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Papers
149 resultsShowing papers from Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1
ClearThe recovery of European freshwater biodiversity has come to a halt
Researchers analyzed 1,816 freshwater invertebrate community datasets from 22 European countries spanning 1968 to 2020, finding that biodiversity recovered steadily through the 1990s and 2000s thanks to water quality improvements, but has largely plateaued since the 2010s. Emerging threats including climate warming, emerging pollutants like microplastics, and invasive species are now offsetting earlier conservation gains, signaling that stronger protections are urgently needed.
Beyond microbeads: Examining the role of cosmetics in microplastic pollution and spotlighting unanswered questions
This review highlights a major gap in microplastic research: while rinse-off cosmetics like face scrubs have gotten most of the attention, leave-on products like moisturizers and makeup actually contain more microplastic ingredients and are purchased in greater volumes. Since leave-on products sit on the skin for extended periods, they may pose underappreciated risks for both dermal microplastic exposure and environmental contamination.
The potential of micro- and nanoplastics to exacerbate the health impacts and global burden of non-communicable diseases
This review presents evidence that micro- and nanoplastics may worsen non-communicable diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and respiratory illness by fueling chronic inflammation in the body. The authors also propose that people already suffering from these diseases may absorb even more microplastics due to their weakened tissue barriers, creating a harmful feedback loop.
The potential of microplastics acting as vector for triclosan in aquatic environments
This systematic review found that microplastics can act as vectors for triclosan (an antibacterial agent) in aquatic environments, transporting it across trophic levels through hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic interactions, and electrostatic forces. The co-occurrence of microplastics and triclosan amplifies their combined toxicity to aquatic organisms beyond their individual effects.
Size Distribution of Micro-/Nanoplastic Particles and Their Chemical Speciation in the Atmosphere of Shanghai, China
Scientists measured airborne micro- and nanoplastics in Shanghai's winter atmosphere and found that nearly 60% of the plastic mass consisted of very fine particles under 3.2 micrometers, small enough to penetrate deep into the lungs. Polyethylene (the most common plastic) made up 40% of airborne plastics, and modeling showed that nanoscale particles accumulate more in the deep lung than in the upper airways, raising concerns about long-term respiratory health effects.
Characteristics and quantification of small microplastics (<100 µm) in seasonal svalbard snow on glaciers and lands
Researchers found tiny microplastic particles (smaller than 100 micrometers) in snow samples from Arctic glaciers and tundra in Svalbard, Norway. The amounts were lower on remote glaciers and higher near the research settlement, showing that these particles travel long distances through the air but also come from nearby human activity. This highlights how microplastic pollution reaches even the most isolated places on Earth.
Groundwater is a hidden global keystone ecosystem
This study argues that groundwater should be recognized as a "keystone ecosystem" because of its critical role in sustaining surface environments, biodiversity, and human water supplies. Over half of the world's land surface has significant interaction with groundwater, yet it remains overlooked in conservation planning. Protecting groundwater is essential for planetary health, including safeguarding water sources from emerging contaminants like microplastics.
Stakeholder alliances are essential to reduce the scourge of plastic pollution
This commentary argues that reducing plastic pollution requires much better cooperation between scientists, industry, the public, and policymakers. Progress has been painfully slow, and damage to the environment and human health continues to grow. The authors call for these four groups to find new ways to work together to address the plastic crisis more effectively.
Identification of Microplastics Using µ-Raman Spectroscopy in Surface and Groundwater Bodies of SE Attica, Greece
Scientists found microplastics in both surface water and groundwater samples across southeastern Greece, with shallow wells containing far more particles than deeper sources. Four common plastic types were identified: polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, and PET. The detection of microplastics even in deeper groundwater suggests these particles can migrate through soil layers, raising concerns about contamination of drinking water sources.
Deep dive into the chronic toxicity of tyre particle mixtures and their leachates
Researchers tested the toxicity of tire tread microparticles — shed from vehicle tires at roughly 1.4 kg per car per year — on water fleas (Daphnia magna) over 21 days and found the particles were nearly 10 times more toxic than chemical leachates from the same tires alone. Chemical analysis identified zinc, titanium, and 54 organic compounds shared across five major tire brands, with many classified as very toxic to aquatic life.
Multi‐omics insights into surface charge effects to decode the interplay of nanoplastics and bacterial antibiotic resistance
Researchers discovered that nanoplastics with a positive surface charge help bacteria become more resistant to antibiotics by turning on stress-defense genes and promoting the spread of resistance genes between bacteria. In contrast, negatively charged nanoplastics had the opposite effect, disrupting bacterial communities in ways that could reduce resistance. This finding is important for human health because it suggests that the type of nanoplastic pollution in the environment could influence how quickly antibiotic-resistant superbugs develop and spread.
Advances in quantifying the drivers of the occurrence, transport, and fate of freshwater microplastics
This review analyzes the many factors that control where freshwater microplastics end up, finding that concentrations vary by seven orders of magnitude across different locations worldwide. Microorganisms, plants, and animals all interact with microplastics in ways that change how the particles move and accumulate in water systems. Understanding these complex transport networks is essential for predicting human exposure through drinking water and freshwater food sources.
Microplastics in Freshwater Sediments Impact the Role of a Main Bioturbator in Ecosystem Functioning
This study investigated how microplastics in freshwater sediments affect Tubifex worms, which are important bioturbators that mix and aerate sediment. Researchers found that microplastic contamination altered the worms' burrowing behavior and disrupted biogeochemical processes at the sediment-water interface. The findings suggest that microplastic pollution could impair fundamental ecosystem functions by affecting the organisms that maintain healthy sediment environments.
