Papers

White Rot Fungi as Tools for the Bioremediation of Xenobiotics: A Review

This review examines how white rot fungi use specialized enzymes to break down a wide range of toxic pollutants including synthetic dyes, pesticides, and emerging contaminants like pharmaceuticals. While not specifically about microplastics, these same fungal enzymes are being explored as potential tools for biodegrading plastic waste in contaminated environments.

Post-mortem evidence of microplastic bioaccumulation in human organs: insights from advanced imaging and spectroscopic analysis

Researchers examined tissue samples from deceased individuals and found microplastics in the brain, liver, thyroid, kidney, heart, muscle, and lungs, with the thyroid, kidney, and brain showing the highest contamination at up to 40 particles per gram of tissue. Nanoscale plastic particles smaller than 0.02 micrometers were also detected, indicating that the tiniest plastics can cross biological barriers and accumulate deep in human organs.

Effects of microplastics on the terrestrial environment: A critical review

This review summarizes what is known about microplastic contamination in land-based environments, covering sources, fate, and effects on soil and the organisms that depend on it. Microplastics in soil can interact with pesticides, heavy metals, and other pollutants, acting as carriers that move toxins through the food web and potentially up to humans. The authors note that compared to ocean research, the effects of microplastics on land ecosystems are much less studied and urgently need more attention.

Investigating impact of physicochemical properties of microplastics on human health: A short bibliometric analysis and review

This review examined how the physical and chemical properties of microplastics influence their potential impacts on human health, noting that people are exposed through ingestion of contaminated food and water as well as inhalation of airborne particles. Researchers found that once ingested, microplastics can release hazardous chemicals in the digestive tract, while inhaled particles pose oxidative stress risks to the lungs. The study highlights that current air quality standards may not adequately account for suspended plastic particles.

Distribution and transport of microplastics in groundwater (Shiraz aquifer, southwest Iran)

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in groundwater from an alluvial aquifer in a semi-arid region of Iran. They identified microplastics in all sampled wells, with fibers and fragments being the most common shapes and polyethylene the dominant polymer type. The study demonstrates that groundwater, an important source of drinking water, is not immune to microplastic contamination and calls for more research on transport mechanisms in subsurface environments.

Size-Dependent Interactions of Degraded PET Nanoparticles with Human Serum Albumin: Thermodynamic and Molecular Insights

Researchers examined how degraded PET nanoparticles of different sizes interact with human serum albumin, a key protein in blood. They found that smaller, more degraded particles bind more strongly to the protein due to chemical changes on their surface, potentially altering the protein's structure and function. The study provides insights into how weathered plastic nanoparticles may behave once they enter the human body.

Biochar mitigates the postponed bioavailability and toxicity of phthalic acid esters in the soil

Researchers found that adding 1% corn-derived biochar to contaminated soil immobilized six priority phthalate plasticizers up to fourfold, significantly reducing their bioavailability to lettuce — though long-term crop rotation increased root accumulation, confirming biochar as a partial but not complete remediation strategy.

Potential of Laccase as a Tool for Biodegradation of Wastewater Micropollutants

This review evaluates the potential of laccase enzymes, primarily from fungi and bacteria, to break down micropollutants in wastewater including pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and endocrine-disrupting compounds. Researchers found that laccase-based treatments offer an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional chemical methods for removing these contaminants. The study also discusses how immobilizing laccases on support materials can improve their stability and reusability in water treatment systems.

Digestion of plastics using in vitro human gastrointestinal tract and their potential to adsorb emerging organic pollutants

Researchers simulated human digestion of polystyrene and polyethylene plastics and found that digestive processes fundamentally altered plastic surfaces, creating new functional groups and generating micro- and nanostructures that can detach. The study suggests that digested plastics have enhanced capacity to adsorb certain pollutants like triclosan and diclofenac, potentially increasing health risks from ingested plastic.

Microplastics and nanoplastics in the marine-atmosphere environment

PET-microplastics as a vector for heavy metals in a simulated plant rhizosphere zone

Researchers examined whether PET microplastics can transport adsorbed heavy metals (lead, cadmium, and zinc) to wheat roots in a simulated growing environment. They found that the microplastics adsorbed measurable amounts of all three metals and subsequently released them under conditions mimicking the root zone. The study suggests that microplastics in agricultural soils may act as vectors that carry heavy metal contaminants to crop roots, potentially affecting food crop safety.

