Papers

Amphotericin B Encapsulation in Polymeric Nanoparticles: Toxicity Insights via Cells and Zebrafish Embryo Testing

This study tested a new nanoparticle delivery system for the antifungal drug amphotericin B using zebrafish embryos to assess safety. While not about microplastics, the research is relevant because it demonstrates how polymer-based nanoparticles interact with biological systems, providing insights that parallel concerns about nanoplastic exposure in living organisms.

A Systematic Review of Microplastic Contamination in Commercially Important Bony Fish and Its Implications for Health

This systematic review summarizes research on microplastic contamination found in commercially important fish species. The findings show that microplastics cause physical injuries and false satiety in fish, and may pose health risks to humans who eat contaminated seafood, including inflammation, oxidative stress, and cellular damage.

The possible impacts of nano and microplastics on human health: lessons from experimental models across multiple organs

This review summarizes evidence from experimental studies on how micro- and nanoplastics may affect multiple human organs after entering the body through food, air, or skin contact. Research shows these particles can trigger inflammation, oxidative stress, hormone disruption, and damage to cells in the gut, lungs, liver, kidneys, brain, and reproductive organs. While more research is needed to fully understand the risks, the existing evidence suggests that reducing plastic pollution and human exposure should be an urgent priority.

The effect of plastic pollution on coastal marine organisms – A systematic review

This systematic review of 936 articles found that microplastics, primarily polyethylene and polypropylene from fishing gear and plastic bags, are the most commonly reported size fraction in coastal marine ecosystems. Molluscs, fish, and crustaceans are the most affected groups, with ingestion and metabolic disruption as the key observed effects.

Nanohybrids with potential barrier property and antimicrobial activity for application in sustainable polymer food packaging: A mini‐review

This review examines how combining two types of nanoparticles into "nanohybrids" can create better biodegradable food packaging with antimicrobial properties and improved barrier protection. Using biodegradable polymers with these nanohybrids could reduce the reliance on petroleum-based plastics that generate persistent microplastics. The research is relevant to human health because better food packaging alternatives could help cut down on the microplastic contamination that enters the food supply.

Interaction Between Endocrine Disruptors and Polyethylene Nanoplastic by Molecular Dynamics Simulations

Using computer simulations, researchers found that polyethylene nanoplastics can attract and carry endocrine-disrupting chemicals like bisphenol A (BPA) and benzophenone (BZP), with BZP binding nearly three times more strongly to the plastic surface. Even at low concentrations, these chemicals can interfere with hormones and have been linked to various diseases. The findings suggest that nanoplastics in the environment could act as tiny vehicles, delivering harmful chemicals into the body.

Addressing chemical pollution in biodiversity research

This paper argues that chemical pollution, including microplastics, deserves far more attention in biodiversity research alongside climate change and habitat loss. Evidence shows that anthropogenic chemicals are a growing threat to ecosystems worldwide, yet pollution is often left out of biodiversity studies. The authors call for interdisciplinary collaboration between ecologists and environmental chemists to better understand and combat pollution-driven biodiversity decline.

The invisible world of nanoplastics: bibliometric analysis on nanoplastics and study of their adsorption capacity

Researchers conducted a comprehensive bibliometric analysis to map the current state of nanoplastic research, focusing on their presence in the environment and ability to adsorb pollutants. They found that nanoplastics can carry and concentrate harmful substances due to their extremely small size and large surface area. The study identifies significant knowledge gaps in understanding how these tiny particles interact with ecosystems and potentially affect human health.

The Exposome and the Kidney: A Silent Dialogue Shaping Chronic Kidney Disease

This review explores how environmental exposures, collectively called the exposome, contribute to chronic kidney disease. Factors including air pollution, nanoplastics, pesticides, ultra-processed foods, and socioeconomic stress all appear to interact with genetic predisposition to influence kidney health. The study suggests that since genetics account for less than 20% of overall disease risk, understanding and reducing harmful environmental exposures could be an important strategy for kidney disease prevention.

Natural Pyrolusite-Catalyzed Ozonation for Nanoplastics Degradation

This study tested a new water treatment method that uses a natural mineral called pyrolusite combined with ozone to break down nanoplastics. Researchers found that this approach removed up to 75% of total organic carbon from polystyrene nanoplastics in just 30 minutes, and the mineral catalyst could be reused multiple times with minimal loss in effectiveness. The results suggest this could be a sustainable, environmentally friendly strategy for removing nanoplastics from drinking water.

Micro- and Nanoplastics on Human Health and Diseases: Perspectives and Recent Advances

This review provides a comprehensive overview of how micro- and nanoplastics enter the human body through ingestion, inhalation, and skin absorption, and how they can then travel through the bloodstream to reach virtually every organ. Researchers summarize evidence that these particles can trigger inflammation, oxidative stress, and disruption of hormonal and immune functions. The study emphasizes that the ability of these particles to cross biological barriers and accumulate in tissues makes understanding their long-term health effects an urgent research priority.

