Papers

A comprehensive review of urban microplastic pollution sources, environment and human health impacts, and regulatory efforts

This review pulls together research from 2010 to 2024 on how microplastics spread through cities via stormwater runoff, wastewater, and air, contaminating both water and soil. The authors highlight that people in urban areas are exposed to microplastics through ingestion, breathing, and skin contact, and call for stronger regulations and better waste management to protect public health.

Combined exposure of PVC-microplastic and mercury chloride (HgCl2) in sorghum (Pennisetum glaucum L.) when its seeds are primed titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2–NPs)

Researchers studied how PVC microplastics combined with mercury contamination in soil affected sorghum plant growth, finding that both pollutants together significantly reduced plant growth, photosynthesis, and increased oxidative stress. The study also showed that titanium dioxide nanoparticles applied to seeds could partially offset this damage, suggesting potential ways to protect crops grown in microplastic-contaminated soil.

Potential Role of Biochar on Capturing Soil Nutrients, Carbon Sequestration and Managing Environmental Challenges: A Review

This review summarizes how biochar, a charcoal-like material made from plant waste, can improve soil health, capture nutrients, and store carbon. Biochar is also being studied as a tool to absorb pollutants including microplastics from soil and water, making it relevant to efforts to reduce human exposure to plastic contamination in agriculture and the food chain.

Advances in Nitrogen-Rich Wastewater Treatment: A Comprehensive Review of Modern Technologies

This review covers biological, physical, and chemical methods for removing nitrogen from wastewater, comparing techniques like simultaneous nitrification-denitrification and membrane filtration. While not directly focused on microplastics, advanced wastewater treatment is relevant because improved systems could also help capture microplastic particles before they reach drinking water sources.

Microplastics as carriers of toxic pollutants: Source, transport, and toxicological effects

This review summarizes how microplastics absorb and carry toxic pollutants like persistent organic pollutants, heavy metals, and antibiotics through the environment, concentrating these harmful chemicals as they move through ecosystems. When organisms ingest these contaminated particles, the pollutants can build up in the food chain and eventually reach humans, making microplastics not just a physical hazard but also a chemical delivery system.

Assessing the environmental footprint of recycled plastic pellets: A life-cycle assessment perspective

This study used life-cycle assessment to evaluate the environmental impact of producing recycled plastic pellets from waste polyolefin plastics. While recycling reduced carbon emissions compared to making new plastic, the process still required significant energy, especially when solvent recovery was maximized. The research is relevant to the microplastics problem because it shows that even recycling processes need optimization to truly reduce the environmental footprint of plastic waste.

Assessment of potential ecological risk of microplastics in the coastal sediments of India: A meta-analysis

This meta-analysis assesses the ecological risk of microplastics in coastal sediments along India's coastline, finding high hazard levels in several areas. The presence of harmful plastic polymers in coastal sediments is concerning because these areas are important for fishing and seafood harvesting that feeds millions of people.

Interaction of titanium dioxide nanoparticles with PVC-microplastics and chromium counteracts oxidative injuries in Trachyspermum ammi L. by modulating antioxidants and gene expression

Scientists studied how PVC microplastics and chromium (a toxic heavy metal) together affect the growth of ajwain, an important medicinal and food plant. The combination of these pollutants reduced plant growth, damaged photosynthesis, and increased toxic stress more than either pollutant alone. This is relevant to food safety because agricultural soils are increasingly contaminated with both microplastics and heavy metals, which together could reduce crop quality and nutritional value.

An overview of the environmental pollution and health effects associated with waste landfilling and open dumping

Researchers reviewed how landfills and open dump sites contaminate groundwater, air, and nearby ecosystems through chemical leaching and gas emissions, causing both cancer-linked and non-cancer health risks for people living nearby. Open dumping — common in developing countries — poses the greatest danger and highlights gaps in global waste management infrastructure.

Retention mechanisms of microplastics in soil environments during saturation-desaturation cycles: Impact of hydrophobicity and pore geometry

This study used tiny lab models of soil pores to examine how microplastics get trapped in soil depending on their water-repelling properties and the shape of soil passages. More water-repellent microplastics stuck more firmly to surfaces and were retained at higher rates, up to 50% in some conditions. Understanding how microplastics move through soil is important for predicting whether they will reach groundwater or stay trapped near the surface where they can affect crops.

A Reliable and Robust Deep Learning Model for Effective Recyclable Waste Classification

Researchers developed a deep learning computer model that can sort waste into six categories, including plastic, with 95% accuracy. While this is a waste management technology rather than a health study, better automated waste sorting could help keep more plastics out of the environment where they break down into microplastics. Improved recycling through AI-powered sorting is one practical step toward reducing the microplastic pollution that eventually reaches people.

Impact of Abiotic Stressors on Soil Microbial Communities: A Focus on Antibiotics and Their Interactions with Emerging Pollutants

This review examines how environmental stressors, especially antibiotics, affect the microbial communities that keep soil healthy and fertile. It also covers how antibiotics interact with other emerging pollutants like microplastics and heavy metals in soil. When microplastics carry antibiotics into soil, the combination can promote the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which is a growing concern for human health.

