Papers

Microplastics in the Amazon biome: State of the art and future priorities

This review examines microplastic pollution in the Amazon region and finds contamination levels comparable to heavily polluted areas worldwide. Poor sanitation is a major source, with fibers being the most common particle type found in water, sediment, and wildlife. Despite the Amazon's global ecological importance, research on microplastics there has been very limited, and the authors call for urgent expansion of scientific monitoring.

Artificial Reefs around the World: A Review of the State of the Art and a Meta-Analysis of Its Effectiveness for the Restoration of Marine Ecosystems

This meta-analysis of artificial reef studies from 1990 to 2020 found that while artificial reefs can develop species assemblages similar to natural reefs, their effectiveness varies significantly by design, material, location, and deployment time. The research reveals important gaps in understanding the socioeconomic impacts and long-term ecological outcomes of reef restoration, which is relevant because artificial reefs can be sources of microplastic pollution when made from degrading plastic or concrete with plastic components.

Theoretical Studies in Molecular Dynamics and DFT of the Interaction between Imidacloprid in Polyethylene and Polypropylene Surfaces

Researchers used computational chemistry to model how the pesticide imidacloprid interacts with polyethylene and polypropylene microplastic surfaces. They found that the pesticide can adsorb onto both types of plastic, with polypropylene showing stronger binding in certain conditions. The study suggests that microplastics in agricultural soils could act as carriers for pesticides, potentially altering how these chemicals spread through the environment.

Chemical Recycling of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Driven by the Use of Protic Ionic Liquids: A Strategy to Mitigate Microplastic Pollution

Researchers explored using environmentally friendly ionic liquids to chemically recycle PET microplastics through hydrolysis, recovering the raw material terephthalic acid. The most effective ionic liquid achieved over 80% PET conversion under relatively mild conditions compared to traditional chemical recycling methods. The study suggests that protic ionic liquids could offer a sustainable, less hazardous approach to breaking down PET microplastic waste.

Balancing biomonitoring and conservation: A non-lethal method to extract microplastics from the sea anemone Bunodosoma cangicum

Researchers developed a non-lethal technique for extracting microplastics from sea anemones by gently pressing their bodies to induce regurgitation, rather than dissecting the animals. Testing on 40 anemones from the Brazilian Amazon coast showed the method recovered similar amounts of microplastics as lethal dissection, with no harm to the animals' growth, survival, or feeding ability. The approach offers a way to monitor microplastic pollution in marine environments without sacrificing the organisms being studied.

Petrosamine isolated from marine sponge Petrosia sp. demonstrates protection against neurotoxicity in vitro and in vivo

Researchers isolated a compound called petrosamine from a Brazilian marine sponge and tested its ability to protect against neurotoxicity in both human neuroblastoma cells and zebrafish embryos, finding it showed promise against hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. The results suggest that ocean-derived compounds may offer new avenues for developing treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.

Potential risk of BPA and phthalates in commercial water bottles: a minireview

This review assessed the presence of bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates migrating from commercial water bottles into drinking water. Researchers found that while concentrations of these chemicals were generally below levels considered an immediate health risk, some compounds like DBP were detected frequently enough to contribute meaningfully to daily intake. The study indicates that bottled water may induce low-level estrogenic effects, warranting continued monitoring of chemical migration from plastic packaging.

Impact of UV-B Photoaging on Chlorpyrifos Adsorption by PET Microplastics: Insights from Experimental and DFT Analysis

Researchers studied how UV-B light aging changes the ability of PET microplastics to absorb the pesticide chlorpyrifos, combining laboratory experiments with computational modeling. They found that aging created new surface functional groups on the microplastics that significantly increased their capacity to bind the pesticide. The findings suggest that weathered microplastics in the environment may carry higher loads of harmful chemicals than fresh plastic particles.

Elaboration and Characterization of Bioactive Films Obtained from the Incorporation of Cashew Nut Shell Liquid into a Matrix of Sodium Alginate

This study found that incorporating cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) into sodium alginate biopolymer films improved thermal resistance and bioactive properties but reduced tensile strength and microstructural homogeneity at higher concentrations. The 0.5% CNSL inclusion level provided the best balance of mechanical and barrier properties. Alginate-based biofilms represent a biodegradable alternative to petroleum-based plastic packaging that generates microplastic pollution as it degrades.

Potentially Poisonous Plastic Particles: Microplastics as a Vector for Cyanobacterial Toxins Microcystin-LR and Microcystin-LF

Researchers demonstrated for the first time that microplastics can act as vectors for cyanobacterial toxins called microcystins, concentrating the toxins up to 28 times from water onto plastic surfaces. The adsorption process depended on particle size, plastic type, pH, and the specific microcystin variant. The findings raise concerns about microplastics transporting harmful algal toxins through aquatic food webs to higher trophic levels.

First report on the toxicity of SARS-CoV-2, alone and in combination with polyethylene microplastics in neotropical fish

Researchers evaluated the ecotoxicological effects of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 and polyethylene microplastics, both alone and in combination, on the neotropical fish Poecilia reticulata over 15 days. The study suggests that exposure to these contaminants from sewage may affect aquatic organisms, highlighting the need to understand how pandemic-related pollutants interact with existing environmental contaminants like microplastics in aquatic ecosystems.

