Papers

Low-cost portable microplastic detection system integrating nile red fluorescence staining with YOLOv8-based deep learning

Researchers built a portable, low-cost microplastic detector that uses fluorescent dye and artificial intelligence to identify six types of plastic particles in just 19 seconds at a cost of only $0.10 per test. This affordable technology could make it much easier for communities and researchers to monitor microplastic contamination in water and the environment, which is essential for understanding human exposure levels.

A review on microplastics and nanoplastics in the environment: Their occurrence, exposure routes, toxic studies, and potential effects on human health

This review summarizes what is known about how microplastics and nanoplastics enter the human body through food, air, and skin contact, and what they do once inside. Studies on cells and animals show these tiny particles can cause oxidative stress, DNA damage, inflammation, and harm to the immune, digestive, reproductive, and nervous systems. The research makes clear that microplastics are not just an environmental problem but a direct concern for human health.

Evidence of microplastics in groundwater: A growing risk for human health

Tailoring visible-light active TiO2/cellulose nanocomposites with controlled crystalline structure for enhanced photocatalytic performance

Researchers developed a simple, low-temperature method for growing titanium dioxide nanoparticles on cellulose without the need for high-heat processing. The study found that by adjusting acid concentration and temperature, they could control the crystal structure of the nanoparticles, with a mixed-phase version achieving over 99% degradation of a test dye under visible light. These findings suggest a greener approach to creating photocatalytic materials for breaking down pollutants.

Microbial degradation of polypropylene microplastics and concomitant polyhydroxybutyrate production: An integrated bioremediation approach with metagenomic insights

Researchers isolated microbial consortia capable of degrading polypropylene microplastics, achieving weight losses of up to 17.8% after 30 days of incubation. The most effective consortium also produced polyhydroxybutyrate, a biodegradable plastic alternative, while breaking down the polypropylene. Metagenomic analysis revealed abundant carbohydrate-active enzymes and oxidation pathways, suggesting an integrated bioremediation approach that simultaneously degrades plastic waste and generates a useful bioplastic.

The accumulation of microplastics in fish freshwater in the Mun river, Thailand

Researchers examined microplastic accumulation in freshwater fish from the Mun River in Thailand, finding plastic particles in the gastrointestinal tracts of multiple fish species. Fiber-shaped microplastics were the most commonly ingested type, likely originating from textile and domestic waste sources. The findings highlight the potential for human dietary exposure to microplastics through consumption of freshwater fish that are widely eaten throughout Southeast Asia.

Enhancing domestic wastewater treatment: Integrating vermifiltration and biochar for heavy metal and microplastic reduction and by-product utilization

Researchers tested a wastewater treatment system combining earthworms and biochar — a carbon-rich material made by burning organic matter — and found it removed up to 88.6% of microplastics and nearly 100% of several heavy metals from domestic wastewater. The system also produced nutrient-rich organic matter as a byproduct, offering a low-cost, eco-friendly solution for water treatment and soil improvement.

Toward Sustainable Environmental Quality: Priority Research Questions for Asia

A horizon-scanning exercise identified 23 priority research questions for environmental health in Asia, covering air pollution, water quality, microplastics, chemical contaminants, and ecosystem degradation, reflecting the region's unique scale and diversity of environmental challenges.

Extracellular vesicles and PET microplastics: Toward a biomarker framework for systemic endocrine–microbiome disruption

The Contamination of Microplastics Ingested by Freshwater Molluscs in the Mun River, Thailand

Four freshwater mollusk species from the Mun River, Thailand contained an average of 11.19±6.89 microplastic pieces per individual, with Scabies crispata showing the highest contamination and microplastic levels varying significantly by land use across sampling sites.

Classification of the Crosslink Density Level of Para Rubber Thick Film of Medical Glove by Using Near-Infrared Spectral Data

Researchers used near-infrared spectral data combined with machine learning to classify crosslink density levels in medical glove rubber, reporting this application for the first time. Three crosslink density groups were successfully classified using spectra from a portable MicroNIR spectrometer combined with a toluene swell index reference method.

Som tum, the famous ethnic food of Thailand: its benefit and innovations

This review examined the cultural history, ingredients, nutritional properties, and recent innovations in som tum, a traditional Thai ethnic dish made with raw papaya, synthesizing research on its health benefits and culinary evolution.

