Papers

Synergistic neurotoxicity of clothianidin and photoaged microplastics in zebrafish: Implications for neuroendocrine disruption

This study found that photoaged (sun-weathered) microplastics absorb more of the insecticide clothianidin than fresh plastics, and the combination caused greater nerve damage in zebrafish larvae than either pollutant alone. The results demonstrate how weathered microplastics in the environment can amplify the toxicity of other chemicals they encounter, creating compound exposure risks for aquatic life and potentially for humans through the food chain.

Photoaged microplastics induce neurotoxicity via oxidative stress and abnormal neurotransmission in zebrafish larvae (Danio rerio)

This study found that microplastics aged by sunlight were more toxic to zebrafish larvae than fresh microplastics, causing brain damage and abnormal behavior. The sun-aged particles triggered greater oxidative stress and disrupted neurotransmitter systems in the developing fish. This is concerning because most microplastics in the environment have been weathered by sunlight, meaning the real-world health risks may be greater than lab studies using fresh plastics suggest.

Metabolomics reveals how spinach plants reprogram metabolites to cope with intense stress responses induced by photoaged polystyrene nanoplastics (PSNPs)

Researchers found that tiny plastic nanoparticles can be absorbed by spinach roots and travel into the edible leaves, disrupting the plant's normal metabolism. Aged (sun-weathered) nanoplastics caused even more severe effects than new ones, triggering widespread changes in the plant's chemical processes. This matters for human health because it shows microplastics can enter our food supply through the vegetables we eat.

Toxic effects of microplastics in plants depend more by their surface functional groups than just accumulation contents

Researchers studied how differently charged microplastics affect lettuce plants grown in water, finding that all types caused growth problems, root damage, and oxidative stress. Microplastics were able to penetrate roots and travel to above-ground plant parts through the water transport system. Importantly, the study found that the type of chemical groups on the microplastic surface mattered more for toxicity than the total amount of plastic accumulated in the plant.

Microplastics as emerging contaminants in textile dyeing sludge: Their impacts on co-combustion/pyrolysis products, residual metals, and temperature dependency of emissions

Researchers studied how microplastics in textile dyeing sludge affect the pollutants released when the sludge is burned or heated for disposal. The presence of polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics increased the release of harmful gases and changed how toxic metals behaved during combustion. This means that microplastic-contaminated industrial waste can generate additional air pollution when disposed of through burning, adding to the pollutants people breathe.

Mass-based fates of microplastics throughout wastewater treatment processes

The occurrence and abundance of microplastics in surface water and sediment of the West River downstream, in the south of China

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in surface water and sediment of the West River downstream in southern China. They found microplastics in all samples, with concentrations ranging widely and fibers being the dominant shape. The study suggests that the downstream section of the West River serves as both a conduit and accumulation zone for microplastic pollution heading toward coastal waters.

A case study on small-size microplastics in water and snails in an urban river

Researchers used laser direct infrared chemical imaging to investigate microplastic pollution in water and snails from a highly urbanized river. The study found small-size microplastics present in both the water and the tissues of aquatic snails, highlighting urban rivers as hotspots for microplastic contamination and potential ecological exposure.

Microplastics abundance associated with farmland use types and the impact on soil microbial communities: A case study in Southern China

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination across orchard, paddy field, and vegetable field soils in Southern China and analyzed how it affected soil microbial communities. They found microplastic levels ranging widely across sites, with very small particles under 30 micrometers being most common, and identified 32 different polymer types. The study shows that farmland use type and agricultural practices like plastic mulching significantly influence both the amount and type of microplastic contamination in soils.

Effect of microplastics in sludge impacts on the vermicomposting

Researchers examined how adding polyethylene microplastic particles to sludge affects vermicomposting performance. The study found that higher microplastic concentrations reduced the efficiency of organic matter removal, impaired composting quality, and caused oxidative stress and neurotoxicity in earthworms, with bacterial diversity also declining in heavily contaminated treatments.

Microplastics with different functional groups modulate cellular and molecular mechanisms of reduced graphene oxide toxicity on the green microalga, Scenedesmus obliquus

Researchers tested how microplastics with different surface chemistries interact with reduced graphene oxide, another emerging pollutant, and their combined effects on green algae. They found that certain microplastics reduced the toxicity of graphene oxide by adsorbing it, while others amplified the harmful effects depending on their surface functional groups. The study reveals that the combined impact of different nanomaterials in the environment can vary widely based on their chemical properties.

Human activities affect the multidecadal microplastic deposition records in a subtropical urban lake, China

Researchers analyzed sediment cores from a subtropical urban lake in China to reconstruct 64 years of microplastic deposition history. They found that microplastic concentrations in the sediment increased significantly over the decades, correlating closely with urbanization, population growth, and economic development. The study provides evidence that human activities are the primary driver of long-term microplastic accumulation in freshwater lake environments.

