Papers

Nature-Inspired Superhydrophobic Coating Materials: Drawing Inspiration from Nature for Enhanced Functionality

This review paper summarizes research on superhydrophobic (extremely water-repellent) surface coatings inspired by nature, covering how they are made and used in industries like healthcare, energy, and environmental cleanup. While not directly about microplastics, these coatings could potentially help prevent plastic pollution by enabling self-cleaning surfaces and improved oil-water separation in contaminated environments.

Micro and nanoplastics pollution: Sources, distribution, uptake in plants, toxicological effects, and innovative remediation strategies for environmental sustainability

This review examines how microplastics and nanoplastics enter plants through roots, disrupt growth and photosynthesis, and cause oxidative stress that reduces crop yields. Because these plastic particles can move through plant tissues and into edible parts, they represent a potential pathway for microplastics to enter the human food supply.

Microplastic contamination, an emerging threat to the freshwater environment: a systematic review

Researchers systematically reviewed the spread of microplastics in freshwater ecosystems — rivers, lakes, and streams — documenting their sources, how they move through water, the damage they cause to aquatic organisms, and the methods used to detect them. Their review serves as a baseline reference for future research and calls for improved waste management to protect freshwater environments from ongoing microplastic contamination.

Various additive release from microplastics and their toxicity in aquatic environments

This review covers the additive chemicals that leach out of microplastics in water environments, noting that plastics can contain over 50% additives by weight. Factors like sunlight, temperature, and smaller particle size increase how quickly these chemicals are released. Many of these additives are hazardous substances that can be absorbed by organisms, causing developmental problems and toxicity in offspring.

Microplastics pollution modulating soil biological health – A review

This review summarizes how microplastics enter agricultural soil through recycled water, fertilizer made from sewage, and plastic mulch, and how they affect the organisms that keep soil healthy. Microplastics can carry chemical additives and environmental pollutants that harm soil bacteria, fungi, and invertebrates. These disruptions to soil health could affect crop growth and food quality, creating an indirect pathway for microplastics to impact human nutrition.

Tiny Plastics, Massive Consequences: The Environmental and Health Crisis of Micro (Nano) Plastics

Bioremediation of microplastic pollution: A systematic review on mechanism, analytical methods, innovations, and omics approaches

Researchers systematically reviewed how bacteria, fungi, and algae can break down microplastics through enzymes and biofilms, and how cutting-edge tools like genomics and genetically engineered microbes are improving biodegradation efficiency. While microbial bioremediation is a promising sustainable approach to microplastic pollution, challenges around scalability and varying degradation rates in real environments still need to be overcome.

Microplastic pollution in the Ganga River: A state-of-the-art review of pathways, mechanisms, and mitigation

This review examines microplastic pollution in India's Ganga River, which sustains hundreds of millions of people, identifying sources from industrial discharge, agricultural runoff, and inadequate waste management. Microplastics in the river threaten aquatic life through ingestion and bioaccumulation and ultimately affect the communities that rely on the river for drinking water and food. The study calls for comprehensive management strategies to protect both ecological and public health.

Multifaceted effects of microplastics on soil-plant systems: Exploring the role of particle type and plant species

Researchers tested how three different types of microplastics — fibers, fragments, and spheres — affect soil properties and vegetable growth. The effects varied significantly depending on both the type of plastic and the plant species, with some microplastics actually promoting root growth in certain vegetables. These mixed results highlight that the impact of microplastic contamination on food crops is complex and depends on the specific conditions in each field.

Potential strategies for bioremediation of microplastic contaminated soil

Researchers reviewed emerging bioremediation strategies for removing microplastics from contaminated soil, highlighting the roles of plants, root-zone microbes, soil animals like earthworms, and specialized bacteria and fungi that can use enzymes to break down plastic polymers into harmless compounds. While genetic engineering of microbes shows promise for accelerating degradation, the review notes that real-world application at scale still requires significant research and development.

Occurrence of microplastics (MPs) in Antarctica and its impact on the health of organisms

This review summarizes existing research on microplastic pollution in Antarctica, covering how these tiny plastic particles reach even the most remote environments through fishing, tourism, and ocean currents. Despite Antarctica being considered pristine, microplastics have been found in both water and sediment across the region. The findings highlight that no place on Earth is free from microplastic contamination, raising concerns about effects on wildlife and ecosystems that are connected to global food chains.

