Papers

Microplastics in Aquatic Ecosystems: A Global Review of Distribution, Ecotoxicological Impacts, and Human Health Risks

This global review summarizes how microplastics are distributed across freshwater, marine, and polar environments, and examines their ecological and human health impacts. People are exposed through contaminated seafood, water, and air, and research links microplastic exposure to oxidative stress, inflammation, hormone disruption, and possible genetic effects at the cellular level.

Microplastics in aquatic environments: A comprehensive review of toxicity, removal, and remediation strategies

This comprehensive review covers the toxicity of microplastics on aquatic life at every level of the food chain, from algae to fish, as well as current methods for removing microplastics from water. Treatment methods like filtration and electrocoagulation can remove over 86-90% of microplastics, but no single method eliminates them completely. The review highlights the urgent need for better water treatment to protect both aquatic ecosystems and the humans who rely on them for food and water.

Proof of concept for a new sensor to monitor marine litter from space

Researchers analyzed 300,000 satellite images of the Mediterranean Sea to track floating marine litter over time, finding that heavy rainfall events drive most litter inputs from land while coastal currents and wind determine how it spreads. The study demonstrates that satellites can reliably map pollution hotspots and detect seasonal trends, making space-based monitoring a practical new tool for managing ocean plastic pollution.

Detection and Treatment of Emerging Contaminants in Wastewater

This book provides a comprehensive overview of how to detect and treat emerging contaminants in wastewater, including microplastics, pharmaceuticals, and antibiotic-resistant genes. It covers how microplastics behave in different treatment plants and accumulate in sewage sludge, highlighting gaps in current cleanup methods. The work is important because wastewater treatment is a key point where microplastics can either be captured or released into the environment and eventually into drinking water.

Plastic Accumulation in the Mediterranean Sea

Researchers measured floating plastic concentrations throughout the Mediterranean Sea and found densities comparable to the five major ocean garbage patches, with plastic present at 100% of sampling sites. The most common items were fragments of bags, wrapping, and fishing materials, with the highest concentrations in populated coastal areas. The study establishes the Mediterranean as a major global accumulation zone for plastic pollution, comparable to subtropical ocean gyres.

Microplastics in the stomach content of the commercial fish species Scomber colias in the Gulf of Cadiz, SW Europe

Scientists examined the stomachs of 104 Atlantic chub mackerel from the Gulf of Cadiz and found that over 90% contained microplastics, with an average of about 5 particles per fish. Fibers made up 91% of the microplastics found, and the most common polymer was polyamide (nylon). Since this mackerel species is widely consumed by people, the consistent presence of microplastics in their stomachs raises questions about how much plastic is transferred to humans through seafood.

Thermoset Polyester Resin Microplastics: Effects on Enzymatic Biomarkers and Toxicological Endpoint Responses of Eisenia fetida Earthworms

Researchers tested the effects of thermoset polyester resin microplastics on earthworms at environmentally relevant concentrations over 14 days and found no significant impacts on survival, weight, behavior, or key enzyme biomarkers. The 100 percent survival rate and absence of measurable toxic effects suggest that at these concentrations and timeframes, this type of microplastic may pose limited risk to earthworms. However, the researchers note that longer exposures or higher concentrations could yield different results.

Microplastic characterization and factors influencing its abundance in coastal wetlands: insights from the world’s largest mangrove ecosystem, Sundarbans

Researchers surveyed microplastic pollution in the Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove ecosystem, examining both water and sediment samples from 20 sites. They found microplastics at every location, with polystyrene being the most abundant polymer and fragments the most common shape. The study identified proximity to port activity and organic carbon levels as key factors influencing microplastic distribution, underscoring the vulnerability of this critical ecosystem.

A First Attempt to Describe the Real-Time Behavior and Fate of Marine Litter Items in the Nearshore and Foreshore under Low Energetic Marine Conditions

Researchers conducted a field study in southern Italy to observe how common marine litter items move in real time through nearshore waters under calm conditions. They tracked items at different water depths and compared observed movements to theoretical predictions based on wind and wave currents. The study found that litter behavior varied by item type and depth, providing valuable data for improving marine debris transport models.

Nanoplastics: From tissue accumulation to cell translocation into Mytilus galloprovincialis hemocytes. resilience of immune cells exposed to nanoplastics and nanoplastics plus Vibrio splendidus combination

Researchers studied how polystyrene nanoplastics of different sizes accumulate in and affect the immune cells of Mediterranean mussels. They found that the smallest nanoparticles quickly moved from the digestive system into the bloodstream and were taken up by immune cells, altering their function including motility and the ability to produce reactive oxygen species. However, the immune cells showed resilience by recovering their ability to fight bacterial infection after nanoplastic exposure.