Different functional areas and human activities significantly affect the occurrence and characteristics of microplastics in soils of the Xi'an metropolitan area

Researchers investigated microplastic pollution in soils across different functional areas of the Xi'an metropolitan area in China. The study found an average of 2,218 microplastic particles per kilogram of soil in Xi'an city, with industrial and tourist areas showing the worst contamination, likely linked to higher levels of urbanization and human activity.

A review of multi-contaminant risks in textile dyeing sludge pyrolysis: Transformation mechanisms and mitigation strategies

This review examines the behavior of multiple contaminants, including microplastics, heavy metals, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, during the pyrolysis treatment of textile dyeing sludge. Researchers found that while pyrolysis offers advantages over incineration and landfilling for treating this industrial waste, understanding of how emerging contaminants transform during the process is still limited. The study identifies key research gaps in quantifying emerging pollutants and assessing the long-term safety of biochar produced from contaminated sludge.

Common Divalent Cations Elicit Sublethal Effects of Negatively Charged Nanoplastics on <i>Shewanella oneidensis</i> by Compromising Membrane Protein Functionality

Researchers found that common environmental cations like calcium and magnesium can enhance the interaction between negatively charged nanoplastics and bacteria, triggering sublethal but significant biological effects. In the presence of these divalent cations, nanoplastics caused membrane damage and impaired the bacteria's ability to transfer electrons, a key metabolic function. The study suggests that the toxicity of nanoplastics in natural environments may be greater than laboratory tests using pure water would indicate.

Source or sink role of an urban lake for microplastics from Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao greater bay area, China

Researchers investigated whether an urban lake in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area acts as a source or sink for microplastics, finding that urbanization-driven inputs and hydrological dynamics determine the lake's shifting role in microplastic cycling.

Enantiospecific toxicity, distribution and bioaccumulation of chiral antidepressant venlafaxine and its metabolite in loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) co-exposed to microplastic and the drugs

Researchers investigated the enantiospecific toxicity and bioaccumulation of chiral antidepressant compounds in fish, finding that different mirror-image forms of the same chemical were distributed and accumulated differently in fish tissues, highlighting the importance of chirality in environmental risk assessment.

Characteristics, drivers and ecological risk assessment of microplastics in the surface water of urban rivers in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area cities - A case study of Dongguan city

Researchers investigated microplastic characteristics and ecological risks in surface water of three urban rivers in Dongguan City within the Greater Bay Area of southern China. They found that average microplastic abundance during the wet season was 4.7 times higher than the dry season, with industrial activity along riverbanks driving the differences in contamination. Risk assessments indicated medium-high to high ecological risk classifications for the rivers studied.

Occurrence of microplastics in the seawater and atmosphere of the South China Sea: Pollution patterns and interrelationship

Researchers investigated microplastic pollution in both seawater and the atmosphere of the South China Sea, revealing distribution patterns and an interrelationship between marine and airborne microplastic contamination in the region.

Occurrence and risk assessment of microplastics on the Shenzhen coast, South China

Researchers conducted a comprehensive assessment of microplastic contamination across the Shenzhen coastal ecosystem in South China, sampling seawater, sediment, marine organisms, and beaches. They found widespread microplastic presence with rivers and sewage outfalls identified as major land-based sources. The study provides risk assessments indicating that the coastal megacity's microplastic pollution levels warrant increased monitoring and mitigation efforts.

Photoaged Polystyrene Microplastics Accelerate Aging in <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> via Ferroptosis-Linked Insulin Signaling Pathway

Researchers found that photoaged polystyrene microplastics accelerated aging in the nematode C. elegans at environmentally relevant concentrations far more than fresh particles. The aged plastics generated more persistent free radicals and accumulated more readily in the organisms, triggering ferroptosis, a form of iron-dependent cell death, and disrupting insulin signaling pathways. The study suggests that environmental weathering makes microplastics substantially more harmful to biological aging processes.

Aging mechanism of microplastics with UV irradiation and its effects on the adsorption of heavy metals

Researchers aged polystyrene microplastics using UV irradiation under three conditions (air, pure water, seawater) and found that aging changed surface chemistry and increased the microplastics' capacity to adsorb heavy metals, with seawater aging producing the most pronounced surface oxidation.

Distribution and characteristics of microplastics in the basin of Chishui River in Renhuai, China

Researchers measured microplastic pollution in the Chishui River basin in Renhuai, China, finding abundances of 1.77–14.33 items/L dominated by fibrous particles (59.4%), with higher fiber levels in densely populated areas and more film-type MPs in agricultural zones.

Research progress on microplastics in wastewater treatment plants: A holistic review

This review provides a holistic assessment of microplastics in wastewater treatment plants, covering sampling methods, occurrence patterns across treatment stages, removal efficiencies, and the environmental risks posed by microplastic discharge through effluent and sludge.