Gut Microbiota Interventions to Retain Residual Kidney Function

This review examines strategies to modify gut bacteria in patients with chronic kidney disease in order to slow further kidney damage. Researchers found that gut imbalances in these patients lead to increased production of harmful substances that can worsen kidney function. The study suggests that dietary interventions, probiotics, and other approaches to restore healthy gut microbiota may help preserve remaining kidney function and improve patient outcomes.

Marine Ecosystem Assessment for the Southern Ocean: Birds and Marine Mammals in a Changing Climate

This assessment reviews the status of seabirds and marine mammals in the Southern Ocean and how climate change is affecting their populations and habitats. Researchers found that shifting sea ice patterns, changing prey availability, and ocean warming are altering the distribution and breeding success of many Antarctic species. The study notes that plastic pollution, including microplastics, represents an additional stress factor for these vulnerable top predators.

Effects of salinity on naphthalene adsorption and toxicity of polyethylene microparticles on Artemia salina

Researchers studied how polyethylene microplastics and the chemical pollutant naphthalene interact at different salinity levels and affect the survival and feeding of brine shrimp. They found that higher concentrations of both microplastics and naphthalene reduced shrimp survival rates, and that microplastics adsorbed more naphthalene at elevated salinity levels. The findings demonstrate that the co-occurrence of microplastics and chemical pollutants in aquatic environments can create compounding harmful effects on marine organisms.

Microplastics associated with stranded macroalgae on an impacted estuarine beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Researchers examined microplastics trapped in seaweed washed up on a beach in Brazil's heavily polluted Guanabara Bay. Red algae captured significantly more microplastic particles than green algae, likely due to their more complex branching structure. The microplastic levels found in these algae were higher than those reported in studies from other locations, suggesting that nutrient-rich, polluted waters increase the amount of plastic debris that accumulates on marine plants.

A global synthesis of microplastic contamination in wild fish species: Challenges for conservation, implications for sustainability of wild fish stocks and future directions

Researchers conducted a global synthesis analyzing 260 field studies covering over 1,000 fish species and found that microplastics have been recorded in 830 wild fish species, including 606 species important to commercial fisheries. Among the affected species, 34 are classified as globally threatened on the IUCN Red List. The study highlights that microplastic contamination is widespread across wild fish populations, with implications for both conservation and food safety.

Harmfulness Score: A Data‐Driven Framework for Ranking Environmental Risks of Microplastics

Researchers analyzed over 104,000 scientific abstracts on micro- and nanoplastics using bibliometric tools and machine learning to create a data-driven framework for ranking environmental risks. The resulting Harmfulness Score ranked polystyrene and polyethylene as the highest-risk polymers based on their association with oxidative stress, cytotoxicity, and genotoxicity in the scientific literature.

Sentiment mapping of microplastic awareness in educational environments

Researchers surveyed 96 participants from diverse educational backgrounds in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to assess public perceptions and awareness of microplastic pollution. Using sentiment analysis, hierarchical clustering, and machine learning techniques, the study found varying levels of understanding about microplastic environmental and health impacts across different educational settings.

Lanternfish as bioindicator of microplastics in the deep sea: A spatiotemporal analysis using museum specimens

Using archived museum specimens of lanternfish collected from 1999 to 2017, researchers tracked microplastic ingestion trends in one of the world's most abundant deep-sea vertebrates. They found that 55% of 1,167 specimens contained microplastics, with ingestion probability increasing over time, and that migration patterns were the strongest predictor of contamination levels.

What are the future directions for microplastics characterization? A regex-llama data mining approach for identifying emerging trends

Researchers developed a hybrid method combining regex-based pattern detection with the Llama 3.2 language model to identify emerging trends in microplastic characterization techniques. The study explored established methods like Raman and FTIR spectroscopy alongside advanced tools such as X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy and Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy, enhancing the accuracy of identifying analytical innovations in the field.

Study of the surface, rheological and morphological characteristics of isotactic polypropylene microplastics aged in a photothermal oxidation chamber

Identification of BgP, a Cutinase-Like Polyesterase From a Deep-Sea Sponge-Derived Actinobacterium

Researchers identified BgP, a cutinase-like polyesterase enzyme from a deep-sea sponge-derived actinobacterium, which can hydrolyze synthetic polyesters including PET plastic, highlighting marine bacteria as a promising source of plastic-degrading enzymes.

Influencing factors for microplastic intake in abundant deep-sea lanternfishes (Myctophidae)

Researchers found microplastics in 68% of mesopelagic lanternfish from the Southwestern Tropical Atlantic, with body size and feeding depth identified as key factors influencing microplastic intake in these abundant deep-sea fish.

Environmental and technical impacts of floating photovoltaic plants as an emerging clean energy technology

Researchers reviewed the environmental and technical benefits of floating solar panels installed on water bodies, finding that they generate more electricity than ground-mounted systems, reduce water evaporation, and can be paired with existing hydropower infrastructure. Despite strong growth globally, the technology faces barriers from limited government policy support and unresolved questions about long-term durability of floating structures.