Personal care products: an emerging threat to the marine bivalve Ruditapes philippinarum

Researchers exposed Manila clams to four common personal care product chemicals, including triclosan and benzophenone-3, and measured their accumulation and toxic effects. They found that the chemicals progressively built up in clam tissues throughout the exposure period and caused oxidative stress and cellular damage. The study identifies personal care products as an emerging threat to commercially important shellfish species in coastal waters.

Occurrence, identification and removal of microplastics in a wastewater treatment plant compared to an advanced MBR technology: Full-scale pilot plant

Researchers compared microplastic removal efficiency between a standard wastewater treatment plant and an advanced membrane bioreactor (MBR) system and found MBR technology achieved 99.7% removal — far outperforming conventional treatment — suggesting upgraded filtration systems are critical to keeping microplastics out of waterways.

Are the primary characteristics of polystyrene nanoplastics responsible for toxicity and ad/absorption in the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum?

Researchers exposed the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum to 50 nm and 100 nm polystyrene nanoplastics and found that smaller particles triggered faster oxidative stress and photosynthetic damage while larger ones were more stable and caused greater growth inhibition over 72 hours, illustrating how particle size shapes toxicity dynamics in marine algae.

The Colors of the Ocean Plastics

Researchers developed a systematic method using a 120-color Pantone reference palette to objectively classify the colors of floating ocean plastic fragments from a global collection. The study found that white and transparent or translucent plastics were the most abundant at 47%, followed by yellow and blue, providing a standardized approach that reduces observer subjectivity in plastic pollution research.

The role of seagrass meadows in the coastal trapping of litter

Researchers studied how seagrass meadows trap and accumulate non-floating marine litter, including microplastics, across six Posidonia oceanica meadows. The study found that litter accumulated mainly at the landside edge of the meadow, with macro-litter concentrations increasing threefold after heavy rainfall, suggesting seagrass plays an important role in coastal litter dynamics.

Microplastic in industrial aquaculture: Occurrence in the aquatic environment, feed and organisms (Dicentrarchus labrax)

Researchers studied how microplastics move through an industrial aquaculture system, from water intake to the fish themselves. They found that while water purification systems reduced incoming microplastics, new particles entered the system through fish feed. The study reveals that aquaculture-raised sea bass accumulate microplastics primarily from their food rather than the surrounding water.

Unravelling spatio-temporal patterns of suspended microplastic concentration in the Natura 2000 Guadalquivir estuary (SW Spain): Observations and model simulations

Researchers combined field observations and computational modeling to map the spatial and temporal distribution of suspended microplastics in the Guadalquivir estuary, a protected Natura 2000 site in Spain. The study found that microplastic concentrations were influenced by river flow, tidal dynamics, and proximity to urban areas, with the estuary acting as a conduit for transporting land-based plastic pollution to the ocean.

Preparation of synthetic micro- and nano plastics for method validation studies

This study developed methods for creating realistic synthetic micro- and nanoplastic particles that better mimic what is found in the natural environment, rather than relying on standard colored beads. The approach allows researchers to produce reference materials in various shapes, sizes, and polymer types for more accurate validation of microplastic detection techniques like FTIR and Raman spectroscopy.

Size matters: Zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model to study toxicity of nanoplastics from cells to the whole organism

Researchers used zebrafish as a model organism to study the toxic effects of polystyrene nanoplastics at both cellular and whole-organism levels. They found that smaller nanoplastic particles were taken up more readily by cells and caused greater oxidative stress and developmental abnormalities than larger particles. The study confirms that particle size is a critical determinant of nanoplastic toxicity, with the smallest particles posing the greatest biological risks.

An inshore–offshore sorting system revealed from global classification of ocean litter

Changes in the Floating Plastic Pollution of the Mediterranean Sea in Relation to the Distance to Land

Researchers analyzed the composition, size distribution, and abundance of floating plastic debris in the Mediterranean Sea in relation to distance from land. The study found that the highest plastic concentrations occurred both far from shore and within the first kilometer of coastline, revealing a complex spatial distribution pattern for floating microplastics in semi-enclosed seas.

Abundance and distribution of microplastics on sandy beaches of the eastern Moroccan Mediterranean coast

Researchers surveyed 19 sandy beaches along the eastern Moroccan Mediterranean coast and found microplastic concentrations ranging from 40 to 230 particles per kilogram of sand. Fibers were the most common shape, making up about 75 percent of all particles found, with polyethylene, polystyrene, and polypropylene as the dominant polymer types. The findings indicate a moderate level of microplastic contamination along this stretch of coastline.

Floating macrolitter leaked from Europe into the ocean

Presence, Spatial Distribution, and Characteristics of Microplastics in Beach Sediments Along the Northwestern Moroccan Mediterranean Coast

Researchers surveyed fourteen beaches along the northwestern Moroccan Mediterranean coast and found microplastics in every sediment sample, averaging about 59 particles per kilogram of dry sand. Fibers were the dominant shape at nearly 78%, with tourism, fishing, and wastewater discharges identified as the most likely pollution sources. The findings indicate moderate but widespread microplastic contamination along this coastline.