Papers

Strategies and technologies for sustainable plastic waste treatment and recycling

This review covers current and emerging methods for recycling and treating plastic waste to reduce environmental pollution. The authors emphasize that improperly managed plastics break down into microplastics that contaminate ecosystems, and they evaluate strategies including chemical recycling, biodegradation, and energy recovery as more sustainable alternatives to landfilling.

Polystyrene nanoplastics of different particle sizes regulate the polarization of pro-inflammatory macrophages

Researchers exposed immune cells called macrophages to polystyrene nanoplastics of two different sizes (50 nm and 500 nm) and found that both sizes pushed the cells toward a pro-inflammatory state at higher concentrations. This means the immune cells shifted toward producing inflammation signals rather than healing signals after nanoplastic exposure. Since macrophages are a key defense in the gut, this inflammatory response could help explain how microplastics contribute to intestinal inflammation.

Paeoniflorin mitigates high glucose-induced lifespan reduction by inhibiting insulin signaling in Caenorhabditis elegans

Researchers found that paeoniflorin, a natural plant compound, helped counteract the lifespan-shortening effects of high glucose exposure in the roundworm C. elegans by modulating insulin signaling pathways. While not directly about microplastics, this study is relevant because it explores protective mechanisms against environmental stressors at the cellular level. Understanding how natural compounds protect organisms from toxic exposures could inform research on mitigating microplastic-related harm.

Leaching behaviors of dissolved organic matter from face masks revealed by fluorescence EEM combined with FRI and PARAFAC

Researchers studied the chemical compounds that leach out of face masks made primarily of plastic materials, finding that protein-like dissolved organic matter makes up 80-89% of what is released. The leaching was fastest in the first 48 hours, with the masks releasing multiple types of fluorescent organic compounds. Since billions of disposable face masks were used during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study highlights a previously overlooked source of chemical pollution that may accompany microplastic release from discarded masks.

Microplastic pollution characteristic in surface water and freshwater fish of Gehu Lake, China

Researchers surveyed microplastic pollution in the surface water and freshwater fish of Gehu Lake, China, finding an average of about 6 particles per liter in water and roughly 11 items per individual fish. The most common microplastics were fibers and fragments made of polypropylene and polyethylene, with distribution patterns linked to human activity around the lake.

Damming has changed the migration process of microplastics and increased the pollution risk in the reservoirs in the Shaying River Basin

Researchers investigated how dam construction in the Shaying River Basin affects microplastic pollution in water, sediment, and biological tissues near ten dams. The study found that dams alter the transport and deposition of microplastics, intercepting large amounts in reservoirs and changing how microplastics accumulate in freshwater organisms through shifts in food web structure.

Environmental Concentrations of Polystyrene Nanoplastics Induce Low‐Dose Tamoxifen Toxicity Through Oxidative Stress in <scp><i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i></scp>

Researchers used the model organism C. elegans to investigate how environmental concentrations of polystyrene nanoplastics interact with the cancer drug tamoxifen. Combined exposure significantly impaired locomotion, reproduction, and growth while inducing oxidative stress through the DAF-2/DAF-16 insulin signaling pathway. The study suggests that long-term exposure to environmental levels of nanoplastics could enhance the side effects of pharmaceutical drugs in living organisms.

Tetracycline Alleviates Cadmium Toxicity in Rice Seedlings by Altering Pollutant Accumulation, Nutrient Absorption, Osmoregulation and Antioxidant Metabolism

Researchers investigated how tetracycline antibiotics interact with cadmium contamination in rice seedlings, examining effects on growth, nutrient uptake, and antioxidant responses. The study found that tetracycline can alter how cadmium accumulates in rice, with implications for understanding co-contamination risks in agricultural environments where both pollutants are present.

UV-photoaging behavior of polystyrene microplastics enhanced by thermally-activated persulfate

Researchers found that thermally-activated persulfate combined with UV irradiation significantly accelerated the photoaging of polystyrene microplastics, increasing surface cracking, size reduction, and contaminant adsorption capacity while generating more toxic aging byproducts.

Miniature Electrochemical Sensing Accelerates Detection of Toxic Responses Induced by Nanoplastics

This perspective article discusses how miniature electrochemical sensors can accelerate the detection of toxic responses caused by nanoplastics in living organisms. The authors highlight that conventional methods struggle to monitor the chronic, low-level toxicity that nanoplastics cause over time. They advocate for multiplexed electrochemical techniques that can provide real-time, sensitive monitoring of how organisms respond to long-term nanoplastic exposure.

