Papers

Co-contaminant risks in water reuse and biosolids application for agriculture

This review highlights that treated wastewater and biosolids used in farming contain a complex mixture of pollutants including microplastics, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and antibiotic-resistant bacteria that enter soil and can be taken up by crops. The combined effects of these pollutants may be greater than the sum of their individual risks, underscoring the need for better safety assessments of recycled water and waste used in food production.

Current hurdles to the translation of nanomedicines from bench to the clinic

This review examines the challenges of translating nanomedicine research from the lab to approved medical treatments, focusing on regulatory hurdles and manufacturing consistency. While not directly about microplastics, the review is relevant because the same nanoparticle characterization methods and safety testing frameworks apply to understanding how nanoplastics behave in the human body. Lessons from nanomedicine development can help researchers better assess the health risks of nanoplastic exposure.

Simulated Environmental Nanoplastics Induce Zebrafish Developmental Toxicity and Stress Response

Engineered Polystyrene-Based Microplastics of High Environmental Relevance

Researchers developed a method for creating laboratory microplastic particles that more closely resemble the weathered, environmentally relevant microplastics found in nature. They demonstrated that standard pristine microplastic beads used in most toxicity studies have very different surface properties than real-world particles, which may lead to inaccurate risk assessments. The study provides the research community with more realistic test materials for studying the true environmental and health impacts of microplastic pollution.

Microplastic exposure reduces seed germination in a coastal plant

Researchers tested how microplastic exposure affects seed germination in a coastal dune plant using environmentally realistic, weathered microplastic particles. They found that microplastics significantly reduced germination rates compared to controls. The study highlights that wild plants in coastal habitats, which are among the most plastic-polluted environments on land, may face real reproductive challenges from microplastic contamination.

Questioning the suitability of available microplastics models for risk assessment – A critical review

This critical review questions whether currently available microplastic models, such as standardized polystyrene spheres, are suitable surrogates for environmental risk assessment. Researchers found significant gaps between the properties of laboratory plastic models and real-world environmental microplastics, suggesting that risk assessments based on these models may not accurately reflect actual environmental conditions.

The urgent need for microbiology literacy in society

This paper argues that society urgently needs better microbiology literacy to make informed decisions about issues ranging from public health to environmental management. Researchers highlight that microbes underpin critical functions in ecosystems, human health, and the biosphere, yet public understanding of microbiology remains extremely limited. The study calls for integrating microbiology education into broader scientific literacy efforts to help individuals and policymakers make better evidence-based decisions.

Interactions of microplastics and organic compounds in aquatic environments: A case study of augmented joint toxicity

Researchers investigated how polystyrene microplastics interact with the antimicrobial compound triclosan in simulated environmental and cellular conditions. They found that surface-functionalized microplastics adsorbed significantly more triclosan and released it under cellular conditions, with the combination producing greater toxicity to human intestinal cells than either contaminant alone. The study suggests that microplastics can amplify the harmful effects of co-occurring organic pollutants.

Microplastic Removal and Biodegradation by Native Mediterranean Fungus <i>Alternaria alternata</i>

Researchers investigated whether the Mediterranean fungus Alternaria alternata can remove and biodegrade polystyrene microplastics in seawater. The study demonstrated that the fungus, which naturally colonizes plastic debris in marine environments, was able to both physically capture and chemically degrade microplastic particles, suggesting a potential biological approach for addressing marine microplastic pollution.

On-chip label-free cell classification based directly on off-axis holograms and spatial-frequency-invariant deep learning

Researchers developed a rapid label-free imaging flow cytometry approach that classifies cells directly from raw off-axis holographic images without time-consuming phase profile reconstruction, enabling faster on-chip cell classification.

The Role of Host Age at Exposure, Host–Parasite Genetics and Host Size‐Parasite Length Mechanics in Shaping the Outcome of Parasitic Infections in Three Zooplankton Taxa

Researchers tested whether host age at exposure affects susceptibility to Metschnikowia bicuspidata yeast infection in three Daphnia species. Younger hosts were more susceptible across all species, and earlier infection was more virulent, confirming that host age effects on parasitic infection outcomes are general across Daphnia-pathogen systems.

The Sources of EU’s International Influence on Nanotechnology Risk Regulation and Governance

This paper examines factors that influence the European Union's ability to shape international nanotechnology risk regulation, finding that EU internal policy coherence, economic leverage, and diplomatic engagement determine its success in promoting its regulatory standards globally.

