Papers

Microplastics pollution in freshwater sediments: The pollution status assessment and sustainable management measures

This study assessed microplastic pollution levels in freshwater sediments across 84 study areas worldwide. Researchers found widespread contamination with significant variation in microplastic types, concentrations, and sources depending on the region and local land use. The review proposes sustainable management measures to address this growing threat to freshwater ecosystems and drinking water supplies.

The pollution of microplastics in sediments: The ecological risk assessment and pollution source analysis

Researchers reviewed a decade of studies on microplastic pollution in marine and freshwater sediments, focusing on ecological risk assessment methods and pollution source analysis. They found that pollution load index, polymer risk index, and potential ecological risk index are the most commonly used assessment tools. The study emphasizes that improving microplastic detection technologies and linking contamination to specific land-use types could strengthen pollution source identification and control measures.

The combined effect of pyrolysis temperature and surfactant on adsorption of microplastics by spontaneous magnetism biochar from sludge and red mud

Efficiency of adsorption of PSNPs using spontaneous magnetic biochar prepared from pyrolysis of municipal sludge and industrial red mud solid waste

Researchers prepared a spontaneous magnetic biochar from municipal sludge and industrial red mud waste to remove polystyrene nanoplastics from water. The material achieved a 97.87% removal rate within 30 minutes, with electrostatic interactions identified as the primary adsorption mechanism. The magnetic properties of the biochar enabled easy solid-liquid separation without filtration, offering a practical approach for nanoplastic remediation using waste-derived materials.

Progress and Prospects of Microplastic Biodegradation Processes and Mechanisms: A Bibliometric Analysis

This bibliometric analysis maps the research landscape of microplastic biodegradation from 2012 to 2022, revealing a sharp increase in publications peaking around 2020-2021. Researchers identified key institutions and summarized the main biodegradation processes, including microbial degradation, photodegradation, and thermo-oxidative degradation of various plastic types. The study highlights that while biological approaches to breaking down microplastics show promise, significant gaps remain in understanding the complete degradation mechanisms.

Ultrastable long-term tracking and quantification of nanoplastics in complex environmental matrices

Researchers developed a europium-based tracer system for long-term tracking and quantification of nanoplastics in water, sediment, and organisms. The method demonstrated high stability over 28 days and enabled detection at concentrations as low as 0.5 micrograms per liter, revealing that over 95 percent of nanoplastic particles settled into sediment within 10 days in experimental conditions.

Detection and Fate of Microplastics and Nanoplastics and Technologies for Their Removal

This review covers the detection, environmental fate, and removal technologies for microplastics and nanoplastics across aquatic, terrestrial, and atmospheric ecosystems. Researchers summarize the current understanding of how these particles are distributed in environmental matrices and biota, from marine organisms to human tissues. The study highlights both the scale of the contamination problem and the emerging technologies being developed to address it.

Predicting heavy metals adsorption on microplastics and unraveling the adsorption mechanism with machine learning methods

Effect and environmental behaviour of microplastics in soil

This bibliometric analysis and review covers research on microplastic environmental behavior in soils from 2012 to 2022, documenting rapid growth in publications and identifying key research themes including transport, persistence, and interactions with soil biota and chemicals. The review highlights remaining knowledge gaps and emerging trends in the field of soil microplastic pollution.

The sustainable management of microplastics pollution in sediments from China: Promulgating relevant laws and implementing targeted management

This policy-focused study analyzed microplastic pollution levels in sediments across 74 sites in China and assessed existing regulations, finding a lack of targeted management measures specifically addressing sediment microplastic contamination. The authors proposed policy recommendations to align Chinese sediment management with UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Biotechnology Remediation and Environmental Behavior of Microplastics in Soils: A Review

Preparation of nanocellulose aerogel and its adsorption properties: a review

Nanophotocatalytic synergistic degradation of antibiotics and microplastics: Mechanisms, material design, and environmental applications

This review examines how microplastics and antibiotics interact in water during photocatalytic treatment, finding that microplastics can both help (by shuttling electrons) and hinder (by shielding light or hosting biofilms) the degradation process, depending on conditions. Aged microplastics — which have more surface oxygen groups — adsorb more antibiotics, making them tougher composite targets for treatment systems. Understanding these interactions is essential for designing water purification systems that can handle the combined pollution reality of modern waterways.

Ecological effects of microplastics on microorganism characteristics in sediments of the Daihai Lakeshore, China

Researchers investigated the ecological effects of microplastics on sediment microorganisms along the Daihai Lakeshore in China, using Pearson correlation analysis and KEGG functional pathway analysis to link microplastic characteristics to microbial community structure. They found that small microplastic particles under 0.5 mm and sediment physicochemical properties were positively correlated with dominant microorganism abundance, and that higher microplastic contamination was associated with elevated DNA repair-related metabolic pathways.

Anaerobic digestion, mixing, environmental fate, and transport

This is a literature review covering research from 2018 on mixing and transport processes in anaerobic digesters and environmental systems. It touches on how contaminants, including potentially microplastics, move through treatment systems and the environment.