Papers

Plastic debris in lakes and reservoirs

An Overview of Antibiotic Resistance and Abiotic Stresses Affecting Antimicrobial Resistance in Agricultural Soils

This systematic review found that soil contaminants from organic and chemical fertilizers, heavy metals, hydrocarbons, and untreated sewage sludge significantly promote antimicrobial resistance by increasing the abundance of antibiotic resistance genes in agricultural soils. Abiotic stresses like salinity and drought further amplify this effect. The findings connect to microplastic research because microplastics have been shown to serve as vectors for antibiotic-resistant bacteria and resistance genes in soil environments.

Harmful effects of the microplastic pollution on animal health: a literature review

This review summarizes research on how microplastics affect the health of both aquatic organisms and lab animals like mice and rats. The animal studies suggest that microplastics could have a significant negative impact on human health, but the results are still mixed because experiments vary widely in plastic type, particle size, and dosage. More standardized research is needed before we can draw firm conclusions about the risks to people.

International consensus guidelines for the definition, detection, and interpretation of autophagy-dependent ferroptosis

This scientific review provides guidelines for understanding a specific type of cell death called autophagy-dependent ferroptosis, where cells essentially digest their own protective components and then die from iron-driven damage. While not directly about microplastics, this process is relevant because microplastics and nanoplastics have been shown to trigger oxidative stress and iron-related cell damage in tissues. Understanding these cell death pathways helps researchers assess how plastic particle exposure could harm organs like the liver, brain, and lungs.

The urgency of building soils for Middle Eastern and North African countries: Economic, environmental, and health solutions

This review examines soil degradation across the Middle East and North Africa and proposes using constructed soils made from waste materials as a restoration strategy. While focused on soil rehabilitation rather than microplastics specifically, the approach is relevant because waste materials used in soil construction may contain microplastics, and degraded soils are more vulnerable to microplastic contamination. The review highlights the interconnected challenges of waste management, soil health, and food security in arid regions.

Using Fungi in Artificial Microbial Consortia to Solve Bioremediation Problems

Researchers reviewed the use of artificial microbial consortia containing fungi for cleaning up environmental contaminants including microplastics, heavy metals, dyes, and pesticides. They found that combining fungi with bacteria in engineered communities can enhance the breakdown of pollutants more effectively than single organisms working alone. The study suggests that fungal-based bioremediation consortia offer a promising eco-friendly strategy for tackling diverse types of environmental pollution.

Evolution of Microplastics Released from Tea Bags into Water

Researchers tested eight types of tea bags to measure how many plastic particles they release into water at different temperatures and brewing times. They found that synthetic polymer bags (nylon and polypropylene) released nanoscale particles that remained stable and resisted enzymatic breakdown, while cellulose-based particles were easily degraded. Despite high particle concentrations, the released particles showed no cytotoxicity in cell tests, likely due to their negative surface charge.

Bioluminescent ATP-Metry in Assessing the Impact of Various Microplastic Particles on Fungal, Bacterial, and Microalgal Cells

Researchers used bioluminescent ATP measurement to assess how different microplastic particles affect the metabolic activity of fungi, bacteria, and microalgae. They found that the impact depended on microplastic concentration and the initial cell density in the exposure medium, with marine phototrophic microorganisms showing the greatest sensitivity. The study demonstrates that biodegradable plastics like polycaprolactone and polylactide can also inhibit microbial cell activity, challenging assumptions about their environmental safety.

From prey to predator: an in-situ observation of microplastic trophic transfer from Mytilus edulis to Asterias rubens

Researchers conducted an in-situ experiment at the White Sea to track how polyethylene microplastics transfer through the food chain from filter-feeding mussels to predatory starfish. They confirmed that starfish ingested microplastics not only from the water but also through consuming contaminated mussels, establishing a trophic transfer coefficient of 0.36. The findings provide direct evidence of microplastic movement between trophic levels in marine invertebrates.

Microplastic emissions in textile wet processing: Progress, challenges, and mitigation strategies

This review examines how textile wet processing, including dyeing and finishing operations, contributes to microplastic emissions that are more substantial in volume and chemically diverse than those from domestic laundry. Researchers found that mechanical forces, water, and chemical treatments during industrial processing release significant quantities of synthetic microfibers into wastewater. The study explores mitigation strategies including bioengineered materials, improved textile design, surface coatings, and enhanced filtration technologies.

Application of Pluronics for Enhancing Aqueous Solubility of Lipophilic Microtubule Destabilizing Compounds on the Sea Urchin Embryo Model

Researchers examined the use of Pluronic surfactants as cosolvents to improve the aqueous solubility of lipophilic compounds in sea urchin embryo screening assays. The study found that Pluronic toxicity correlated with hydrophilicity, and that these cosolvents can help overcome compound precipitation issues during antiproliferative drug screening.