New Graph-Based and Transformer Deep Learning Models for River Dissolved Oxygen Forecasting

Researchers developed new deep learning models using graph neural networks and transformer architectures to predict dissolved oxygen levels in rivers, a key indicator of water quality. Their models outperformed traditional forecasting methods by better capturing complex patterns in environmental data over time. While focused on water quality monitoring, this type of predictive tool could help detect environmental changes linked to pollution, including from microplastics.

Advanced and prospects in phenol wastewater treatment technologies: unveiling opportunities and trends

Researchers conducted a large-scale review of 20 years of scientific literature on phenol wastewater treatment, analyzing nearly 80,000 articles to map where research is heading. The study found that engineering, environmental science, and chemistry are driving progress, with future focus needed on reducing treatment costs and improving process stability.

Microplastics in corals: An emergent threat

A summary of recent research found that microplastics impair coral health through species-specific mechanisms including reduced growth, altered enzymatic activity, increased mucus production, disrupted coral-algae symbiosis, and bleaching — with effects observed even at concentrations below current environmental maxima.

Plastic intake does not depend on fish eating habits: Identification of microplastics in the stomach contents of fish on an urban beach in Brazil

Researchers analyzed microplastic content in the stomachs of seven fish species from an urban beach in Brazil and found that trophic guild (carnivore, omnivore, herbivore) did not predict microplastic ingestion rates, suggesting that incidental ingestion during feeding is widespread regardless of diet type.

Seasonal bias and overlooked climate impacts in mangrove ichthyoplankton research: emerging threats and knowledge gaps

This review of 80 studies found that scientists have mostly ignored how extreme weather events affect baby fish in mangrove forests, even though these coastal ecosystems serve as crucial nurseries where fish grow up. The few studies that did look at climate impacts suggest that hurricanes, heat waves, and other extreme events damage mangrove habitats and hurt fish populations that people depend on for food. The researchers say we urgently need more long-term studies to understand these threats, since healthy mangroves are essential for supporting fisheries that feed coastal communities.

Microplastics determination and quantification in two benthic filter feeders Sabella spallanzanii, Polychaeta and Paraleucilla magna, Porifera

Researchers developed a simple method to extract and quantify microplastics from two benthic filter-feeding species, the fan worm Sabella spallanzanii and the calcareous sponge Paraleucilla magna. Using a potassium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide solution, they achieved over 98 percent organic matter removal while preserving the plastic particles. The findings suggest these filter feeders could serve as effective bioindicators for monitoring marine microplastic pollution.

Seasonal occurrence and distribution of microplastics in four different benthic suspension feeders from an Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) facility: A bioremediation perspective

Researchers evaluated four filter-feeding marine organisms in an aquaculture facility as potential microplastic bioremediators over a one-year field study. The study found seasonal variation in microplastic uptake, with highest levels in autumn and lowest in spring, and estimated the entire fouling community could collectively remove tens of millions of microplastic particles per season.

Photoaging effects on polyethylene microplastics: Structural changes and chlorpyrifos adsorption

Researchers studied how UVB-induced photoaging changes the properties of polyethylene microplastics and their ability to absorb the pesticide chlorpyrifos. They found that aged microplastics absorbed nearly 18% more pesticide than pristine ones, due to the formation of oxygen-containing surface groups, increased surface roughness, and reduced crystallinity. The findings suggest that weathered microplastics in the environment may pose greater risks as carriers of harmful pesticides.

Why do mesophotic coral ecosystems have to be protected?

Researchers synthesize evidence that mesophotic coral ecosystems (30–150 m depth) harbor unique biodiversity, provide ecological refugia and connectivity for shallower reefs, and meet international criteria for biological significance, yet remain largely unprotected by existing fishery regulations and marine protected area frameworks.

Microplastics Uptake by Four Filter Feeders

Researchers tested the microplastic bioremediation potential of four marine filter-feeding organisms, including mussels and sea squirts, from a mariculture facility. The organisms were assessed for their ability to capture and remove microplastic particles from the water column in laboratory conditions. The study suggests that certain filter feeders could serve as natural biofilters to help reduce microplastic concentrations in marine environments.

Micro- and nanoplastics in human male reproduction: Immune disruption, blood–testis barrier, and clinic-ready biomarkers

This review synthesizes evidence that micro- and nanoplastics have been detected in human testes and semen, with experimental models showing they trigger oxidative stress, NLRP3 inflammasome activation, and disruption of blood-testis barrier tight-junction proteins, collectively impairing sperm production and quality.

Advances in enzymatic degradation of microplastics: Mechanisms, optimization strategies, and future directions

First evidence of microplastic contamination in the tissue and skeletons of the keystone reef-building coral Siderastrea stellata in coastal reefs

Researchers found microplastics — mostly polystyrene fibers — embedded in both the soft tissue and hard calcium carbonate skeleton of reef-building coral (Siderastrea stellata) collected from wild Atlantic reefs in Brazil. This is the first field-based evidence of microplastics lodged inside coral skeletons in the southwestern Atlantic, suggesting these critical reef habitats are long-term plastic sinks.