Quantification of Nanoplastics and Inorganic Nanoparticles via Laser‐Induced Breakdown Detection (LIBD)

Researchers developed a laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) method for quantifying nanoplastics and distinguishing them from inorganic nanoparticles in environmental samples, demonstrating detection limits and specificity suitable for routine environmental monitoring.

Treatment-level impacts of microplastic exposure may be confounded by variation in individual-level responses in juvenile fish

Researchers found high variation in individual fish responses to microplastic exposure, suggesting that treatment-level summaries in laboratory studies may obscure meaningful individual-level effects and calling for improved statistical approaches in ecotoxicology.

Mediterranean microplastic contamination: Israel's coastline contributions

Researchers monitored microplastic contamination at six sites along Israel's Mediterranean coastline, finding that sites near river estuaries (Tel Aviv and Hadera) had the highest MP concentrations, reaching 18,777 particles per square meter. Fragment and film morphologies dominated, and polyethylene was the most common polymer, pointing to urban runoff as the primary source.

Effects of biological filtration by ascidians on microplastic composition in the water column

The ascidian Styela plicata efficiently filtered 2–5 µm microplastics from the water column, preferentially removing polystyrene over biodegradable PLA particles; the resulting fecal pellets altered the sinking rate of MPs, affecting their vertical transport through the marine food web.

Plastic pollution in a coral reef climate refuge: Occurrence of anthropogenic debris, microplastics, and plasticizers in the Gulf of Aqaba

Plastic debris, microplastics, and plasticizer concentrations were quantified in seawater and sediment of the Gulf of Aqaba coral reef system over time, finding increasing contamination that threatens this coral refuge despite its distance from major plastic sources.

Negligible adsorption and toxicity of microplastic fibers in disinfected secondary effluents

Researchers tested the adsorption and toxicity of microplastic fibers to organisms in a soil system, finding negligible adsorption of co-contaminants onto fiber surfaces and low toxicity at environmentally relevant concentrations. The results suggest fiber-type microplastics may pose less chemical risk than previously assumed for certain organisms.

Index

This paper is not about microplastics. It is a book index for a volume about autoimmune and inflammatory conditions triggered by adjuvants, vaccines, biopolymer implants, and environmental chemicals. While it briefly mentions bisphenol A and some plastic-related compounds in the context of immune system disruption, it is not a study of microplastic contamination or exposure.

Future of coral bleaching research

Despite its title, this paper focuses on the science and policy of coral bleaching caused by ocean warming — not microplastic pollution. It outlines a research agenda for an NSF-funded coral bleaching research network, addressing bleaching thresholds, monitoring technology, and conservation policy. Microplastics are not a subject of the paper and it is not relevant to microplastic pollution research.

Sustainable Fashion—Rationale and Policies

This review examines the environmental and social impacts of the fashion industry — from synthetic fiber microplastic pollution and water contamination to labor exploitation — and surveys emerging global policies aimed at driving the sector toward greater sustainability.

Selected Abstracts from the 40th Vicenza Course on AKI &amp; CRRT

Researchers investigated NGAL as a biomarker in STEMI patients, finding that elevated NGAL levels — reflecting both renal tubular injury and inflammatory responses — carry prognostic utility for renal and clinical outcomes following primary coronary intervention.

Risk assessment framework for microplastic in marine environments

This study built a risk assessment framework comparing conventional plastics (polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene) and alternative materials including recycled PET and polylactic acid across multiple hazard dimensions: environmental abundance, water acidification, surface oxidation, mechanical fragmentation, and toxicity to marine bacteria. Polypropylene emerged as the most hazardous overall — it is highly abundant in the environment, oxidizes extensively, and its weathered extracts strongly inhibit marine microorganism growth. The framework provides a tool for comparing the relative environmental dangers of different plastic types and informs decisions about which plastics to prioritize for reduction or replacement.

Using solitary ascidians to assess microplastic and phthalate plasticizers pollution among marine biota: A case study of the Eastern Mediterranean and Red Sea

Researchers used invasive filter-feeding ascidians (sea squirts) as biomonitors in the Eastern Mediterranean and Red Sea, finding microplastic particles at every sampling site and high levels of phthalate plasticizers (DBP and DEHP) at most sites, demonstrating the utility of ascidians as cost-effective sentinels of MP and chemical contamination.