Papers

Ecological implications beyond the ecotoxicity of plastic debris on marine phytoplankton assemblage structure and functioning

PVC, polystyrene, and polyethylene microplastics and nanoplastics significantly reduced phytoplankton cell density, with polymer type being a key factor; given phytoplankton's role in atmospheric CO2 fixation, plastic pollution could potentially impact the marine carbon pump.

Immunological Responses of Marine Bivalves to Contaminant Exposure: Contribution of the -Omics Approach

This review examines how contaminant exposure, including emerging pollutants like microplastics, affects the immune responses of marine bivalves using omics-based approaches. Researchers found that combining transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic data provides a more comprehensive picture of how pollutants disrupt bivalve immunity than traditional single-endpoint studies. The study highlights bivalves as valuable sentinel organisms for monitoring the immunological impacts of marine pollution.

Evidence for immunomodulation and apoptotic processes induced by cationic polystyrene nanoparticles in the hemocytes of the marine bivalve Mytilus

Researchers exposed mussel immune cells (hemocytes) to cationic polystyrene nanoparticles and found dose-dependent reductions in phagocytic ability, increases in reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide, and apoptotic cell death at high concentrations — indicating nanoplastics can compromise invertebrate immune defenses through mechanisms similar to those seen in mammalian cells.

Emerging Marine Nematodes as Model Organisms: Which Species for Which Question?

This review evaluates the potential of marine nematodes as model organisms for studying biological questions related to ecosystem functioning, climate change, ecotoxicology, and biotechnology. Researchers identified several promising species with manageable life cycles and available genomic resources that could be used in laboratory settings. The study highlights their value for investigating environmental stress responses, including exposure to pollutants like microplastics in marine habitats.

Assessing the Levels of Awareness among European Citizens about the Direct and Indirect Impacts of Plastics on Human Health

Researchers surveyed European citizens across multiple countries about their awareness of direct and indirect health impacts of plastic pollution, finding that awareness of plastic's environmental harms was widespread but that knowledge of specific health risks — including those from microplastics and chemical additives — was much lower.

Shift in Immune Parameters After Repeated Exposure to Nanoplastics in the Marine Bivalve Mytilus

Mussels (Mytilus spp.) repeatedly exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics showed progressive shifts in immune parameters across successive exposures, suggesting that repeated low-dose exposures may chronically compromise bivalve immune function even when single exposures appear non-toxic.

Impact of polystyrene nanoparticles on marine diatom Skeletonema marinoi chain assemblages and consequences on their ecological role in marine ecosystems

Researchers exposed the marine diatom Skeletonema marinoi to polystyrene nanoparticles and observed increased oxidative stress, reduced chain length, and nanoplastic aggregation at the diatom's silica pores, raising concern that nanoplastic interference with diatom chain formation could impair the biological carbon pump that sequesters atmospheric CO2 in deep ocean sediments.

Flow cytometric analysis of hepatopancreatic cells from Armadillidium vulgare highlights terrestrial isopods as efficient environmental bioindicators in ex vivo settings

Researchers optimized a method for analyzing individual cells from the digestive organ of pill bugs (terrestrial isopods) and used it to detect pollution-related stress across sites with different contamination levels. The findings position these common soil invertebrates as practical, early-warning biological indicators for environmental pollution monitoring.

Mercury-Induced Oxidative Stress Response in Benthic Foraminifera: An In Vivo Experiment on Amphistegina lessonii

This study investigated the phytotoxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics on rice seedlings, finding that 100 nm particles reduced root elongation by 40% and disrupted nutrient uptake compared to controls. Internalization was confirmed via fluorescence imaging.

Foraminifera and plastic pollution: Knowledge gaps and research opportunities

This review identifies critical knowledge gaps in understanding how plastic pollution affects foraminifera — single-celled marine organisms that are important indicators of ocean health and contributors to marine sediment records. The authors outline research priorities for investigating plastic uptake, toxicity, and potential effects on foraminiferal ecology and the fossil record.

Free-living nematodes research: State of the art, prospects, and future directions. A bibliometric analysis approach

Rapid and high-throughput analysis of PAHs and pesticides adsorbed on microplastics using SPME-MS through a microfluidic open interface coupled to liquid electron ionization mass spectrometry

Researchers developed a rapid, low-waste analytical method to measure how well common pesticides and industrial chemicals stick to microplastic particles in water. They found that plastic type and chemical structure both influence adsorption strength, with the pesticide chlorpyrifos clinging especially tightly to polyethylene — a concern given its known toxicity.

Micro/nanoscaled cellulose from coffee pods do not impact HT-29 cells while improving viability and endosomal compartment after C. jejuni CDT intoxication

Researchers investigated the safety and functional properties of micro/nanoscaled cellulose derived from coffee pods, finding no significant impact on HT-29 intestinal cells while demonstrating improved mechanical and barrier properties relevant to food packaging applications.

Fundamental questions in meiofauna—how small but ubiquitous animals can help to better understand Nature

This review examines the ecological importance of meiofauna, the collective term for microscopic animals that are numerically dominant across Earth's ecosystems, highlighting their roles in biogeochemical cycles and as models for understanding adaptive processes. The study synthesizes research showing meiofauna contribute to the animal Tree of Life, offer insights into fundamental biology, and represent a valuable resource for future genomic studies.

Nanoparticle-Biological Interactions in a Marine Benthic Foraminifer

Researchers exposed single-celled marine organisms called foraminifera to three types of engineered nanoparticles — including polystyrene nanoplastics — and found that all three accumulated inside the cells and triggered oxidative stress (a form of cellular damage). This study shows that even microscopic seafloor organisms are vulnerable to nanoplastic pollution, expanding the known range of species harmed by plastic contamination.

Flow cytometric analysis of hepatopancreatic cells from Armadillidium vulgare highlights terrestrial Isopods as efficient environmental bioindicators in ex vivo settings

This study used flow cytometry to analyze hepatopancreatic cells from pill bugs (Armadillidium vulgare) as a sensitive biomonitoring tool for soil contamination. Terrestrial isopods are efficient bioindicators of soil pollution including microplastics, and this ex vivo method offers a sensitive way to detect cellular-level damage.

What Can Model Polystyrene Nanoparticles Can Teach Us on the Impact of Nanoplastics in Bivalves? Studies in Mytilus from the Molecular to the Organism Level