Papers

Nano- and microplastics trigger secretion of protein-rich extracellular polymeric substances from phytoplankton

Researchers exposed four marine phytoplankton species to polystyrene nano- and microplastics and found that the smallest particles (55 nm nanoplastics) caused the most stress, reducing cell survival and altering the composition of secreted extracellular substances. The stressed phytoplankton produced protein-rich exopolymeric substances that facilitated the formation of aggregates around the plastic particles. The study suggests that nanoplastic pollution can change how marine microorganisms interact with their environment, affecting both plastic fate and microbial ecology.

A Comparison of Methods to Quantify Nano- and/or Microplastic (NMPs) Deposition in Wild-Caught Eastern Oysters (Crassostrea virginica) Growing in a Heavily Urbanized, Subtropical Estuary (Galveston Bay, USA)

Researchers compared multiple analytical methods to quantify nano- and microplastic contamination in wild eastern oysters from Galveston Bay, Texas. The study found up to 200 microplastic particles in individual oysters, with polymer composition varying by location within the bay, and demonstrated that different detection methods can yield complementary information about contamination levels.

How does buoyancy behavior impact microplastic transport in an estuarine environment?

Researchers used Lagrangian particle-tracking and hydrodynamic models to simulate microplastic transport in Galveston Bay, finding that negatively buoyant particles were retained roughly seven times longer than neutrally buoyant ones and followed different transport pathways, with projected sea-level rise expected to flush surface particles faster while trapping sinking particles longer.

Quantifying the Connectivity of Microplastic Pollution in the Texas–Louisiana Coastal Area

Using a Lagrangian particle-tracking model coupled to a 3D hydrodynamic simulation, researchers traced microplastic transport from Texas and Louisiana rivers and bayous to the Gulf of Mexico, finding that higher river flows reduced estuary retention time and increased coastal connectivity. The study identifies how hydrological variability controls microplastic distribution in this high-concentration region.

Importance of the water-sediment bed interactions in simulating microplastic particles in an estuarine system

This study examined the importance of modeling water-sediment bed interactions when simulating microplastic particle transport in rivers and coastal waters, finding that ignoring bed exchange processes significantly underestimates sediment accumulation of microplastics. Incorporating bed interaction improved model accuracy for predicting microplastic fate.

Effects of Engineered Nanoparticles on the Assembly of Exopolymeric Substances from Phytoplankton

This study examined how engineered nanoparticles affect the formation and properties of exopolymeric substances — the sticky biological compounds secreted by aquatic microbes that help form marine snow. The findings suggest that nanoparticles can disrupt this fundamental process, potentially altering carbon cycling and the biological pump in marine ecosystems.

Ontogenetic trophic variation in ghost crab Ocypode quadrata

Nano-plastics induce aquatic particulate organic matter (microgels) formation

Researchers found that 25 nm polystyrene nanoparticles in lake and river water promoted the formation of particulate organic matter microgels and accelerated the transition from dissolved to particulate organic matter through hydrophobic interactions. Adjusting salinity to simulate river-to-sea transport showed that specific salinity levels further drive settling of the plastic-organic aggregates, with implications for organic carbon cycling and microplastic fate in aquatic systems.

Modelling transport pathways of varying microplastics in an estuarine environment

Researchers modeled how microplastics of varying densities move through Galveston Bay, Texas, finding that settling velocity strongly influences retention time — neutrally buoyant particles flush out quickly while denser particles migrate westward and accumulate, highlighting the estuary's role in regional plastic transport.

Binary solvent extraction of microplastics from a complex environmental matrix

Researchers developed a simple, low-cost method for separating microplastics from complex environmental samples such as estuarine particulate organic matter and surface water using an ethanol-water binary solvent mixture. The technique achieved 89–93% recovery across a wide range of particle sizes (30–2500 µm) and polymer types without generating hazardous waste, aligning with Green Chemistry principles. Accessible, affordable extraction methods like this are important for scaling up microplastic monitoring globally.

Soothsaying DOM: A Current Perspective on the Future of Oceanic Dissolved Organic Carbon

This review examined the current state of knowledge and future prospects for oceanic dissolved organic carbon (DOC), discussing the production, recycling, and long-term storage of DOC from marine phytoplankton through heterotrophic microbial processing. The authors explored how DOC chemical composition and environmental conditions influence carbon reactivity and fate in the deep ocean.

Rapid and Sensitive Quantification of Nano- and Microplastics in Water, Sediment, and Biological Tissue by Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry with Dynamic Reaction Monitoring

Researchers developed a highly sensitive pyrolysis gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (Py-GC-qQq-MS) method using dynamic multiple reaction monitoring to quantify 12 common plastic polymers in water, sediments, and biological tissues at nanogram levels. The method achieved quantification of nano- and microplastics across diverse matrices with high specificity, using matrix-specific sample preparation including enzymatic digestion and pressurized liquid extraction.

Ocean plastics and the BBNJ treaty—is plastic frightening enough to insert itself into the BBNJ treaty, or do we need to wait for a treaty of its own?

This legal paper examines whether plastic pollution is serious enough to be included in a proposed international treaty on biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, or whether it requires its own dedicated treaty. Effective international governance is considered essential to meaningfully address global ocean plastic pollution.

Marine Gel Interactions with Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic Pollutants

Marine microgels—tiny gel particles in the ocean—can concentrate hydrophobic pollutants, acting as vectors similar to microplastics. This review explores how these natural colloidal materials interact with chemical contaminants and how they relate to the ecological role of microplastics in pollutant transport.

Marine colloids, agents of the self-cleansing capacity of aquatic systems: Historical perspective and new discoveries

This review covers the role of natural colloidal particles in ocean self-cleansing processes and how engineered nanoparticles and nanoplastics interact with these natural systems. Understanding how nanoplastics interact with natural ocean colloids helps predict their environmental fate and potential toxicity.

Report of the Pollution 2025 - Cumulative Effects - Multiple Stressors IWC Intersessional Workshop

This report summarizes proceedings and findings from the IWC Intersessional Workshop on Pollution 2025, focusing on cumulative effects and multiple stressors on cetacean populations, including plastic pollution, chemical contaminants, and their interactions with other environmental pressures.

Binary Solvent Extraction of Microplastics from Complex Environmental Matrix.

Researchers tested a two-solvent extraction method for isolating microplastics from complex environmental matrices. An efficient extraction technique is important for accurately detecting and quantifying microplastics in samples like sediment and biological tissue that contain many other organic and inorganic compounds.

Comparative Phylogeography, Historical Demography, and Population Genetics of Three Common Coastal Fauna in Spartina Marshes of the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico

This phylogeographic study examined the genetic diversity and connectivity of three common animal species in salt marsh habitats of the Gulf of Mexico. Healthy coastal wetland habitats are increasingly threatened by plastic pollution, and understanding population connectivity helps plan conservation strategies.

Colloids and Nanoparticles in Aquatic Systems

This review covers the composition and behavior of colloids and nanoparticles in marine systems, including natural organic matter, engineered nanoparticles, and nanoplastics. Understanding colloidal dynamics in the ocean is important for predicting the fate, transport, and ecological impacts of nanoscale plastic particles.