Papers

Mitigating microplastic pollution: A critical review on the effects, remediation, and utilization strategies of microplastics

This review summarizes how microplastics smaller than 150 micrometers can be easily consumed by living organisms and cause a range of toxic effects including acute, chronic, cancer-related, developmental, and genetic damage. It calls for sustainable approaches to reduce, reuse, and recycle plastic waste, and explores ways to convert plastic trash into valuable products.

Exploring Innovative Approaches for the Analysis of Micro- and Nanoplastics: Breakthroughs in (Bio)Sensing Techniques

This review covers new sensing technologies, including electrochemical and optical biosensors, being developed to detect microplastics and nanoplastics more quickly and affordably than current lab methods. Better detection tools are essential because understanding how much plastic pollution exists in the environment and in our bodies is the first step toward addressing the health risks.

Tricks and tracks of prevalence, occurrences, treatment technologies, and challenges of mixtures of emerging contaminants in the environment: With special emphasis on microplastic

This review examines how microplastics interact with other emerging contaminants like pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and industrial chemicals in soil and water, often acting as carriers that transport these pollutants into ecosystems. The combined exposure to microplastics and these toxic substances can cause cancer-promoting, hormone-disrupting, and birth-defect-causing effects in living organisms, including humans.

Microplastics in freshwater: Unveiling sources, fate, and removal strategies

This review of 167 studies examines the sources, distribution, and fate of microplastics in freshwater systems worldwide. Key sources include improperly disposed plastic waste, synthetic fabrics, and personal care products, and these particles act as carriers for heavy metals, pesticides, and antibiotic-resistant bacteria -- collectively posing potential cancer and other health risks through contaminated drinking water and food.

Compounding one problem with another? A look at biodegradable microplastics

This review examines whether biodegradable plastics truly solve the microplastic problem, finding that many do not fully break down under real-world conditions. Incomplete decomposition of biodegradable plastics can generate micro-sized particles that may be just as harmful as conventional microplastics. The authors warn that marketing plastics as "biodegradable" without ensuring complete breakdown could actually worsen environmental microplastic contamination.

A novel investigations on medical and non-medical mask performance with influence of marine waste microplastics (polypropylene)

This study used recycled marine microplastics made of polypropylene to manufacture face mask fabric through the melt-blown process. The researchers found they could produce effective masks while reusing ocean plastic waste, offering a way to address both microplastic pollution and mask demand. However, the long-term effects of wearing masks made from recycled microplastic materials on respiratory health need further study.

Decoding the interactions between microplastics, polyfluoroalkyl substances, and endocrine disruptors: sorption kinetics and toxicity

The nexus of microplastics, food and antimicrobial resistance in the context of aquatic environment: Interdisciplinary linkages of pathways

This review examines how microplastics in aquatic environments serve as surfaces where bacteria can grow, share antibiotic resistance genes, and then enter the food chain through contaminated seafood. The combination of microplastic pollution and antimicrobial resistance creates a compounding threat, as resistant bacteria riding on plastic particles can survive water treatment and reach humans. The authors call for interdisciplinary research connecting environmental science and public health to address this growing risk.

Recent Developments in Synthesis, Properties, Applications and Recycling of Bio-Based Elastomers

This review covers recent advances in creating elastomers (flexible rubber-like materials) from renewable biological sources instead of petroleum, including natural rubber, plant oils, and bio-based polyurethanes. Current elastomers are mostly non-recyclable thermosets that take centuries to decompose, contributing to microplastic formation as they slowly fragment. Developing bio-based, recyclable alternatives could help reduce the long-term generation of microplastic pollution from rubber and flexible plastic products.

Metathesis of butadiene rubber for the sustainable production of polyesters and polyols

Researchers developed a chemical method to break down butadiene rubber, the second most produced synthetic rubber, into useful polyester and polyol products with up to 97% yield. This process offers a way to recycle rubber waste that would otherwise contribute to microplastic pollution as it degrades in the environment. While not a health study, this kind of recycling technology could help reduce the amount of synthetic rubber entering ecosystems as microplastics.

Prevalence of pharmaceuticals and personal care products, microplastics and co-infecting microbes in the post-COVID-19 era and its implications on antimicrobial resistance and potential endocrine disruptive effects

This review examines how the COVID-19 pandemic increased environmental contamination from pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and microplastics, all of which can promote antibiotic resistance and disrupt hormones. The surge in mask use, sanitizer disposal, and medication contributed to higher levels of these pollutants in waterways. The combination of microplastics with pharmaceutical residues creates a compounding threat where plastics can carry drug-resistant bacteria and hormone-disrupting chemicals into water supplies.

Potential ecological risk assessment of microplastics in environmental compartments in Mexico: A meta-analysis

A meta-analysis of microplastic contamination across Mexico's environmental compartments found that 71% of sites assessed by the Polymer Risk Index showed dangerous or high risk levels, driven by hazardous polymer compositions. Marine, estuarine, freshwater, beach, sediment, and biota compartments all showed significant contamination, making this the first comprehensive ecological risk assessment of microplastics in Mexico.

