Papers

Insights into Toxic Prymnesium parvum Blooms as a Cause of the Ecological Disaster on the Odra River

Researchers investigated the 2022 mass fish kill in the Odra River spanning Poland and Germany, which affected dozens of species across hundreds of kilometers. The study identified toxic blooms of the golden alga Prymnesium parvum, fueled by high salinity and nutrient levels from industrial and municipal discharges, as the primary cause. While not directly about microplastics, this ecological disaster illustrates how multiple pollutants interacting in waterways can trigger catastrophic outcomes for aquatic life.

Life Cycle Assessment of Proofing Test Production on Printing Surfaces with Use of Carbon Footprint Methodology

Researchers conducted a life cycle assessment comparing the environmental impact of digital proof printing versus traditional hard proofing methods used in the printing industry. They found that digital proofing generated significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions and consumed fewer raw materials. The study highlights that shifting to digital proofing processes can reduce the printing industry's carbon footprint and its reliance on plastic-containing consumables.

Microplastics in the Baltic Sea region lakes—standardized insights reveal urban shoreline as key driver

Researchers implemented fully harmonized sampling and FTIR-verified analysis across ten lakes in Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland to assess microplastic contamination in the Baltic Sea region. By using a standardized methodology with the same team across all sites, they were able to identify urban shoreline proximity as the key driver of microplastic concentrations. The study demonstrates that methodological consistency is essential for meaningful comparisons of microplastic pollution levels across different locations.

Polystyrene microbeads in freshwater ecosystems - Ecotoxicological effects on Daphnia magna

Mueller-Gabor holographic microscopy

Researchers introduced a Mueller-Gabor holographic microscopy method that leverages in-line Gabor holography for volumetric polarization information extraction. The study presents a novel imaging approach for comprehensively characterizing samples, with potential applications in identifying and analyzing microscopic particles including microplastics.

Heteroaggregation of virions and microplastics reduces the number of active bacteriophages in aqueous environments

Researchers discovered that microplastics can aggregate with bacteriophages in aquatic environments, reducing the number of active phages and potentially disrupting the natural balance of bacterial population control that relies on these viruses.

The Influence of Starch Origin on the Properties of Starch Films: Packaging Performance

This study compared starch films made from maize, potato, oat, rice, and tapioca starches as potential food packaging materials, finding variation in tensile strength, water vapor transmission, moisture content, and surface free energy depending on starch origin.

Effect of Microplastic Particles on the Rheological Properties of Human Saliva and Mucus

Researchers investigated how polystyrene and polyethylene microparticles affect the physical properties of human saliva and mucus. The study used artificial mucus and saliva samples with an oscillatory rheometer to measure changes in viscosity and elasticity at both healthy and elevated body temperatures. The findings suggest that inhaled or ingested microplastic particles may alter the protective barrier functions of mucus and saliva in the mouth and respiratory system.

Complexation by γ-cyclodextrin as a way of improving anticancer potential of sumanene

Researchers showed that wrapping the bowl-shaped carbon molecule sumanene inside a cyclodextrin (a sugar-derived molecular cage) greatly improved its ability to kill breast cancer cells while leaving healthy cells unharmed. This supramolecular approach could open new pathways for developing carbon-based cancer treatments.

Conditions for homoaggregation of pristine polystyrene microplastic in aquatic environments

Microplastics of Broad Size Range Reduce Bacteriophage Activity in Aqueous Environments

Researchers found that microplastics of varying sizes (1 μm to 300 μm) reduced bacteriophage activity in aqueous environments by adsorbing phage particles, potentially disrupting microbial community regulation and increasing bacterial populations in contaminated waters.

Direct and indirect ecological impacts of microplastic fibers on host-parasite and host-microbiota interactions

Researchers experimentally tested how polyester microplastic fibers of two sizes affect trematode parasite infection rates and gut microbiome composition in leopard frog tadpoles. Microplastic fibers altered both host-parasite dynamics and microbiota structure in size-dependent ways, demonstrating that plastic fiber pollution has cascading effects on freshwater ecological interactions.

Effect of Microplastics Particles on the Rheological Properties of Human Saliva and Mucus

Researchers investigated how polystyrene micro- and nanoparticles affect the rheological properties of human saliva and mucus, testing particles relevant to inhalation exposure from indoor synthetic textiles and outdoor aerosols. The study found that microplastic particles altered the viscoelastic properties of mucus, which could affect mucociliary clearance and respiratory defense.

