Papers

Unveiling the impacts of microplastics on cadmium transfer in the soil-plant-human system: A review

A meta-analysis found that microplastics significantly increase soil cadmium bioavailability by 6.9% and cadmium accumulation in plant shoots by 9.3%, through both direct surface adsorption and indirect modification of soil pH and dissolved organic carbon. This enhanced cadmium mobility through the soil-plant-human food chain amplifies health risks, as co-ingestion of microplastics and cadmium increases cadmium bioaccessibility and tissue damage.

Challenges in safe environmental applications of biochar: identifying risks and unintended consequence

This review examines the overlooked risks of biochar, a charcoal-like material often added to soil for environmental benefits. When biochar breaks down, it can release pollutants including microplastics, heavy metals, and other harmful chemicals into the environment. The authors stress that the environmental and health risks of biochar need careful evaluation before it is widely used in agriculture and land management.

Environmental behavior of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and the potential role of biochar for its remediation: a review

This review summarizes how biochar, a carbon-rich material made from organic waste, can be used to clean up PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), the persistent "forever chemicals" found widely in the environment. Since microplastics can carry and transport PFAS through water systems, understanding how to remove PFAS is an important piece of the broader pollution picture.

Contaminant containment for sustainable remediation of persistent contaminants in soil and groundwater

This review examines different strategies for containing persistent contaminants in soil and groundwater, including physical barriers, chemical stabilization, and plant-based methods. While focused broadly on contamination cleanup, these containment approaches are relevant to microplastic pollution because they can help prevent plastic particles and the toxic chemicals they carry from spreading through soil and into water supplies.

Gut Microbiota Participates in Polystyrene Microplastics-Induced Hepatic Injuries by Modulating the Gut–Liver Axis

This mouse study showed that polystyrene microplastics cause liver damage partly through disrupting gut bacteria, which then triggers harmful signals along the gut-liver connection. When researchers eliminated gut bacteria with antibiotics, liver damage from microplastics was reduced, confirming the gut microbiome plays a key role. Green tea extract (EGCG) helped protect the liver by restoring healthy gut bacteria, suggesting diet may help counteract some effects of microplastic exposure.

Microplastic stress in plants: effects on plant growth and their remediations

This review examines how microplastic contamination in soil affects plant growth through multiple pathways, including blocking water and nutrient absorption through roots, triggering harmful levels of reactive oxygen species, and disrupting hormone regulation. The effects vary depending on the type, size, and amount of microplastic present. Since plants are the foundation of our food supply, understanding how microplastics impair crop health is directly relevant to food safety and human nutrition.

Microplastic pollution as an environmental risk exacerbating the greenhouse effect and climate change: a review

Researchers reviewed how microplastics contribute to climate change by releasing greenhouse gases as they degrade, disrupting plant photosynthesis, and altering soil microbial communities that regulate carbon and methane emissions. The review reveals a troubling feedback loop: microplastics worsen global warming, and rising temperatures cause more microplastics to be resuspended from sediments, further intensifying environmental contamination.

Insight into the aggregation kinetics of nanoplastics in aquatic environments: Combined effects of protein corona and particle size

Microplastic Fiber Release by Laundry: A Comparative Study of Hand-Washing and Machine-Washing

Researchers compared microplastic fiber release from hand-washing versus machine-washing of textiles. Machine-washing released roughly 13 times more fibers by count than hand-washing, though hand-washing produced longer fibers on average, and factors like detergent use, soaking time, and washboard use influenced fiber release during hand-washing.

A review of the phosphorus removal of polyphosphate-accumulating organisms in natural and engineered systems

Researchers review how microorganisms called polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs) remove excess phosphorus from water — a nutrient that causes harmful algal blooms when it builds up in lakes and rivers. The study compares PAOs found naturally in soil and water to those used in engineered wastewater treatment plants, finding that PAOs from extreme environments can achieve over 80% phosphorus removal efficiency and may improve future water treatment systems.

Particulate plastics-plant interaction in soil and its implications: A review

This review examines how micro- and nanoplastics in soil interact with plants, including uptake through roots, accumulation in plant tissues, and effects on growth, nutrient absorption, and soil microbial communities. The study highlights that these plastic particles can alter soil structure and chemistry in ways that affect crop development, raising concerns about food safety and agricultural productivity.

