplastics and may influence their potential health effects.
Quantitative Analysis of Selected Plastics in High-Commercial-Value Australian Seafood by Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry
Researchers developed a pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry method to detect and quantify five common plastics in Australian seafood including oysters, prawns, squid, crabs, and sardines. They found PVC in all samples tested, with sardines containing the highest total plastic concentration and significant variability between species and even among individuals of the same species.
Fluorescent nanoplastics: What steps are needed towards a representative toolkit?
This review critically examines strategies for creating and using fluorescent nanoplastics in research, noting that commonly used commercial polystyrene beads are not representative of environmental nanoplastics. The study recommends alternative approaches for producing more realistic fluorescent model particles and provides a roadmap to help researchers select appropriate methods for their specific applications.
Quantification of polyethylene terephthalate micro- and nanoplastics in domestic wastewater using a simple three-step method
Researchers developed a simple three-step method to quantify PET micro- and nanoplastics in wastewater, detecting PET particles in all influent samples from ten Dutch treatment plants at concentrations ranging from 25 to 680 micrograms per liter.
Similarity of multicomponent nanomaterials in a safer-by-design context: the case of core–shell quantum dots
Researchers explored how concepts of material similarity can be applied to complex multicomponent nanomaterials like core-shell quantum dots in a safer-by-design framework. The study aims to help balance material performance with potential hazards by identifying structurally similar nanomaterials. The approach could inform safer manufacturing decisions for advanced materials without requiring extensive individual toxicity testing.
The NORMAN Suspect List Exchange (NORMAN-SLE): facilitating European and worldwide collaboration on suspect screening in high resolution mass spectrometry
Researchers developed the NORMAN Suspect List Exchange (NORMAN-SLE), a shared database that helps scientists across Europe and worldwide identify thousands of chemical contaminants — including plastic additives — in water and environmental samples using advanced mass spectrometry techniques. This collaborative tool accelerates the detection of emerging pollutants before they become widespread health concerns.
Quantitation of polystyrene by pyrolysis-GC-MS: The impact of polymer standards on micro and nanoplastic analysis
Researchers evaluated how the choice of polystyrene reference standard affects the accuracy of a key method (Pyrolysis-GC-MS) used to detect and measure microplastics and nanoplastics, finding that different standards with varying molecular structures produce substantially different results for the same sample. This highlights an urgent need for standardized reference materials to make microplastic measurement methods more reliable and comparable across labs.
Raising the Alarm: Environmental Factors in the Onset and Maintenance of Chronic (Low-Grade) Inflammation in the Gastrointestinal Tract
This review examined how environmental factors including food additives, pesticides, microplastics, and other ubiquitous exposures can trigger chronic low-grade inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract, contributing to inflammatory bowel conditions through disrupted microbiota and epithelial barrier function.
Polyethylene degradation and assimilation by the marine yeast <i>Rhodotorula mucilaginosa</i>
Researchers discovered that the marine yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa can degrade and assimilate polyethylene, reducing plastic mass, altering surface chemistry, and incorporating plastic-derived carbon into cellular lipids, suggesting a biological pathway for ocean plastic breakdown.