Unlocking secrets of microbial ecotoxicology: recent achievements and future challenges
This review explores how microorganisms interact with environmental pollutants, including microplastics, covering how bacteria can break down pollutants but are also harmed by them. The authors highlight that microplastics create new surfaces in the environment where bacteria form communities, potentially spreading harmful species or antibiotic resistance. Understanding these microbial interactions is critical for developing nature-based solutions to reduce pollution and protect human health.
Advancements in Biodegradable Active Films for Food Packaging: Effects of Nano/Microcapsule Incorporation
This review examines how incorporating nano- and microcapsules containing natural antimicrobial and antioxidant compounds into biodegradable packaging films can extend food shelf life. Researchers found that these capsules protect the active compounds during processing and allow their controlled release over time. The technology offers a promising alternative to synthetic preservatives while also reducing reliance on conventional plastics in food packaging.
The One Health Concept: 10 Years Old and a Long Road Ahead
This paper reviews the progress and challenges of the One Health concept, which recognizes that human, animal, and environmental health are deeply interconnected. Researchers discuss how emerging infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and environmental pollution including chemical contaminants all require a cross-disciplinary approach. The study emphasizes that addressing modern health threats requires integrating ecological and environmental sciences alongside traditional medicine and veterinary practices.
Transport and deposition of ocean-sourced microplastic particles by a North Atlantic hurricane
During Hurricane Larry in 2021, researchers collected atmospheric samples over Newfoundland and found that the storm deposited over 113,000 microplastic particles per square meter per day. Analysis suggests the particles were picked up from the North Atlantic garbage patch as the hurricane passed over it. This study shows that major storms can transport ocean microplastics through the air to remote areas, expanding the reach of plastic pollution.
Nano and microplastic interactions with freshwater biota – Current knowledge, challenges and future solutions
This review examines how nano- and microplastics affect freshwater organisms by combining evidence from both field observations and laboratory experiments. Researchers identified a key gap: the most common plastic shapes found in nature (fibers) are not the ones typically used in lab studies (spherical particles), making it hard to compare results. The study proposes standardized methods to improve future research and better understand real-world impacts on freshwater ecosystems.
Sediment-Water Interfaces as Traps and Sources of Microplastic Fragments and Microfibers─Insights from Stream Flume Experiments
Researchers used controlled stream flume experiments to study how microplastic fibers and fragments settle into riverbed sediments. They found that lower water flow speeds caused faster deposition, with the effect being strongest for fibers, and that traditional settling equations significantly underestimate how microplastics actually behave near the streambed. The findings improve our understanding of where and how microplastics accumulate in rivers.
Quantitative study of microplastic degradation in urban hydrosystems: Comparing in situ environmentally aged microplastics vs. artificially aged materials generated via accelerated photo-oxidation
Researchers compared how polyethylene microplastics degrade in real urban water environments versus under controlled laboratory UV exposure. They found that lab-aged plastics showed primarily physical and chemical changes from UV light, while microplastics collected from stormwater and sediments also showed signs of biological degradation and hydrolysis. The study demonstrates that artificial aging alone does not fully replicate the complex degradation processes microplastics undergo in actual urban water systems.
Microplastics storage at the sediment-water interface in a gravel-bed river: Importance of local hydro-sedimentary conditions in downwelling, upwelling, and sedimentation zones
Researchers studied how river water flow patterns affect where microplastics accumulate in gravel streambed sediments along the Ain River in France. They found that upwelling zones, where groundwater pushes up through the riverbed, had significantly higher microplastic concentrations at depth compared to downwelling zones. The findings reveal that the interaction between surface water and groundwater plays an important but previously underappreciated role in trapping and storing microplastics within riverbeds.
Increased assimilation efficiency and mortality rate in Gammarus fossarum exposed to PVC microplastics
Researchers exposed freshwater amphipods to PVC microplastics of two different sizes for 28 days and found that the animals experienced increased mortality, particularly from smaller particles at higher concentrations. While the amphipods did not eat less food, they showed higher assimilation efficiency when exposed to microplastics, possibly due to changes in their gut bacteria or energy being redirected toward defense. The study highlights that even relatively low concentrations of PVC microplastics can be harmful to these important freshwater organisms.
13C-labeled nanoplastic model materials: Synthesis and evaluation of their use in ecotoxicology through bioaccumulation studies in aquatic crustaceans
Researchers developed carbon-13 labeled nanoplastic particles as a new tool for accurately tracking and measuring nanoplastics in living organisms. By combining stable isotope labeling with mass spectrometry, they could detect nanoplastics in complex biological samples like brine shrimp without the extensive sample preparation that current methods require. The approach provides a more reliable way to study how nanoplastics accumulate in aquatic food chains.
A Quantitative Environmental Risk Assessment for Microplastics in Sewage Sludge Applied to Land
Researchers conducted a quantitative risk assessment of microplastics in sewage sludge applied to farmland and found that contamination levels frequently exceed safe thresholds for soil organisms. Even under realistic scenarios, the microplastic concentrations in sludge-amended soils were estimated to affect 15 to 18 percent of soil species. The study suggests that regulatory limits on microplastics in agricultural sludge should be urgently considered to protect soil ecosystems.