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Papers
101 resultsShowing papers from Université Laval
ClearAdsorption of Heavy Metals: Mechanisms, Kinetics, and Applications of Various Adsorbents in Wastewater Remediation—A Review
This review summarizes how different materials like activated carbon, agricultural waste, and nanomaterials can filter heavy metals out of contaminated water. Since microplastics in water can carry and concentrate heavy metals, improving water treatment is important for reducing human exposure to these combined pollutants.
Nanoplastics in focus: Exploring interdisciplinary approaches and future directions
This perspective paper highlights major gaps in nanoplastic research, arguing that studying nanoplastics as if they behave the same as microplastics misses important differences. Nanoplastics have unique properties that affect how they move through ecosystems and interact with living organisms. The authors call for long-term studies on low-level nanoplastic exposure and better detection methods to understand the true risks to human health.
Nanoplastics are neither microplastics nor engineered nanoparticles
This paper explains why nanoplastics should be treated as a distinct category, separate from both microplastics and engineered nanoparticles. At the nanoscale, plastics behave differently: they interact more with biological membranes, release additives faster, and can fragment further in the environment. Recognizing these differences is important for accurately assessing health risks, since nanoplastics may be more bioavailable and potentially more harmful than larger microplastics.
A review of fundamentals, challenges, prospects, and emerging trends in hydrate-based desalination
This review covers hydrate-based desalination, a water purification technology that uses less energy than conventional methods. While the paper focuses on converting saltwater to freshwater, the technology is relevant to microplastic concerns because it could provide cleaner drinking water in regions where water sources are contaminated. The review examines the environmental and toxicity concerns of chemicals used in the process and compares its sustainability to other desalination approaches.
Novel integrated workflow for microplastics extraction, quantification, and characterization in organic fertilizing residuals using micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (μ-FTIR)
Researchers developed a reliable method for extracting and measuring microplastics in organic fertilizers like compost and biosolids that are spread on farm fields. The technique successfully detected 19 different plastic types down to very small sizes in fertilizer samples from Quebec, Canada. This is important because organic fertilizers are a major but often unmeasured source of microplastics entering agricultural soil, which can then reach crops and the food supply.
Drinking and Natural Mineral Water: Treatment and Quality–Safety Assurance
This review covers the sources, treatment methods, and safety standards for drinking water and natural mineral water across different regulatory frameworks. The authors discuss emerging contaminants including microplastics that are increasingly found in both tap and bottled water. The study highlights the need for updated regulations and monitoring to ensure drinking water safety as new pollutants are identified.
Lead exposure from honey: meta-analysis and risk assessment for the Arab region
This meta-analysis of 57 studies found a mean lead concentration of 0.12 mg/kg in honey from Arab countries, slightly exceeding the Codex Alimentarius maximum level. Risk assessment indicated potential concern for young children consuming this honey, though adult exposure margins were generally acceptable, highlighting the need for better monitoring of heavy metal contamination in regional food products.
Guidelines for the purification and characterization of extracellular vesicles of parasites
This paper provides guidelines for scientists studying extracellular vesicles released by parasites, which play roles in infection and immune evasion. While not about microplastics, the standardized methods described here for isolating and analyzing tiny biological particles are relevant to microplastics research, where similar techniques are needed to study how nanoplastics interact with cells. Better laboratory standards across these fields help improve the quality of research on tiny particle exposure and health effects.
Accelerated Weathering of Microplastics: A Systematic Approach to Model Microplastic Production
Researchers developed a systematic laboratory method for producing environmentally realistic microplastics through accelerated UV weathering of common polymer types. The approach generates particles with surface degradation patterns that closely mimic those found in nature, unlike commercially available test beads. The study provides a reproducible protocol that could improve the relevance of microplastic toxicity and environmental fate studies.
Microplastic effects on soil system parameters: a meta-analysis study
Microplastics in soil did not significantly affect dissolved organic carbon, nutrient availability, microbial diversity, or crop biomass, but they did significantly increase soil microorganism abundance and decrease water-stable macro-aggregates, pointing to soil structure degradation as the primary concern.
Copepods' true colors: astaxanthin pigmentation as an indicator of fitness
This review explores how carotenoid pigmentation, particularly the molecule astaxanthin, serves as a visible indicator of health and fitness in copepods, a dominant type of zooplankton. Researchers found that the bright red-orange coloring in copepods is linked to their ability to handle environmental stressors like UV radiation and oxidative damage. The study proposes that pigmentation could be used as a simple, practical tool for assessing the overall condition of zooplankton populations in aquatic ecosystems.
Trophic transfer effects of PS nanoplastics and field-derived nanoplastics in the freshwater clam Corbicula fluminea
Researchers compared the effects of laboratory-made polystyrene nanoplastics and field-collected nanoplastics on freshwater clams through dietary exposure via algae. They found that both types of nanoplastics transferred through the food chain and accumulated in the clams, but the field-derived particles caused different biological responses than the lab-made ones. The study highlights the importance of using environmentally realistic plastic particles in toxicity research.
