Papers

Exposure to polystyrene microplastics reduces sociality and brain oxytocin levels through the gut-brain axis in mice

Adolescent mice exposed to polystyrene microplastics for 10 weeks showed reduced social behavior and lower levels of oxytocin -- a hormone important for social bonding -- in a key brain region. The microplastics damaged the gut lining and altered gut bacteria, and when researchers blocked the nerve connection between the gut and brain, the social behavior problems improved. This provides strong evidence that microplastics can affect brain function and social behavior through the gut-brain axis.

Pretreatment-free SERS sensing of microplastics using a self-attention-based neural network on hierarchically porous Ag foams

Researchers developed a new sensor platform that can identify six common types of microplastics in environmental samples without the time-consuming separation and pre-treatment steps usually required. The system uses specially designed silver surfaces combined with an artificial intelligence algorithm to analyze the unique chemical fingerprints of different plastics. Faster, cheaper microplastic detection tools like this are essential for monitoring contamination levels in water and food that affect human health.

Comprehensive Transcriptome Profiling of Antioxidant Activities by Glutathione in Human HepG2 Cells

Researchers used DNA microarray analysis to map the full range of genes activated by the antioxidant glutathione in human liver cells under both normal and stressed conditions. They found that glutathione activates protective antioxidant pathways, including the NRF2 system, and regulates a broad set of biological processes beyond its known role. The study provides a comprehensive molecular picture of how glutathione supports liver cell defense against oxidative damage.

Different interaction performance between microplastics and microalgae: The bio-elimination potential of Chlorella sp. L38 and Phaeodactylum tricornutum MASCC-0025

Researchers investigated how two species of microalgae, Chlorella and Phaeodactylum tricornutum, interact with common microplastic types including polypropylene, polyethylene, PET, and PVC. The study found that these microalgae have different capacities to interact with and potentially help remove microplastics, suggesting a possible green and cost-effective approach to microplastic bio-elimination from contaminated waters.

Insights into the molecular response of <i>Dioithona rigida</i> to selenium nanoparticles: <i>de novo</i> transcriptome assembly and differential gene expression analysis

Researchers exposed a marine copepod species to selenium nanoparticles and used genetic analysis to understand the molecular-level effects. They found significant changes in genes related to DNA repair, oxidative stress response, and cell membrane function. The study matters because copepods are a key link in marine food chains, so contaminant effects on these tiny organisms can have ripple effects through the ecosystem and ultimately affect the seafood humans consume.

An Integrated Assessment of Microplastic Pollution in Coastal Surface Water and Sediment of Japan

Researchers conducted a comprehensive survey of microplastic pollution in surface water and sediment at 15 coastal locations across Japan, from Hokkaido to Okinawa. They extracted over 53,000 suspected microplastic particles and identified the most common polymers using FTIR spectroscopy. The study provides an integrated baseline dataset for understanding the extent and distribution of microplastic contamination along Japanese coastlines.

Biofilms: hot spots of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in aquatic environments, with a focus on a new HGT mechanism

This review covers horizontal gene transfer in aquatic biofilms, with emphasis on antibiotic resistance gene spread, and introduces membrane vesicles as a newly recognized HGT mechanism by which bacteria share genetic material, with implications for understanding resistance spread on microplastic surfaces.

Beppu Bay, Japan, as a candidate Global boundary Stratotype Section and Point for the Anthropocene series

Researchers evaluated Beppu Bay sediments as a candidate Global boundary Stratotype Section for the Anthropocene, finding unprecedented increases in 99 anthropogenic proxies above a 1953 flood layer, including microplastics, radionuclides, and industrial pollutants.

The influence of plastic mulch degradation on microplastic contamination in agricultural soils under different climatic conditions

Researchers studied how plastic mulch degradation generates microplastic contamination in Indonesian agricultural soils under humid (Bogor) and hot-dry (Lombok) climatic conditions, finding that environmental factors strongly influenced degradation rates and microplastic accumulation patterns.

Assessing the Influences of Leaf Functional Traits on Plant Performances Under Dust Deposition and Microplastic Retention

This study assessed airborne microplastic accumulation on the leaves of ten urban plant species in an Indian city, finding fragments and films were most abundant, and that leaf functional traits (surface texture, wax content) significantly influenced both microplastic retention and the plants' biochemical stress responses.

Turning waste into opportunity: Advancing circular and equitable waste management

This chapter examines global waste management challenges, reviewing circular economy frameworks, equity considerations, and the environmental and social consequences of inadequate waste handling, with emphasis on plastic waste and its downstream microplastic effects.

