Papers

Food chain microplastics contamination and impact on human health: a review

Health risk assessment of microplastics contamination in the daily diet of South Asian countries

This meta-analysis found that South Asians ingest an estimated 508-2,280 microplastic particles per person per day through food, with salt, fish, milk, and drinking water showing hazard scores above global averages. High-risk polymers including PVC, polyurethane, and polyamide were identified, with annual microplastic ingestion rates reaching up to 36.3 grams per person through fish consumption alone.

Biotechnological methods to remove microplastics: a review

This review examines biotechnological approaches to removing microplastics from the environment, including using algae, fungi, and bacteria that can break down plastic particles. The paper also discusses cutting-edge methods like gene editing to enhance microbial degradation abilities, which could eventually help reduce the amount of microplastics that accumulate in food and water sources.

Microplastic Pollution: A Global Environmental Crisis Impacting Marine Life, Human Health, and Potential Innovative Sustainable Solutions

This review summarizes existing research on how microplastics move through water and air, accumulate in marine organisms, and transfer up the food chain to humans. The evidence suggests microplastics can increase harmful free radicals in the body, leading to DNA damage, cellular stress, altered gene expression, and reduced cell survival, highlighting the need for stronger regulations.

Insights into the Binding Interactions between Microplastics and Human α-Synuclein Protein by Multispectroscopic Investigations and Amyloidogenic Oligomer Formation

Researchers found that common microplastics -- especially polystyrene -- can bind to alpha-synuclein, a brain protein whose clumping is a hallmark of Parkinson's disease. The microplastics altered the protein's structure and promoted the formation of toxic clumps called amyloidogenic oligomers. This suggests that microplastic exposure could potentially accelerate the protein misfolding process linked to Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Microplastic contamination in wastewater: Sources, distribution, detection and remediation through physical and chemical-biological methods

This review covers how microplastics end up in wastewater from sources like textile fibers, personal care microbeads, and broken-down plastic debris, and how they often survive the treatment process. Current removal methods like filtration and chemical degradation are costly and not fully effective. The lack of standardized ways to measure microplastics in wastewater makes it difficult to assess the full scope of human exposure through water systems.

Aging of disposable face masks in landfill leachate poses cyto-genotoxic risks to Allium cepa: Perils of uncontrolled disposal of medical waste

Researchers found that disposable face masks break down faster in landfill conditions than in plain water, releasing polypropylene microfibers and toxic metals. The leachate from degraded masks caused significantly more DNA damage and oxidative stress in plant cells compared to masks aged in clean water. This study highlights that improper disposal of face masks in landfills creates a growing source of microplastic and chemical contamination.

Microplastics as emerging carcinogens: from environmental pollutants to oncogenic drivers

This review examines growing evidence that microplastics and nanoplastics may play a role in cancer development, with these particles found in human tumor tissues from the lungs, colon, stomach, breast, and other organs. The particles appear to promote cancer through chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, DNA damage, and disruption of key cancer-related signaling pathways. While direct proof of causation in humans is still lacking, the accumulating evidence from lab studies, animal experiments, and human tissue analysis suggests microplastics deserve serious attention as potential contributors to cancer risk.

Microplastics can alter structural configurations of human non-canonical G-quadruplex DNA

Researchers discovered that polystyrene microplastics can bind directly to G-quadruplex DNA structures, which are important regulatory elements in human genes involved in cell growth and cancer. The microplastics altered the shape of these DNA structures, which could potentially interfere with normal gene regulation. This is one of the first studies showing microplastics can interact with DNA at the molecular level, raising concerns about how plastic particles inside the body might affect cellular processes.

Exposure to polyethylene microplastics exacerbate inflammatory bowel disease tightly associated with intestinal gut microflora

This study found that polyethylene microplastics, one of the most common types found in everyday products, worsened inflammatory bowel disease symptoms by disrupting the gut microbiome. The microplastics changed the balance of gut bacteria in ways that increased intestinal inflammation. These findings suggest that swallowing microplastics through food and drinks could make existing bowel conditions worse or contribute to gut inflammation in otherwise healthy people.

Molecular docking and metagenomics assisted mitigation of microplastic pollution

This review examines how metagenomics (studying DNA from environmental microbes) and molecular docking (computer-simulated protein interactions) can help identify bacteria and enzymes capable of breaking down microplastics. By analyzing microbial communities on plastic surfaces, scientists can discover new enzymes that target specific plastic types. These biotechnology approaches offer promising paths toward developing biological solutions for cleaning up microplastic pollution in the environment.

Microplastics in mangroves with special reference to Asia: Occurrence, distribution, bioaccumulation and remediation options

This review examines microplastic contamination in Asian mangrove ecosystems, finding higher pollution levels near fishing, tourism, and industrial areas. Organisms throughout the mangrove food web, from shellfish to fish, accumulate microplastics based on their feeding habits and habitat. While mangrove plants can trap some microplastics in their roots, the widespread contamination of these coastal ecosystems raises concerns about the safety of seafood harvested from mangrove areas for human consumption.