Visual Analysis of International Environmental Security Management Research (1997–2021) Based on VOSviewer and CiteSpace

Researchers conducted a bibliometric analysis of environmental security management research from 1997 to 2021, identifying six main research clusters spanning personal health, agriculture, ecological environment, energy, and sustainable development themes.

Polystyrene Nanoplastic Exposure Causes Reprogramming of Anti-Oxidative Genes Hmox1 and Sod3 by Inhibiting Nuclear Receptor RORγ in the Mouse Liver

Researchers examined how polystyrene nanoplastics affect liver function in mice and found that exposure led to reduced body weight, increased oxidative stress markers, and liver enzyme changes. The study suggests that nanoplastics suppress antioxidant gene expression in the liver by inhibiting the nuclear receptor RORgamma and altering epigenetic modifications at key gene locations.

Evaluating the nutrient and pollutant flows of the Chinese livestock manure management system from 1949 to 2050

Influence of ongoing discharge from multiple wastewater treatment plants on microplastic patterns in small-scale receiving rivers

Researchers investigated how simultaneous discharges from multiple wastewater treatment plants affect microplastic levels in small receiving rivers. They found distinct microplastic pollution patterns related to the ongoing combined inputs from these facilities. The study highlights a research gap regarding cumulative microplastic loading from multiple point sources into smaller waterways that may be particularly vulnerable to contamination.

Aging of microplastics and its photo-catalytic degradation of coexisting tetracycline

Electrochemical and Surface‐Enhanced Raman Scattering Coupling for Dual‐Mode Sensing of Nanoplastics

This study developed a dual-mode detection system combining electrochemical analysis with surface-enhanced Raman scattering to identify nanoplastics in environmental samples, addressing the challenge of detecting NPs by material, size, and surface chemistry simultaneously.

Machine Learning-Driven QSAR Modeling for Predicting Short-Term Exposure Limits of Hydrocarbons and Their Derivatives

Researchers developed machine learning-based QSAR models to predict short-term exposure limits (STELs) for hydrocarbons and their derivatives, addressing the critical gap in occupational health data for many chemicals. The models showed strong predictive performance and provide a faster alternative to experimentally determining STELs for new compounds.

Visual monitoring of polystyrene nanoplastics &lt; 100 nm in drinking water based on functionalized gold nanoparticles

Microplastics in the wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs): Occurrence and removal

A review of microplastic occurrence and removal at wastewater treatment plants found that while WWTPs reduce microplastic concentrations in effluent, they never achieve complete removal, and the retained plastics concentrate in sewage sludge that is often land-applied. WWTPs are thus both a barrier and a pathway for microplastics entering both aquatic and terrestrial environments.

Sorption of tetrabromobisphenol A onto microplastics: Behavior, mechanisms, and the effects of sorbent and environmental factors

The sorption of the flame retardant tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBPA) onto four types of microplastics — polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, and polyvinyl chloride — was studied in aqueous environments. Results revealed that polymer type, surface area, and hydrophobic interactions were key factors controlling how much TBBPA accumulates on microplastic surfaces.

Leaching behavior and evaluation of zebrafish embryo toxicity of microplastics and phthalates in take-away plastic containers

Researchers extracted substances from polypropylene and polystyrene take-away food containers using organic solvents simulating aqueous, alcoholic, and fatty food environments, then measured microplastic release and assessed zebrafish embryo toxicity. Fatty food simulants extracted the greatest quantity of chemicals, and leachates from both container types caused developmental abnormalities in zebrafish embryos.

Spatial Distribution of Microplastics in Water and Sediments of Main Rivers in Taihu Lake Basin

Microplastic abundance in water and sediments of 15 major inlet rivers to Taihu Lake in China was investigated, finding fibrous microplastics dominated and all three river types had a medium to high environmental risk rating, with navigable rivers showing the highest microplastic abundance.

Investigation of the Adsorption of Norfloxacin by Biodegradable and Non-biodegradable Microplastics Aged by Chemical Oxidation

Investigation of the Adsorption of Sulfamethoxazole by Degradable Microplastics Artificially Aged by Chemical Oxidation

Three types of microplastics were artificially aged by chemical oxidation and then tested for sulfamethoxazole antibiotic adsorption, with results showing that aging increased surface oxidation and enhanced antibiotic sorption capacity.