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Papers
8 resultsShowing papers from Instituto Superior Técnico
ClearInformal waste pickers in guayaquil: Recycling rates, environmental benefits, main barriers, and troubles
Researchers studied the role of informal waste pickers in Guayaquil, Ecuador, and found they contribute significantly to recycling efforts that formal waste management systems miss. By calculating the carbon footprint avoided through their recycling activities, the study quantified substantial environmental benefits. The findings highlight that integrating informal recyclers into official waste systems could improve both recycling rates and environmental outcomes in developing cities.
EchoTilt: An Acoustofluidic Method for the Capture and Enrichment of Nanoplastics Directed Toward Drinking Water Monitoring
Researchers developed an acoustofluidic method called EchoTilt for capturing and enriching nanoplastics from water samples at high flow rates. The technique uses sound waves to trap particles as small as 25 nanometers in silica cluster grids, achieving a breakthrough in nanoplastic detection capability. The study demonstrates a promising approach for monitoring nanoplastic contamination in drinking water.
Microplastics in wastewater: microfiber emissions from common household laundry
A household laundry study found that a 6 kg load of synthetic clothing released an average of 18 million microfibers into wastewater, with 93% of fibers under 500 micrometers in length. This is the first characterization of microfiber emissions under real household conditions, confirming laundry as a major domestic source of small microplastic pollution.
Impacto ambiental de productos dermatológicos: Una revisión sistemática sobre ecofarmacovigilancia.
Not relevant to microplastics — this Spanish-language systematic review examines the environmental impact of dermatological pharmaceutical products from an eco-pharmacovigilance perspective, focusing on how active drug compounds enter and affect ecosystems rather than microplastics specifically.
Transcriptome wide analyses reveal intraspecific diversity in thermal stress responses of a dominant habitat‐forming species
Researchers examined transcriptome-wide diversity in how coral species respond to thermal stress, revealing intraspecific genetic variation that may influence resilience to warming oceans. The findings highlight the importance of genetic diversity within coral populations for predicting reef responses to climate change.
Occurrence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, microplastics and biofilms in Alqueva surface water at touristic spots
Researchers monitored polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, microplastics, and biofilm communities in surface water samples collected seasonally across three tourist sites (two beaches and one marina) at Portugal's Alqueva reservoir during 2021. They found co-occurrence of PAHs and microplastics at all sites with seasonal variation, and noted that biofilm formation on microplastic surfaces introduced additional complexity to pollution characterization at recreational freshwater locations.
Impacto del plástico de envases de pesticidas en suelos agrícolas: una problemática cultural del agro ecuatoriano
This study examined the microplastic contamination of agricultural soils in Latin America caused by the degradation of pesticide containers, which are often left in fields where UV light fragments them. The research highlights an underappreciated source of agricultural soil microplastic pollution that disproportionately affects small and medium-scale farmers.
Organochlorine Compounds in Beached Plastics and Marine Organisms
This study compared bioaccumulation factors for DDT and PCBs in marine organisms with their partition ratios in marine plastic debris to evaluate plastics as a transfer vector. Results showed that while concentrations on plastic are elevated relative to seawater, bioaccumulation from food and direct intake likely exceeds plastic-mediated exposure for most species.