Do microplastics accumulate in penguin internal organs? Evidence from Svenner island, Antarctica

Scientists examined the internal organs of Adelie penguins from Antarctica and found microplastics in their digestive systems, muscles, and other tissues, the first comprehensive study of microplastic accumulation in penguin organs. The most common plastics found were polyester, polyethylene, and polypropylene, likely ingested through contaminated prey. This finding shows that microplastic pollution has reached even the most remote ecosystems and is building up inside top predators.

Microplastic toxicity in aquatic organisms across phylogeny

This review provides the first cross-species assessment of microplastic toxicity spanning the entire range of aquatic life, from simple invertebrates to fish and marine mammals. Evidence indicates that microplastics cause DNA damage, reproductive harm, behavioral changes, and oxidative stress across many different species. The study also highlights that microplastics can act as carriers for other toxic chemicals and harmful microorganisms, amplifying their ecological impact.

Tracing source of microplastics contamination in CTC tea: Effect of processing stages and human health risk assessment

Researchers traced microplastic contamination through each stage of CTC tea manufacturing and found that processing equipment made of plastic, including conveyor belts and extraction machines, contributes particles throughout production. Contamination was highest during the fermentation stage and included polyethylene, polyacrylates, PVC, and nylon fragments. While the estimated health risks from consuming the tea fell within current safety limits, the study provides the first baseline data on how tea processing itself introduces microplastics.

Microbial strategies for degradation of microplastics generated from COVID-19 healthcare waste

Researchers reviewed microbial strategies for degrading microplastics generated from COVID-19 healthcare waste such as masks, gloves, and personal protective equipment. The study discusses how improper disposal of pandemic-related plastic waste creates microplastic pollution and explores the potential of microorganisms to break down these polymeric materials as a bioremediation approach.

Algae and bacteria consortia for wastewater decontamination and transformation into biodiesel, bioethanol, biohydrogen, biofertilizers and animal feed: a review

Researchers reviewed how combining microalgae and bacteria in wastewater treatment can simultaneously remove contaminants and produce valuable outputs including biodiesel, bioethanol, biohydrogen, and animal feed. This dual-purpose biological approach offers a more sustainable alternative to conventional wastewater treatment by turning waste nutrients into useful products rather than simply eliminating them.

Toxicity of polystyrene microplastics in freshwater algae Scenedesmus obliquus: Effects of particle size and surface charge

Researchers investigated how polystyrene microplastics of different sizes and surface charges affect the freshwater algae Scenedesmus obliquus. The study found that smaller 1-micrometer particles caused greater oxidative stress, reduced photosynthetic effectiveness, and decreased membrane integrity compared to larger 12-micrometer particles, with effects being dose-dependent.

Positive and negative impacts of COVID-19 on the environment: A critical review with sustainability approaches

This review examines both the positive and negative environmental impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. While lockdowns temporarily reduced air, water, and noise pollution, the massive increase in disposable masks, gloves, and plastic packaging created a surge in microplastic contamination. The study highlights how the pandemic exposed the tension between public health measures and environmental sustainability.

Time dependent release of microplastics from disposable face masks poses cyto-genotoxic risks in Allium cepa

Researchers studied how disposable face masks release microplastics over time when submerged in water, then tested the effects of the resulting leachates on plant cells. They found that masks released increasing amounts of microplastics the longer they were submerged, and that the leachates caused DNA damage and disrupted cell division in onion root cells. The study highlights that discarded face masks from the pandemic era are an ongoing source of microplastic pollution with measurable biological effects.

Multispectroscopic Investigations of the Binding Interaction between Polyethylene Microplastics and Human Hemoglobin

Scientists used multiple spectroscopic techniques to investigate whether polyethylene microplastics can bind to human hemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen in blood. They found that microplastic particles do interact with hemoglobin, altering its structural shape and potentially affecting its function. The findings raise questions about what might happen when microplastics enter the human bloodstream and interact with essential blood proteins.

Potential transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through microplastics in sewage: A wastewater-based epidemiological review

This review investigated whether microplastics in sewage systems could serve as carriers for SARS-CoV-2 transmission, finding that the virus can adsorb onto microplastic surfaces in wastewater, suggesting a potential but understudied pathway for viral spread through water systems.

First account of microplastics in pelagic sporting dolphinfish from the eastern Mexican coast of Baja California Sur

Researchers provided the first account of microplastics in pelagic sporting dolphinfish from the eastern Mexican coast of Baja California Sur, finding MP particles in the gastrointestinal tracts of sampled fish, confirming contamination in this commercially important species.

An insight into the ecological risks and mitigation of heavy metal pollution in aquatic sediments and marine ecosystems

This review examines heavy metal pollution in aquatic sediments and marine ecosystems, covering contamination sources, ecological risks, and mitigation strategies. The study highlights the deterioration of aquatic zones due to rising pollution from urbanization and industrialization, and discusses how pollutants including microplastics interact with heavy metals to affect biogeochemical cycling and the food chain.