Role of Mitochondria in Intestinal Epithelial Barrier Dysfunction in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

This review examines the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in the breakdown of the intestinal epithelial barrier in inflammatory bowel disease. Researchers highlight how impaired mitochondrial function in intestinal cells can contribute to increased gut permeability and inflammation, pointing to mitochondria as a potential focus for future therapeutic strategies.

Determination of Polystyrene Nanoparticles in Aqueous Solutions by Dual-Beam Thermal Lens Spectrometry

Researchers demonstrated that thermal lens spectrometry can detect polystyrene nanoparticles as small as 65 and 80 nanometers in water at very low concentrations, down to 0.0005 mg/L. The technique also revealed how increasing nanoparticle concentrations change the thermal properties of the water in a nonlinear way. The study suggests thermal lens spectrometry could be a sensitive, practical tool for monitoring nanoplastic contamination in aquatic environments.

The Expectation and Reality of the HepG2 Core Metabolic Profile

This meta-analysis of 56 metabolomic datasets identified 288 core metabolites in HepG2 liver cells, revealing significant gaps and inconsistencies in how metabolomic studies report and standardize their findings. While focused on cell biology methodology rather than microplastics, HepG2 cells are commonly used in toxicology studies to assess the effects of microplastic exposure on liver function.

Determinants of environmental changes in human-modified ecosystems: Effects of plastics on moisture gradients, nutrients, and clay properties

Researchers examined how plastic pollution affects soil properties in human-modified ecosystems through field experiments in China and Rwanda, combined with laboratory tests on clay mixed with PET microplastics. They found that microplastics altered the structural properties of natural clay, decreasing moisture content while increasing density and load-bearing capacity. The study suggests that plastic accumulation in soils can fundamentally change moisture gradients, nutrient availability, and physical soil characteristics.

Nanopore Sequencing Reveals Microbial Community Compositions on Microplastic in the Setun River of the Moscow Region

Researchers used nanopore sequencing to study microbial communities living on microplastics in Moscow's Setun River. They found that the river's microplastic surfaces harbored clinically relevant antimicrobial resistance genes and that laboratory enrichment on plastic substrates led to a dramatic shift toward near-monocultures of Bacillus cereus. The study demonstrates that microplastics in urban rivers can serve as reservoirs for antimicrobial resistance and selectively reshape microbial communities.

Detection of Dibutyl Phthalate in Surface Water by Fluorescence Polarization Immunoassay

Researchers developed a fluorescence polarization immunoassay for detecting dibutyl phthalate, a common plasticizer, in surface water samples. The study demonstrates that this method provides a rapid and sensitive way to monitor phthalate contamination in water, which is relevant given concerns about the health effects of plasticizer exposure.

Microbial Degradation of Plastics and Approaches to Make it More Efficient

This review examines microbial degradation of plastics by bacteria and fungi, focusing on polyethylene, polystyrene, and PET, and discusses methods to make biodegradation more efficient as a potential solution to plastic pollution.

Interactive effect of nanoplastic particles and phototoxicant on microalgae

Researchers studied the combined effects of polystyrene nanoparticles and methylene blue, a phototoxic compound, on two species of freshwater microalgae. Depending on concentrations and exposure duration, the combination produced synergistic, additive, or antagonistic toxic effects on algal growth. The study highlights that nanoplastics can modify the toxicity of other pollutants in complex and sometimes unpredictable ways.

Microplastics distribution in the Eurasian Arctic is affected by Atlantic waters and Siberian rivers

Analysis of 60 water samples from the Eurasian Arctic found average microplastic concentrations of 0.004 items/m³ in surface net samples and 0.8 items/m³ in subsurface pump samples, with particle type and abundance differing significantly between Atlantic water masses and Siberian river plumes.

Destruction of Mycotoxins in Poultry Waste under Anaerobic Conditions within Methanogenesis Catalyzed by Artificial Microbial Consortia

Researchers developed artificial microbial consortia that enhanced mycotoxin destruction during anaerobic digestion of contaminated poultry waste, achieving greater toxin reduction than natural methanogenic processes alone.

Growth and Spectral Response of <i>Lactuca sativa</i> L. to Soil Contamination with Microplastic

Researchers studied how soil microplastic contamination affects the biomass accumulation and spectral reflectance responses of lettuce (Lactuca sativa) under heavy metal (zinc) stress. Microplastics altered how lettuce responded to zinc toxicity, modifying both growth rates and spectral signatures used for remote sensing of plant health.

Migration of cationic polymer between anionic polymer microspheres

Cationic polymers adsorbed onto anionic polystyrene microspheres in aqueous solution were found to migrate freely between particles over time, resulting in uniform redistribution—demonstrating that polymer-coated microplastics can redistribute surface-bound toxicants as they interact with other particles in the environment.

Complexes of cellulose model particles with polycations: composition, properties and cytotoxicity

Researchers used cellulose particles of 200–250 nm as a model for biodegradable microplastics, characterizing their stability in water-salt media and interaction with polycations to establish a reference system for studying the environmental fate of biodegradable plastic alternatives.