Recycling of polyamides: Processes and conditions
This review examines the various methods available for recycling polyamide plastics, a widely used family of engineering materials found in automotive parts, textiles, and construction. Researchers compare biological, chemical, mechanical, physical, and thermal recycling approaches, noting that the complexity of modern polyamide products makes them challenging to recycle. The study highlights the trade-offs between cost, environmental impact, and material quality recovery for each recycling method.
Low prevalence of microplastic contamination in planktivorous fish species from the southeast Pacific Ocean
Researchers examined the gut contents of 292 planktivorous fish from seven species along the southeast Pacific coast and found a very low prevalence of microplastic contamination, with only 2.1% of fish containing plastic particles. The microplastics found were degraded fragments and threads of various colors, suggesting the fish were not selectively targeting them. The study indicates that microplastic ingestion risk for planktivorous species in this region may currently be limited compared to other ocean areas.
The environmental fate of nanoplastics: What we know and what we need to know about aggregation
Researchers systematically analyzed experimental studies on nanoplastic aggregation behavior, evaluating the environmental relevance of 377 solution chemistries and 163 particle models. The study found that commonly used polymer latex spheres do not accurately represent real-world nanoplastics, and suggests that incidentally produced nanoplastics may be more sensitive to heteroaggregation than previously expected.
Evolution and Emergence of Antibiotic Resistance in Given Ecosystems: Possible Strategies for Addressing the Challenge of Antibiotic Resistance
This review traces the history of antibiotic resistance and examines how it evolves and spreads across aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Researchers discuss the ecological roles of antibiotics and the modern tools used to identify resistant organisms in various environments. The study highlights the ecotoxicological impact of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and explores potential strategies, including environmental monitoring, to address this growing public health challenge.
Mechanical Recycling of Thermoplastics: A Review of Key Issues
This review covers the key steps and challenges in mechanical recycling of thermoplastics, the most widely used industrial recycling method. Researchers discuss sorting technologies, decontamination processes, and how different types of plastics degrade during recycling. The study highlights strategies for improving the quality of recycled commodity plastics, engineering polymers, and bio-sourced materials to support the transition toward a circular economy.
Arctic roads and railways: social and environmental consequences of transport infrastructure in the circumpolar North
This study examines the social and environmental consequences of expanding roads and railways into Arctic regions. Researchers found that transport infrastructure development is causing large-scale changes to northern ecosystems, including increased pollution and habitat fragmentation, while also noting that climate change creates new challenges for infrastructure maintenance in permafrost regions.
Advances in understanding of air–sea exchange and cycling of greenhouse gases in the upper ocean
This review summarizes the latest understanding of how greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane cycle between the ocean and atmosphere. Researchers found that while the ocean is well established as a major absorber of CO2 and a source of N2O, significant uncertainties remain about the processes controlling these gas distributions in the upper ocean. The study suggests that a coordinated global research effort is needed to understand how ocean warming, acidification, and deoxygenation will affect these critical gas exchanges.
Effective Removal of Microplastic Particles from Wastewater Using Hydrophobic Bio-Substrates
Researchers tested natural cattail plant fibers as a low-cost, biodegradable material for removing microplastics from wastewater. The hydrophobic fibers were effective at adsorbing microplastic particles, with removal efficiency influenced by water chemistry and contact time. The study suggests that plant-based bio-adsorbents could offer a sustainable and affordable alternative for filtering microplastics from water treatment systems.
The circumpolar impacts of climate change and anthropogenic stressors on Arctic cod (<i>Boreogadus saida</i>) and its ecosystem
This review assessed the circumpolar impacts of climate change and anthropogenic stressors on Arctic cod, identifying how warming waters, pollution including microplastics, and habitat loss threaten this keystone forage fish and its broader ecosystem.
Vertical migration of microplastics along soil profile under different crop root systems
A lab incubation experiment showed that crop roots (corn, soybean, ryegrass) have minimal effect on downward vertical migration of microplastics in soil, though corn roots contributed to slight upward movement of particles in middle soil layers through root-generated pores.
Poly Lactic Acid (PLA) Nanocomposites: Effect of Inorganic Nanoparticles Reinforcement on Its Performance and Food Packaging Applications
This review summarized approaches to reinforcing polylactic acid (PLA) bioplastic with inorganic nanoparticles — including clay, silica, and metal oxides — to improve its mechanical strength, barrier properties, and thermal stability for food packaging applications while retaining biodegradability.
The underestimated toxic effects of nanoplastics coming from marine sources: A demonstration on oysters (Isognomon alatus)
Researchers found that nanoplastics derived from real marine debris triggered more significant gene-level toxic responses in Caribbean oysters than commonly used laboratory polystyrene nanoplastics, suggesting standard lab particles may underestimate actual environmental toxicity.