Urine biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease: A new opportunity for wastewater-based epidemiology?

Researchers explored whether Alzheimer's disease biomarkers found in urine could be detected in wastewater to track disease trends across entire communities — a method called wastewater-based epidemiology. While promising biomarkers exist in urine, key questions about their stability and concentration in sewage must be resolved before this surveillance approach can be implemented.

A review of the current environmental status and human health implications of one of the most polluted rivers of Mexico: The Atoyac River, Puebla

This review examines over four decades of pollution in the Atoyac River in central Mexico, documenting contamination from industrial and agricultural discharges. Researchers found high levels of nutrients, trace metals, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and microplastics including fibers from the textile industry that accumulate in aquatic organisms. The study highlights that this heavily polluted river system poses ongoing risks to environmental and human health in the surrounding communities.

The Beast of Beauty: Environmental and Health Concerns of Toxic Components in Cosmetics

This review examined the environmental and health concerns associated with toxic chemical components in cosmetic products, including microplastic ingredients. Researchers found that active residues from cosmetics are continuously introduced into the environment and many of these bioactive chemicals have potential toxic properties, raising concerns about the cumulative impact of widespread cosmetic use on both ecosystems and human health.

Latest Advances and Developments to Detection of Micro‐ and Nanoplastics Using Surface‐Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

This review examines the latest developments in using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) to detect micro- and nanoplastics in various environmental samples. Researchers found that SERS offers significantly improved sensitivity compared to conventional methods, enabling detection of smaller plastic particles. The study suggests that SERS-based approaches hold promise for advancing nanoplastic detection, though challenges around standardization and reproducibility remain.

Understanding the underestimated: Occurrence, distribution, and interactions of microplastics in the sediment and soil of China, India, and Japan

Researchers reviewed the occurrence and distribution of microplastics in sediments and agricultural soils across China, India, and Japan, finding significant contamination levels in all three countries. The study discusses how microplastics interact with other environmental pollutants and impact various life forms. The findings highlight that current technologies are insufficient to fully eliminate microplastics from the environment, underscoring the need for improved remediation strategies.

Winds of change a tale of: asthma and microbiome

This review explores the relationship between the human microbiome and asthma, considering how environmental factors including air pollution and microplastics may influence microbial communities in the airways. Researchers found that changes in the lung and gut microbiome are associated with altered immune responses that can worsen asthma symptoms. The study suggests that environmental exposures, including airborne microplastics, may contribute to asthma development by disrupting the body's natural microbial balance.

Fungal Enzymes as Catalytic Tools for Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Degradation

This review examines the potential of fungal enzymes, including esterases, lipases, and cutinases, to break down polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic waste. Researchers surveyed the literature on how these biocatalysts work and their effectiveness compared to more widely studied bacterial enzymes. The study suggests that fungal enzymes offer a promising and underexplored avenue for developing eco-friendly PET degradation technologies.

Micro problems with macro consequences: accumulation of persistent organic pollutants and microplastics in human breast milk and in human milk substitutes

This review examines the presence of persistent organic pollutants and microplastics in both human breast milk and infant formula, raising questions about early-life exposure. Researchers found that these contaminants can transfer to infants during the critical first 1,000 days of development, a period important for long-term health. The study highlights significant gaps in our understanding of how combined exposure to microplastics and organic pollutants during infancy may affect health outcomes.

Magnetic polymeric composites: potential for separating and degrading micro/nano plastics

Researchers reviewed how magnetic composite materials can be used to attract, capture, and chemically break down microplastics and nanoplastics in wastewater, finding that combining magnetic separation with advanced oxidation or photocatalysis offers one of the most promising approaches for removing these persistent plastic pollutants from water.

Moving beyond “the” business case: How to make corporate sustainability work

This article examines the debate over whether the business case alone can drive meaningful corporate sustainability efforts. Researchers argue that neither purely voluntary corporate action nor regulation alone is sufficient, and that firms need to move beyond a one-size-fits-all business case to context-specific approaches. The study suggests that combining private-sector innovation with supportive regulatory frameworks is the most effective path toward achieving sustainability goals.

Current trends in biopolymers for food packaging: a review

This review covers the latest developments in biopolymer-based food packaging, including biodegradable films, edible coatings, and active or smart packaging systems. Researchers found that while these sustainable alternatives show promise, they still face challenges in matching the moisture, heat, and barrier properties of conventional petroleum-based plastics. The study highlights ongoing efforts to improve these materials so they can realistically replace traditional plastic packaging.

Exploring genetic landscape of low-density polyethylene degradation for sustainable troubleshooting of plastic pollution at landfills

Researchers investigated the genetic mechanisms behind microbial degradation of low-density polyethylene plastic at one of India's largest landfill sites. They identified specific bacterial strains capable of breaking down the plastic and characterized the genes and metabolic pathways involved in the degradation process. The findings point toward potential biological strategies for addressing plastic pollution at landfills, though the degradation rates remain slow compared to the scale of the problem.