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Papers
75 resultsShowing papers from University of Warwick
ClearMicroplastics in freshwater systems: Dynamic behaviour and transport processes
This review examines how microplastics move through freshwater systems like rivers and lakes on their way to the ocean. The behavior of these particles, including whether they sink, float, or clump together, depends on their size, shape, and density, which constantly change as the plastics weather and interact with organisms. Understanding these transport processes is critical because freshwater systems are a major pathway for microplastic pollution that eventually affects drinking water and aquatic food sources.
Impact of microplastic residues from polyurethane films on crop growth: Unraveling insights through transcriptomics and metabolomics analysis
Residual plastic films from coated fertilizers harmed wheat growth by disrupting energy metabolism in roots, with one type reducing plant height by nearly 25%. However, some bio-based polyester films triggered plant defense responses that offset the damage, suggesting that switching to certain biodegradable alternatives could reduce the microplastic-related risks to crop production and food safety.
Understanding visible light and microbe-driven degradation mechanisms of polyurethane plastics: Pathways, property changes, and product analysis
Researchers found that polyurethane plastics break down in water through a combination of microbial action and light exposure, producing secondary microplastics as they degrade. This study reveals a previously underappreciated source of microplastic pollution, since polyurethane is widely used in coatings, foams, and other products that often end up in waterways.
Quantifying microplastic dispersion due to density effects
This laboratory study measured how different types of microplastics move through water based on their density, finding that denser plastics settle to the bottom in slow-moving water while lighter ones travel like dissolved particles. Understanding how microplastics spread in rivers is important because it helps predict where plastic contamination will accumulate and which water sources face the greatest risk of exposure.
A critical review on the migration, transformation, sampling, analysis and environmental effects of microplastics in the environment
This review provides a comprehensive overview of where microplastics come from, how they move through different environments, and the methods used to detect and measure them. It highlights that microplastics can carry harmful chemicals and pathogens, and emphasizes the need for standardized detection methods so researchers can better assess the true risks to ecosystems and human health.
Polymer nanoparticles pass the plant interface
Researchers created well-defined fluorescent polymer nanoparticles and tracked their uptake into the roots and cells of Arabidopsis plants using microscopy. They found that smaller nanoparticles were taken up more efficiently than larger ones, with particles entering through the root system. The study provides direct evidence that nanoplastics can cross plant cell barriers, which has implications for understanding how plastic pollution may enter the food chain through crops.
Marine Plastic Debris: A New Surface for Microbial Colonization
This review examines the "Plastisphere" -- the community of microbes that rapidly colonizes plastic debris in the ocean -- covering biofilm development, potential biodegradation, and the hitchhiking of harmful bacteria. Researchers found that microbial communities on plastics do not dramatically differ from those on other inert surfaces, especially in mature biofilms. The study identifies key knowledge gaps and calls for more environmentally realistic research into how these plastic-associated microbes interact with marine ecosystems.
Biodegradation of microplastics derived from controlled release fertilizer coating: Selective microbial colonization and metabolism in plastisphere
Scientists studied how microplastics from fertilizer coatings break down in soil over more than two years, finding that polyethylene degraded the most (nearly 17% weight loss) while producing secondary microplastic fragments and chemical byproducts. Specific bacteria and fungi colonized the plastic surfaces, forming biofilms that helped break down the material. This research shows that coated fertilizers are a direct source of microplastic pollution in farmland, where the breakdown products could enter crops and groundwater.
Lost, but Found with Nile Red: A Novel Method for Detecting and Quantifying Small Microplastics (1 mm to 20 μm) in Environmental Samples
Researchers developed a new high-throughput method using the fluorescent dye Nile Red to detect and count small microplastic particles between 20 and 1000 micrometers in size. When tested on ocean surface samples, the method revealed a dramatic increase in particle numbers at smaller sizes, following a predictable mathematical pattern. The findings help explain the apparent disappearance of small microplastics from surface waters and suggest previous surveys significantly undercounted them.
Distribution of plastic polymer types in the marine environment; A meta-analysis
This meta-analysis pools data from studies worldwide to map which types of plastic polymers are found in different parts of the ocean. The research found that plastic particles sort themselves by density, with lighter plastics floating at the surface and denser ones sinking to the seafloor, creating distinct contamination patterns. Understanding where different plastics accumulate helps predict which marine organisms are most exposed and how microplastics may enter the seafood supply chain.
Hyporheic exchange processes of pore-scale microplastics
Researchers studied how microplastics move through the hyporheic zone, the region where river water mixes with groundwater beneath the streambed. They found that denser plastic particles sank through sediment pores toward groundwater, while lighter plastics rose to the surface, and both behaved differently from dissolved substances. These findings raise concerns that microplastics may be contaminating groundwater systems through processes that are not well captured by current water quality models.