Preparation of marine-sourced alginate fibres to produce composite paper from both green and blue carbons

This paper illustrates the preparation of composite paper using marine-sourced alginate fibers combined with wood pulp fibers, presenting a method to utilize both green (terrestrial) and blue (marine) carbon sources in producing sustainable paper materials.

Rational Design and Engineering of Conducting Polymers for Chemical Enhancement in Raman Scattering

Researchers developed a systematic framework for designing and engineering conducting polymer-based chemical Raman scattering enhancers by mapping charge-transfer pathways using transient absorption spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and DFT calculations. This rational design approach identified morphology and composition factors that maximize Raman signal enhancement, advancing non-electromagnetic methods for detecting microplastics and other analytes at low concentrations.

Open science resources from the Tara Pacific expedition across coral reef and surface ocean ecosystems

Researchers from the Tara Pacific expedition collected nearly 58,000 samples from coral reefs and ocean surface waters across 32 Pacific islands between 2016 and 2018, creating a massive open-access dataset for studying ocean ecosystems. This publicly available resource allows scientists worldwide to investigate a wide range of questions about coral reef health, ocean biodiversity, and environmental change.

Future trends that can be used for MP removals

This chapter reviews emerging trends in microplastic removal technologies, covering the role of particle size in determining bioaccumulation and toxicity, and evaluating current and future methods for addressing the global microplastic pollution problem.

Indigo-dyed cellulose fibers and synthetic polymers in surface-feeding seabird chick regurgitates from the Gulf of Alaska

Regurgitates from black-legged kittiwake chicks in the Gulf of Alaska contained indigo-dyed cellulose fibers and synthetic polymers, with GPS tracking of foraging adults linking ingestion to specific continental shelf feeding areas.

Marine Heatwaves, Sewage and Eutrophication Combine to Trigger Deoxygenation and Biodiversity Loss: A SW Atlantic Case Study

Researchers found that marine heatwaves combined with sewage discharge and eutrophication in the Bay of Santa Catarina Island, Brazil triggered deoxygenation events and biodiversity loss between 1994 and 2020, with declining oxygen and rising phosphorus levels indicating accelerating degradation of this SW Atlantic coastal ecosystem.

Aggregation and Aggregate Strength of Microscale Plastic Particles in the Presence of Natural Organic Matter: Effects of Ionic Valence

Ocean acidification has a strong effect on communities living on plastic in mesocosms

A mesocosm experiment found that simulated ocean acidification significantly changed the microbial communities colonizing plastic debris (the "plastisphere"), increasing the relative abundance of pathogenic and parasite bacteria and altering nutrient cycling. This is concerning because ocean acidification driven by climate change could make plastic pollution even more dangerous by turning floating plastics into enhanced vectors for harmful microbes.

The Effect of Lysozyme on the Aggregation and Charging of Oxidized Carbon Nanohorn (CNHox) in Aqueous Solution

This is not about microplastics — it is a colloid chemistry study examining how the protein lysozyme affects the aggregation and surface charge of oxidized carbon nanohorns (a type of carbon nanomaterial) in aqueous solution.

An Integrated Spatial Assessment of Macro-, Meso-, and Microplastic Pollution Along Cox’s Bazar Beach in Bangladesh

Researchers conducted the first comprehensive assessment of macro-, meso-, and microplastic pollution along the full coastline of Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh, sampling 23 stations across tourism, active, and less active beach zones. Plastic abundance varied significantly by zone and land use, with fragments and films as dominant types, reflecting Bangladesh's high plastic waste mismanagement rates.

An integrated assessment of microplastic pollution in coastal surface water and sediment of Japan

Researchers conducted a comprehensive survey of microplastic pollution across 14 coastal locations around Japan from Hokkaido to Okinawa, measuring concentrations of 288.7 g/km2 in surface water and 1,185 kg/km2 in sediment and characterizing polymer types, shapes, and size distributions.

Microplastics reshape frozen algal-bacterial granular reactivation: Decoding structural collapse and microbial drivers of nutrient removal

Researchers investigated how co-existing PET, PVC, and polyethylene microplastics affect the reactivation of frozen algal-bacterial granular sludge used in wastewater treatment, finding that moderate MP concentrations enhanced granular compactness and nitrogen and phosphorus removal while elevated concentrations disrupted structural stability and microbial dynamics. The study identifies MP concentration thresholds critical for maintaining granular sludge function after frozen storage.

Biowaste Materials for Advanced Biodegradable Packaging Technology