Papers

Toward ecosystem-based deep-sea governance: a review of global approaches and China’s participation

This study reviews the current state of international deep-sea governance, finding that existing frameworks are fragmented and address only a limited range of issues. The researchers evaluate China's participation in deep-sea governance and propose pathways for enhanced ecosystem-based management approaches.

The plastic-soil interface: Unveiling nanoplastic formation and its role in metal(loid) transport in contaminated soils

This research investigates how plastic fragments break down into nanoplastics in soil environments and how those nanoplastics interact with toxic metals. Using advanced nanoscale X-ray fluorescence imaging, the study aims to characterize nanoplastics released from weathered plastic in soils and identify how metal contaminants bind to these particles, an area that has been largely overlooked compared to marine environments.

Open science resources from the Tara Pacific expedition across coral reef and surface ocean ecosystems

Researchers from the Tara Pacific expedition collected nearly 58,000 samples from coral reefs and ocean surface waters across 32 Pacific islands between 2016 and 2018, creating a massive open-access dataset for studying ocean ecosystems. This publicly available resource allows scientists worldwide to investigate a wide range of questions about coral reef health, ocean biodiversity, and environmental change.

Micro-contextual identification of archaeological lipid biomarkers using resin-impregnated sediment slabs

Researchers tested whether ancient lipid (fat-based) biomarkers could be identified in resin-preserved archaeological sediment slabs, enabling high-resolution spatial analysis of past human behavior and environments. The approach worked for several lipid types including alkanes and alcohols, offering archaeologists a new tool for studying ancient sites at a very fine scale without losing location context.

Influence of mineral and organic matrices on the thermal characterization of microplastics

Researchers investigated how mineral and organic matrices in sediments interfere with Rock-Eval thermal characterization of microplastics, finding that both matrix types alter key pyrolysis and oxidation parameters and must be accounted for when using this method to quantify microplastic pollution in sediments.

Discontinuous yielding of pristine micro-crystals

This theoretical physics paper develops a model for crystal deformation in dislocation-free materials. While not related to environmental science or microplastics, the work contributes to materials science research on plastic deformation at the microscale.

Calibration of Short-Wave InfraRed (SWIR) hyperspectral imaging using Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) to obtain continuous logging of mineral abundances along sediment cores

TD 2881 - A Organização das Nações Unidas e o objetivo de desenvolvimento sustentável 14 : desafios para o Brasil na década do oceano

This Brazilian paper examines challenges for Brazil in achieving UN Sustainable Development Goal 14 (life below water) during the Ocean Decade. Ocean microplastic pollution is a central challenge for SDG 14, and Brazil as a major coastal nation faces significant responsibilities in addressing plastic waste entering the South Atlantic.

An Integrative Assessment of the Plastic Debris Load in the Mediterranean Sea

River Basin Visions: Tools and Approaches from Yesterday to Tomorrow

This chapter reviews 30 years of tools and approaches developed within the PIREN-Seine research program for river basin management and water quality improvement in the Seine watershed. The authors assess advances in field measurement, numerical modeling, and participatory science tools. This is a water management science review with limited direct relevance to microplastic research.