Atmospheric transport of microplastics during a dust storm

Researchers analyzed microplastics deposited during a dust storm in Shiraz, Iran, and found concentrations ranging from 0.04 to 1.06 particles per gram of dust. The study suggests that the majority of microplastics originated from distant desert sources rather than local urban areas, indicating that dust storms may be a significant mechanism for transporting and redistributing microplastics across arid regions.

Determination of the pharmaceuticals–nano/microplastics in aquatic systems by analytical and instrumental methods

Researchers reviewed analytical and instrumental methods for detecting pharmaceutical compounds associated with nano- and microplastic particles in aquatic systems. They examined how pharmaceuticals bind to plastic particles and the combined environmental risks these mixtures pose to water sources and marine life. The study identifies gaps in current detection capabilities and calls for improved methods to assess the combined impact of these co-occurring pollutants.

Biochar alters chemical and microbial properties of microplastic-contaminated soil

Researchers found that biochar amendments improved chemical and microbial properties of microplastic-contaminated soil, with effects varying by biochar type and water conditions, suggesting biochar as a potential remediation tool for plastic-polluted agricultural soils.

Capture-reduction mechanism for promoting Cr(VI) removal by sulfidated microscale zerovalent iron/sulfur-doped graphene-like biochar composite

Researchers developed a sulfidated zerovalent iron composite with sulfur-doped biochar that enhanced chromium removal from water through a capture-reduction mechanism, overcoming the oxide passivation problem that limits conventional iron-based remediation.

Surface chemistry of degraded polyethylene terephthalate (PET): Insights from reactive molecular dynamics study

Entrainment and horizontal atmospheric transport of microplastics from soil

Researchers investigated the mechanisms by which microplastics become entrained from soil into the atmosphere, finding that wind-driven processes can transport plastic particles horizontally near the ground surface, establishing agricultural soils as a significant source of airborne microplastics.

Microplastics in the atmosphere of Ahvaz City, Iran

Researchers characterized airborne microplastics in Ahvaz, Iran, finding that all detected particles were fibrous, predominantly polyester and nylon, with higher concentrations in urban areas compared to residential locations.

Facemask Global Challenges: The Case of Effective Synthesis, Utilization, and Environmental Sustainability

This review examines the environmental challenges of surging face mask production during COVID-19, including their role as sources of microplastic pollution in water, and discusses sustainable alternatives including nanomaterial-based self-cleaning mask designs.

Microplastics in agricultural soils from a semi-arid region and their transport by wind erosion

Researchers found microplastics heterogeneously distributed in agricultural soils from semi-arid Iran, with plastic-mulched and wastewater-irrigated fields both contaminated, and demonstrated that wind erosion can transport microplastics from soil surfaces to new locations.

From Root Exudates to Eco-Corona: Mechanisms Shaping Nanoplastic Fate and Plant–Soil Interactions

This research review summarizes how tiny plastic particles in farm soil interact with plant roots and the chemicals plants release into the soil. The study shows that these microscopic plastics can stress plants, change how their roots grow, and affect how plants absorb nutrients - which could impact the safety and quality of our food. Understanding these interactions is important because plastic pollution in agricultural soil is a growing problem that may affect the crops we eat.

Interaction of humic acids with PN6 microplastics and increased affinity for radionuclides (U-232)

Corn-derived biochar mitigates oxidative stress and increases the content of essential elements in lettuce leaves grown in phthalate-polluted soil

Researchers tested four biochars on lettuce grown in phthalate-contaminated soil and found corn-derived biochar most effective, significantly reducing PAE accumulation in leaves, enhancing antioxidant enzyme activity, improving biomass and nutrient uptake, and limiting heavy metal transfer compared to sewage sludge and other feedstock-derived biochars.

In Vitro, In Vivo, Ex Vivo Characterisation of Dihydroimidazotriazinones and Their Thermal Decomposition Course Studied by Coupled and Simultaneous Thermal Analysis Methods

A series of synthetic dihydroimidazotriazinones were characterized for the first time for their anticancer activity in vitro and toxicity profiles in zebrafish and cell models, while thermal decomposition analysis revealed their stability and degradation pathways under controlled heating conditions.