Protein Based Hybrid Materials of Metal Phosphate Nanoflowers and Gels for Water Remediation: Perspectives and Prospects
This review examined protein-based hybrid materials that combine biological proteins with metal phosphate nanostructures for water remediation applications. Researchers found these hybrids show promise for removing heavy metals, dyes, antibiotics, and microplastics from contaminated water. The study highlights an emerging class of biocompatible materials that could offer sustainable alternatives for water treatment technologies.
Transport dynamics of microplastics within aquatic vegetation featuring realistic plant morphology
Researchers investigated how aquatic vegetation with realistic plant structures affects the transport and trapping of microplastics in river environments. They found that floating plant canopies significantly altered water flow and increased microplastic retention, with smaller nanoscale particles being trapped more effectively than larger ones. The study suggests that aquatic vegetation may act as a natural filter, accumulating microplastics and potentially preventing their transport downstream to oceans.
Effects of conventional and biodegradable microplastics on a marine ecosystem engineer (Arenicola marina) and sediment nutrient cycling
Researchers assessed the effects of biodegradable and conventional microplastics on lugworms, a key marine ecosystem engineer, in outdoor mesocosms. The study found that both types of microplastics at increasing concentrations affected lugworm health and biological activity as well as sediment nutrient cycling, suggesting that even biodegradable plastics may pose risks to marine sediment ecosystems.
Effects of microplastics on European flat oysters, Ostrea edulis and their associated benthic communities
Researchers assessed the effects of microplastics on European flat oysters and their associated benthic communities in outdoor mesocosms. The study found that microplastic exposure affected oyster health and biological functioning, and also altered the structure of surrounding macrofaunal assemblages, demonstrating that microplastic pollution can have community-level ecological impacts.
Municipal solid waste compost: Global trends and biogeochemical cycling
This review examines the growing global use of municipal solid waste compost as a soil enhancer and carbon mitigation tool in agriculture. Researchers analyze how the composition and quality of compost varies based on processing methods and feedstock materials, and discuss its role in carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycling. The study also addresses emerging concerns about compost as a potential pathway for microplastic and heavy metal contamination of agricultural soils.
Microplastics Affect the Ecological Functioning of an Important Biogenic Habitat
Researchers tested how microplastics affect the ecological functioning of oyster and mussel habitats in outdoor mesocosms. The study found that both biodegradable and conventional microplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations can alter filtration rates and nutrient cycling in these important biogenic habitats, suggesting broader ecosystem-level impacts.
A multi-OMIC characterisation of biodegradation and microbial community succession within the PET plastisphere
Researchers performed a multi-omic analysis of bacterial communities colonizing PET plastic in marine environments, identifying microorganisms capable of degrading PET and characterizing the enzymatic pathways involved, advancing understanding of natural plastic biodegradation in ocean systems.
Biofilm growth is insufficient to retain large buoyant microplastics in constructed wetlands
Researchers investigated whether biofilm growth on buoyant microplastics is sufficient to cause them to sink and be retained in constructed wetlands used for water treatment. The study found that biofilm formation alone was insufficient to retain large buoyant microplastic particles, meaning these plastics may bypass constructed wetlands and enter downstream aquatic environments.
Uncertainty quantification of granular computing-neural network model for prediction of pollutant longitudinal dispersion coefficient in aquatic streams
Researchers developed an AI model combining granular computing and neural networks to better predict how pollutants spread through rivers, achieving highly accurate estimates of the longitudinal dispersion coefficient across a wide range of stream conditions. Improved predictions of pollutant mixing are critical for protecting water quality in natural waterways.
Plastic pyrolysis over HZSM-5 zeolite and fluid catalytic cracking catalyst under ultra-fast heating
Researchers demonstrated that using induction heating — a fast, energy-efficient method — with catalysts can fully break down polyethylene and polypropylene plastics within 10 minutes, converting them into useful gases and liquid chemicals, offering a more economically viable recycling pathway than conventional plastic pyrolysis.
Digitally enabled business models for a circular plastic economy in Africa
Researchers explored how digital technologies are enabling circular economy business models for plastic waste management across African retailing and distribution systems. Drawing on focus group discussions and interviews with frontline organizations, the study examined the impact of digital innovations on plastic waste collection, sorting, and recycling. The findings highlight how digital tools can complement ecological goals by creating economic incentives for managing plastic waste in developing economies.
Microplastics pollution in sediments of the Thames and Medway estuaries, UK: Organic matter associations and predominance of polyethylene
Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in sediments along the Thames and Medway estuaries in the UK. They found the highest concentrations in urban London, with polyethylene being the most common polymer type, and microplastic abundance was strongly correlated with organic carbon content in the sediment. The study identifies urbanization and combined sewer overflows as key drivers of microplastic accumulation in these estuarine environments.
Eight urgent, fundamental and simultaneous steps needed to restore ocean health, and the consequences for humanity and the planet of inaction or delay
This perspective article identified eight urgent simultaneous actions needed to restore ocean health—including reducing emissions, overfishing, and pollution—and argued that delay or partial action risks irreversible ratchet-like degradation of ocean systems. The authors emphasize that ocean restoration directly supports human wellbeing and that the window for effective intervention is narrowing.