Investigating Polystyrene Nano-Plastic Effects on Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides) Focusing on mRNA Expression: Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Lipid Metabolism Dynamics

Researchers investigated how polystyrene nanoplastics affect the liver of largemouth bass, focusing on endoplasmic reticulum stress and fat metabolism. They found that nanoplastic exposure disrupted normal lipid processing and triggered stress responses in liver cells, altering the expression of genes involved in fat storage and energy regulation. The study suggests that nanoplastic pollution in freshwater environments may impair metabolic health in fish.

Possible hazards from biodegradation of soil plastic mulch: Increases in microplastics and CO2 emissions

Researchers conducted an 18-month experiment to study whether biodegradable plastic mulches actually break down fully in soil or leave behind microplastic fragments. They found that the biodegradable mulches did generate microplastics and also increased soil carbon dioxide emissions compared to conventional mulch. The study raises questions about whether biodegradable mulches are truly more environmentally friendly than standard plastic film when microplastic generation and carbon release are considered.

Combined effects of cadmium and nanoplastics on oxidative stress, histopathology, and intestinal microbiota in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides)

Low phosphorous and polyethylene microplastics synergistically increase Cd uptake in Lolium rigidum: Insights into underlying mechanisms

Researchers found that low phosphorus availability and polyethylene microplastics work together to significantly increase cadmium uptake in ryegrass. The study compared two ryegrass genotypes with different sensitivities to microplastic stress and identified mechanisms involving changes in root structure and soil chemistry. The findings suggest that microplastic-contaminated farmlands with nutrient-poor soils may pose heightened risks for heavy metal accumulation in crops.

Diverse perspectives illuminate the migration and ecotoxicity of cadmium with traditional and biodegradable agricultural film microplastics under priority exposure in soil

A 10-year monitoring of soil properties dynamics and soil fertility evaluation in Chinese hickory plantation regions of southeastern China

Researchers monitored soil properties in Chinese hickory plantations over 10 years, finding significant increases in soil pH and organic carbon but decreases in available nitrogen, with spatial variation influenced by management practices and topography.

Polystyrene nanoplastics foster Escherichia coli O157:H7 growth and antibiotic resistance with a stimulating effect on metabolism

Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics promoted the growth and antibiotic resistance of pathogenic E. coli O157:H7 by stimulating bacterial metabolism, raising concerns about increased contamination risks in aquatic environments.

A critical review of biochar-based nitrogen fertilizers and their effects on crop production and the environment

Researchers reviewed biochar-based nitrogen fertilizers — materials that combine charred organic matter with nitrogen — as a way to reduce fertilizer loss to the environment, which currently contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and water pollution, while improving crop yields and soil health.

Bibliometric analysis of biochar research in 2021: a critical review for development, hotspots and trend directions

This bibliometric analysis of 5,535 biochar publications from 2021 identified toxic metal immobilization, catalysis for biofuel production, and climate change mitigation as the leading research hotspots, with China and the USA contributing the most publications to this rapidly growing field.

A novel platform using a regenerable SDS-functionalized membrane with AF4-DAD-MALS for online-operated enrichment and detection of polydisperse nanoplastics in biological samples

This study developed a novel analytical platform combining an SDS-functionalized membrane with asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation to detect and characterize nanoplastics in biological samples. The method enabled online enrichment and size-resolved detection of polydisperse nanoplastics at concentrations relevant to health exposure assessments.

Effects of different organic macromolecules on the heteroaggregation behavior between nanoplastics and goethite

Microplastics impair black soldier fly bioconversion of pigeon manure: Physiological and transcriptomic insights

Effective Adsorption of Chlorinated Polyfluoroalkyl Ether Sulfonates from Wastewater by Nano-Activated Carbon: Performance and Mechanisms

Three nano-activated carbons were evaluated for adsorption of chlorinated polyfluoroalkyl ether sulfonates (F-53B) from electroplating wastewater, with the best-performing carbon achieving high removal efficiency for these persistent toxic compounds.