Insights into the seasonal variation, distribution, composition and dynamics of microplastics in the Ganga River ecosystem of Varanasi City, Uttar Pradesh, India

Researchers measured microplastic pollution in the Ganga River in Varanasi, India, and found contamination in both water and sediment samples across all seasons. Concentrations were higher after the monsoon season, with common plastics like polyethylene terephthalate, polyester, and PVC dominating the samples. Since the Ganga is used for drinking water, bathing, and agriculture by millions of people, this contamination raises direct concerns about human exposure to microplastics.

Acute and multigenerational toxicity of polylactic acid microplastics on a copepod bioindicator

Exploration of Microbial Factories for Synthesis of Nanoparticles – A Sustainable Approach for Bioremediation of Environmental Contaminants

This review explores how microorganisms can be harnessed to produce nanoparticles for environmental cleanup, including the remediation of pollutants like microplastics. Researchers describe how microbial synthesis of nanoparticles offers a cleaner, cheaper, and more sustainable alternative to traditional chemical and physical manufacturing methods. The biologically produced nanoparticles show promise as tools for removing heavy metals, dyes, and other contaminants from polluted environments.

Responses of natural plastisphere community and zooplankton to microplastic pollution: a review on novel remediation strategies

This review examines how microbial communities colonize microplastic surfaces in aquatic environments, forming what scientists call the plastisphere, and how these plastic-associated microbes interact with zooplankton. Researchers found that microplastics serve as floating platforms for bacteria, including potentially harmful species, and can transfer these microbes up the food chain through zooplankton ingestion. The study highlights novel bioremediation strategies that harness natural microbial processes to help break down microplastic pollution.

Microplastics: understanding the interaction with the food web and potential health hazards

This review traces how microplastics move through aquatic food webs, from tiny filter-feeding organisms up to predatory fish, and ultimately to humans who consume seafood. Evidence indicates that microplastics can accumulate and concentrate at each level of the food chain, carrying toxic chemicals that may cause inflammation and hormone disruption. The authors stress the need for more research to understand these pathways and develop strategies to reduce microplastic contamination in food.

Microplastics: a cancer-causing agent for humans and prospects for identification using AI and modern approaches

Chitosan‐assisted magnetic coconut shell biochar for polystyrene microplastic removal: Mechanism and reusability

Researchers created a recyclable magnetic biochar material from coconut shells, modified with chitosan, that removed up to 91% of polystyrene microplastics from water. The material maintained its effectiveness through five consecutive reuse cycles, and water treated with the biochar actually promoted better plant growth, demonstrating practical potential for environmental cleanup.

Investigating on the toxicity and bio-magnification potential of synthetic glitters on Artemia salina

Researchers assessed the toxic effects of polyethylene terephthalate glitter microplastics on Artemia salina (brine shrimp) as a model zooplankton species. The study found that glitter ingestion caused gut wall damage, decreased cholinesterase activity, and demonstrated biomagnification potential, suggesting that synthetic glitter particles pose measurable toxicological risks to aquatic organisms.

Recent Advances and Perspectives of Nanomaterials in Agricultural Management and Associated Environmental Risk: A Review

This review covers recent advances in using nanomaterials for agricultural applications, including nanopesticides, nanofertilizers, and nanosensors for crop management. Researchers found that these technologies can improve plant growth and stress tolerance while reducing the overall quantity of chemicals needed. However, the study also notes that the long-term environmental fate and potential ecological risks of agricultural nanomaterials still require thorough investigation.

Myco-degradation of microplastics: an account of identified pathways and analytical methods for their determination

This review examined fungal degradation pathways for microplastics and the analytical methods used to assess biodegradation progress. The study highlights that fungi possess diverse enzymatic systems, including extracellular enzymes, capable of breaking down various plastic polymers, suggesting that fungal bioremediation could be a promising approach for reducing microplastic pollution in the environment.

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.

Toxicological impacts of plastic microfibers from face masks on Artemia salina: An environmental assessment using Box-Behnken design

Researchers tested how microfibers released from discarded face masks affect brine shrimp, a species commonly used to assess environmental toxicity. Higher concentrations of mask-derived microfibers significantly reduced hatching success and impaired swimming ability, with temperature and salinity influencing the severity of effects. The study highlights that the massive increase in mask waste since the pandemic may pose real risks to marine zooplankton at the base of ocean food chains.

Recent Advancements in Multimodal Chemically Powered Micro/Nanorobots for Environmental Sensing and Remediation

This review covers recent developments in chemically powered micro- and nanorobots designed for environmental sensing and pollution cleanup. Researchers describe how these tiny self-propelling machines can detect and capture pollutants including microplastics, heavy metals, and organic contaminants in water. The study highlights the potential of nanorobot technology as an emerging tool for environmental remediation, though challenges in scalability and real-world deployment remain.