The criterion of development of processes of the self-organization of subsystems of the second level in tribosystems of diesel engine

Researchers studied how energy transfers and material interactions on friction surfaces inside diesel engine crankshaft systems can trigger "self-organization" — a process where the surfaces develop more stable, wear-resistant properties over time. Understanding this process could help engineers design more durable engine components and reduce mechanical wear in heavy machinery.

Improving the Detectability of Microplastics in River Waters by Single Particle Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

Single particle ICP-MS with an acid pre-treatment step was developed for rapid screening of microplastics in Pyrenean river waters, detecting carbon-containing particles down to 1 micron and at concentrations of 100 particles per mL, with results confirmed by Raman microscopy.

Carbon-Negative Nano-TiO2-Modified Photocatalytic Cementitious Composites: Removal of Airborne Pollutants (NOx and O3) and Its Impact on CO2 Footprint

Photocatalytic cementitious composites modified with nano-TiO2 were developed to remove airborne pollutants in urban environments, achieving carbon-negative performance through low-carbon binder formulations. The composites degraded NOx and volatile organic compounds under light exposure while maintaining adequate structural strength.

A Comparative Investigation of the Surface Properties of Corn-Starch-Microfibrillated Cellulose Composite Films

Corn starch composite films incorporating microfibrillated cellulose showed increased surface roughness and polarity with good component compatibility by electron and atomic force microscopy, with water contact angle decreasing from 70.3 to 39.1 degrees and surface energy increasing with MFC content.

Bio-Based Waste’ Substrates for Degraded Soil Improvement—Advantages and Challenges in European Context

This review examines the use of biodegradable waste substrates -- including composts and biochar -- to restore degraded soils in a European context, identifying advantages in organic matter addition and plant reestablishment while noting challenges in contamination and regulatory acceptance.

Delineating Groundwater Recharge Potential through Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Systems

This study examined the effects of weathered polystyrene microplastics on the feeding rate and reproduction of the copepod Acartia tonsa, finding that weathered particles caused greater reductions in egg production than pristine particles at equivalent concentrations. Surface chemistry changes during aging appear to increase biological potency.

Cross-Contamination as a Problem in Collection and Analysis of Environmental Samples Containing Microplastics—A Review

This review examines cross-contamination as a systematic problem in microplastic research, finding that synthetic fibers from clothing, laboratory plastics, and airborne particles can contaminate samples during collection and analysis, and reviewing methods to minimize and account for procedural contamination.

Basic and advanced spectrometric methods for complete nanoparticles characterization in bio/eco systems: current status and future prospects

Researchers reviewed a broad range of laboratory techniques for characterizing engineered nanoparticles — including their size, surface chemistry, and elemental composition — in biological and environmental samples. The review emphasizes that no single technique is sufficient and that combining multiple methods, including advanced mass spectrometry and optical tools, is essential for reliably assessing nanoparticle safety and behavior.

Effects of rheologically stratified seawater during algal bloom on sinking dynamics of microplastics

This study investigated how algal blooms affect the sinking behavior of microplastics in seawater by examining the role of exopolymers secreted by microorganisms during bloom events, which make the water more viscous and gel-like. In bloom-affected, rheologically modified seawater, microplastics sank differently than in normal conditions, with some particles being retarded and others accelerated depending on their properties. Understanding these dynamics is important because algal blooms are becoming more frequent globally, and how microplastics sink determines how long they remain in the water column where marine life is exposed to them.

Understanding the mechanism of Nb-MXene bioremediation with green microalgae

Researchers investigated the bioremediation of Nb-MXene nanoparticles using green microalgae, elucidating the surface interaction mechanisms between this two-dimensional nanomaterial and microalgal cells, providing insights for developing bio-based approaches to manage inorganic crystalline nanomaterial contamination in aquatic environments.

Settling of microplastics in mucus-rich water column: The role of biologically modified rheology of seawater

Laboratory experiments showed that naturally occurring exopolymers secreted by marine algae and bacteria convert seawater into a non-Newtonian fluid that slows the sinking of microplastic particles, altering how and where they accumulate in the ocean water column. Understanding these biologically driven settling dynamics is important for predicting microplastic distribution and exposure risk for marine organisms at different depths.