Environmental remediation and the efficacy of ceramic membranes in wastewater treatment—a review

Researchers reviewed ceramic membranes — filters made from minerals like alumina and zirconia — as a durable, chemical-resistant alternative to standard plastic-based membranes for cleaning industrial wastewater. While effective, reducing manufacturing costs and scaling up production remain key challenges before widespread adoption.

Potential ecological risk assessment of microplastics in coastal sediments: Their metal accumulation and interaction with sedimentary metal concentration

Scientists surveyed 21 locations along Qatar's coastline and found microplastics in sediments at every site, with most particles showing signs of chemical degradation from the harsh environment. The microplastics had adsorbed metals from the surrounding environment, though at lower concentrations than those found in the sediment itself. This research shows how microplastics in coastal areas can act as carriers for toxic metals, potentially increasing the exposure of marine organisms and, through the food chain, humans.

Ecological risks of microplastics contamination with green solutions and future perspectives

This review covers the ecological risks of microplastic contamination in farmland, particularly from plastic mulch films used in agriculture. Microplastics in soil affect water retention, nutrient cycling, microbial communities, and even greenhouse gas emissions. The authors discuss green solutions like biodegradable alternatives and soil remediation techniques that could reduce microplastic buildup in the food production system.

Seasonal variation, polymer hazard risk and controlling factors of microplastics in beach sediments along the southeast coast of India

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination at six beaches along India's southeast coast, comparing seasonal variation and hazard risk. They found that polyethylene and polypropylene fibers were the most common types, likely originating from fishing, textile, and urban activities. Although overall contamination levels were low, the presence of hazardous polymers like PVC and polystyrene contributed to a very high ecological risk index for marine life.

Microplastic removal and management strategies for wastewater treatment plants

This review examines how well different wastewater treatment technologies remove microplastics and what management strategies can improve performance. While conventional treatment plants can remove a large percentage of microplastics from water, the particles often end up concentrated in sewage sludge that gets applied to farmland. The study highlights the need for advanced treatment options and better management of biosolids to prevent microplastics from simply being transferred from water to soil.

Biochar for agronomy, animal farming, anaerobic digestion, composting, water treatment, soil remediation, construction, energy storage, and carbon sequestration: a review

Researchers reviewed the wide-ranging uses of biochar — a charcoal-like material made from burning organic waste — across farming, wastewater treatment, construction, and energy storage as a climate-friendly, multipurpose material. Key findings include that biochar improves livestock gut health, boosts biogas production, and can be incorporated into concrete, making it a promising tool for a circular, lower-carbon economy.

Plastic waste impact and biotechnology: Exploring polymer degradation, microbial role, and sustainable development implications

Researchers reviewed how microorganisms and their enzymes can break down different types of plastic waste through both aerobic (oxygen-using) and anaerobic (oxygen-free) pathways. The review highlights biotechnological tools like genetic modification that could accelerate plastic biodegradation, supporting a shift toward a circular economy.

Investigation on the effect of several parameters involved in the biodegradation of polyethylene (PE) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) under various seawater environments

Researchers studied how polyethylene and low-density polyethylene break down in seawater under different conditions, including varying light, temperature, salinity, and microbial activity. They found that light exposure was the strongest driver of both physical degradation and the leaching of harmful chemical additives from the plastics. The study highlights that as plastic debris breaks apart in the ocean, it continuously releases potentially toxic chemicals into the surrounding water.

Electronic waste considerations in the Middle East and North African (MENA) region: A review

This review examines electronic waste management challenges in the Middle East and North Africa region, covering estimation methods, current handling practices, and health impacts. Researchers found that mobile phones are the primary component of e-waste, and health hazards from informal recycling, largely stemming from heavy metals and halogenated plastics, have received insufficient attention. The study highlights the need for better e-waste regulations and enforcement across the region.

Laser Direct Infrared Spectroscopy: A cutting-edge approach to microplastic detection in environmental samples

This review highlights Laser Direct Infrared spectroscopy as a faster and more efficient technology for detecting microplastics in environmental samples compared to traditional methods. The technique uses a quantum cascade laser to identify plastic particles as small as 10 micrometers with high accuracy and speed. Researchers suggest this technology could be a valuable tool for large-scale environmental monitoring of microplastic pollution.

Tracking spatio-temporal dynamics of harmful algal blooms using long-term MODIS observations of Chaohu Lake in China from 2000 to 2021

Researchers tracked harmful algal blooms in Chaohu Lake, China, using over 7,900 daily satellite images spanning from 2000 to 2021. They found that algal blooms have generally increased over the past two decades, with spatial and temporal patterns linked to nutrient inputs and environmental conditions. The study demonstrates how long-term satellite monitoring can reveal trends in water quality degradation driven by factors including pollution runoff.

Effects of microplastics’ physical and chemical properties on aquatic organisms: State-of-the-art and future research trends