All-Atom Molecular Dynamics Simulations on a Single Chain of PET and PEV Polymers

Researchers used all-atom molecular dynamics simulations to compare the structural dynamics of bio-based polyethylene vanillic (PEV) and conventional PET polymers, finding that PEV exhibits greater chain flexibility while sharing similar thermal and mechanical properties, supporting its potential as a sustainable substitute.

Biodegradation of polyethylene terephthalate microplastics by Paenibacillus naphthalenovorans PETKKU2: Response surface optimization and genomic evidence for an alternative degradation mechanism

This study identified a soil bacterium, Paenibacillus naphthalenovorans PETKKU2, isolated from a Thai landfill, as capable of degrading PET microplastics and achieving nearly 10% weight loss over 35 days under optimized conditions — through a degradation pathway distinct from the well-known PETase enzyme route. Surface analysis confirmed progressive erosion and chemical changes in the plastic. Discovering new microbial pathways for PET degradation is important for developing biological recycling and remediation strategies for one of the world's most common plastic pollutants.

A review on microplastics in mammalian feces: Monitoring techniques and associated challenges

Researchers reviewed how microplastics appear in the feces of humans, dogs, cats, and marine mammals, finding PET plastic to be the most common type across species. Analyzing feces offers a non-invasive way to track how much plastic organisms are ingesting, which could help guide environmental health policies.

The influence of mixture proportions of polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, and polyester microplastics on methane production: Integrative analysis of microbial diversity, enzymatic and metabolic profiles

Bacteria isolated from soil degrade low-density polyethylene for growth and polyhydroxyalkanoate synthesis

Researchers isolated bacteria from plastic waste-contaminated soils and characterised their ability to degrade low-density polyethylene (LDPE), finding that after 16 weeks a bacterial consortium and Chitinophaga oryzae NT1-2 achieved weight losses of 21.97% and 16.14% respectively. FTIR analysis detected new carbonyl functional groups on degraded LDPE surfaces, alkane hydroxylase and alcohol dehydrogenase activities were quantified across strains, and the LDPE-degrading bacteria were also shown to synthesise polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), with C. oryzae NT1-2 producing the highest PHA yield of 26.27 mg/g-glucose.

Enhancing chemistry understanding and attitudes through an outreach education program on circular plastic economy: a case study with Thai twelfth-grade students

Researchers examined the impact of an outreach education program integrating the circular plastic economy (OEC-Circle) on 32 Thai 12th-grade students, finding that inquiry-based learning modules covering plastic chemistry, circular economy, and sustainable polymers improved both chemistry understanding and positive learning attitudes.

Waste Management in Batu City through the Perspective of Good Environmental Governance

Researchers evaluated waste management governance in Batu City, Indonesia by comparing two village-level waste facilities (TPS 3R Temas Sae and TPS 3R Dadaprejo), assessing their management structures and potential for development toward ideal good environmental governance principles.

Evidence of microplastics in the Chi River Basin, Thailand: Anthropogenic influence and potential threats to edible arthropods

Advancing Sustainable Solutions: Exploring United Atom Model for Efficient Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Poly-ethylene Vanillic (PEV) Polymer

Researchers developed a united atom (UA) force field model for molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of polyethylene vanillic (PEV), a bio-based polymer with mechanical and thermal properties comparable to PET, to provide a computationally efficient alternative to all-atom (AA) models. The UA model was validated against experimental and AA simulation data, supporting its use in screening green polymer candidates for sustainable plastic alternatives.

Biofiltration for treatment of recent emerging contaminants in water: Current and future perspectives

This review discusses how biologically enhanced activated carbon (BAC) filtration systems can remove emerging contaminants including pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and microplastics from drinking water and wastewater. BAC biofiltration is considered a promising upgrade to conventional water treatment that could improve removal of micro-sized contaminants.

Microplastic Contamination in Three Amphibian Species: Implications for Amphibian Ecosystems

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in tadpoles of three amphibian species collected from two Thai provinces, finding 26 microplastic particles — both fragments and fibers — across all species following hydrogen peroxide digestion and stereomicroscopic analysis. The banded bullfrog (Kaloula pulchra) carried the most particles (15), all fibers, indicating widespread environmental exposure even at early developmental stages.

Analisis Termogravimetri dan Dekomposisi Termal pada Produksi Bio-Oil dari Daun Tebu Menggunakan Proses Pirolisis Cepat

This Indonesian-language study uses thermogravimetric analysis to examine how sugarcane leaf waste breaks down during pyrolysis at different temperatures. The research contributes to developing bio-oil production from agricultural residues as an alternative to petroleum-based plastics.