Papers

Microplastics in the Olfactory Bulb of the Human Brain

Researchers found microplastic particles in the olfactory bulb, the part of the human brain responsible for the sense of smell. This suggests that microplastics may reach the brain through the nasal passage, bypassing the blood-brain barrier. The finding highlights a potential direct route for microplastics to enter the brain, raising concerns about neurotoxicity.

Ultra-compact quintuple-band terahertz metamaterial biosensor for enhanced blood cancer diagnostics

Engineers designed an advanced terahertz-frequency biosensor that can distinguish between normal blood cells and cancerous blood cells with high sensitivity. While not directly about microplastics, this type of sensor technology could potentially be adapted to detect nanoplastic particles in blood samples, advancing our ability to measure human exposure to plastic pollution.

Heterogeneous photocatalysis as an efficient process for degrading MPs/NPs in aqueous media: A systematic review

This systematic review summarizes research on using light-activated chemical processes to break down microplastics and nanoplastics in water. The findings suggest that photocatalysis is a promising approach for removing these tiny plastic particles from drinking water and wastewater, which could help reduce human exposure to microplastic contamination.

Advocating microbial diversity conservation in Antarctica

This review highlights how human activities, tourism, and climate change are threatening Antarctica's unique microbial ecosystems, with microplastics now reaching even this remote continent. While focused on conservation, the study underscores that microplastic pollution is truly global in scale, contaminating environments far from any source of plastic production.

Presence of airborne microplastics in human lung tissue

Researchers examined human lung tissue from autopsies and found microplastic particles and fibers in 13 out of 20 samples. The most common plastics were polyethylene and polypropylene, with particles smaller than 5.5 micrometers. This study provides direct evidence that inhaled microplastics accumulate in human lungs, raising concerns about potential long-term effects on respiratory health.

Ultra-processed foods and cardiometabolic health: public health policies to reduce consumption cannot wait

Researchers argue that the strong and growing evidence linking ultra-processed foods to heart disease, diabetes, and other metabolic conditions justifies immediate public health action. Ultra-processed foods may cause harm through multiple pathways, including their plastic packaging, chemical additives, and poor nutritional quality. The authors stress that waiting for complete scientific understanding of every mechanism should not delay policies to reduce consumption of these foods.

Social exposome and brain health outcomes of dementia across Latin America

This study examined how social factors like education, food insecurity, financial status, and healthcare access over a lifetime affect brain health and dementia risk across six Latin American countries. While not directly about microplastics, the research is relevant because environmental exposures, including pollutants, are part of the broader exposome that shapes long-term health outcomes. The findings emphasize that cumulative social and environmental disadvantages may increase vulnerability to neurological disease.

Atmospheric microplastic fallout in outdoor and indoor environments in São Paulo megacity

Researchers measured microplastic fallout in both outdoor and indoor environments across the megacity of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and found that indoor environments had significantly higher microplastic deposition rates than outdoor locations. Fibers from synthetic textiles were the most common type of airborne microplastic detected. The study highlights that people living in densely populated cities may face substantial microplastic exposure simply from the air they breathe indoors.

Biofragmentation of Polystyrene Microplastics: A Silent Process Performed by <i>Chironomus sancticaroli</i> Larvae

Researchers discovered that freshwater insect larvae (Chironomus sancticaroli) can break polystyrene microplastics into even smaller pieces in lake and river sediments. While this biological breakdown could help reduce microplastic size, it also creates smaller fragments that may be easier for other organisms to ingest. The process also caused oxidative stress in the larvae themselves, showing that microplastics harm the very creatures that help break them down.

A systematic review of the effects of microplastics and nanoplastics on the soil-plant system

Using mussel as a global bioindicator of coastal microplastic pollution

This review evaluates whether mussels can serve as reliable global indicators of coastal microplastic pollution. Researchers found that mussels are well suited for this role due to their wide geographic distribution, filter-feeding behavior, and demonstrated ability to accumulate microplastics from surrounding waters. The study identifies remaining challenges in standardizing monitoring methods but concludes that mussels offer a practical and ecologically relevant tool for tracking marine microplastic contamination.

Innovative Approaches to an Eco-Friendly Cosmetic Industry: A Review of Sustainable Ingredients

This review examines sustainable alternatives to conventional cosmetic ingredients, including plant-based, microbial, and recycled materials that could replace synthetic and potentially harmful components. While not directly about microplastics, cosmetic microbeads have been a significant source of microplastic pollution, and the push for eco-friendly ingredients helps reduce plastic particles entering waterways. The shift toward sustainable cosmetics is part of broader efforts to decrease human exposure to synthetic microparticles.

Bioindicators and human biomarkers as alternative approaches for cost-effective assessment of air pollution exposure

This review explores low-cost methods for monitoring air pollution using natural indicators like spider webs, lichens, and mosses, as well as human biomarkers that detect genetic damage from pollution exposure. While not focused on microplastics specifically, several of these biomonitoring techniques could be adapted to assess airborne microplastic exposure in communities. The approach is especially valuable for regions that cannot afford expensive air monitoring equipment but need to understand local pollution impacts on health.

An emerging class of air pollutants: Potential effects of microplastics to respiratory human health?

This review explores the emerging concern that airborne microplastics can be inhaled by humans, potentially causing adverse effects on the respiratory system. Researchers compiled available data on the concentration, size, shape, and chemical composition of microplastic particles found in urban air. The findings suggest that airborne plastic debris represents a largely understudied class of air pollutant with potential implications for human health.

More than just sweet: current insights into microplastics in honey products and a case study of <i>Melipona quadrifasciata</i> honey

Researchers found microplastic contamination in 100% of honey samples from native Brazilian bees, with polypropylene fibers being the most common type detected. Concentrations ranged from 0.1 to 2.6 particles per milliliter of honey, showing that even honey from native bee species in vegetated areas is contaminated. This adds honey to the growing list of everyday foods through which people regularly consume microplastics.

Curbing health harms from microplastics

Exploration of Microbial Factories for Synthesis of Nanoparticles – A Sustainable Approach for Bioremediation of Environmental Contaminants

This review explores how microorganisms can be harnessed to produce nanoparticles for environmental cleanup, including the remediation of pollutants like microplastics. Researchers describe how microbial synthesis of nanoparticles offers a cleaner, cheaper, and more sustainable alternative to traditional chemical and physical manufacturing methods. The biologically produced nanoparticles show promise as tools for removing heavy metals, dyes, and other contaminants from polluted environments.

The Exposome and the Kidney: A Silent Dialogue Shaping Chronic Kidney Disease

This review explores how environmental exposures, collectively called the exposome, contribute to chronic kidney disease. Factors including air pollution, nanoplastics, pesticides, ultra-processed foods, and socioeconomic stress all appear to interact with genetic predisposition to influence kidney health. The study suggests that since genetics account for less than 20% of overall disease risk, understanding and reducing harmful environmental exposures could be an important strategy for kidney disease prevention.

Microplastic contamination in the highly polluted Tietê River (São Paulo, Brazil): an unsustainable human-nature relationship

Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in the Tiete River downstream of Sao Paulo, one of the most polluted rivers in Brazil. They found microplastics in both water and sediment samples across wet and dry seasons, with fibers and fragments being the dominant types. The study confirms that heavily urbanized areas are major sources of microplastic pollution that contaminates downstream river ecosystems.

A One Health approach to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs): Integrating human, animal, and environmental health perspectives

This review takes a One Health approach to examining polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), persistent flame retardant chemicals that contaminate the environment and accumulate in living organisms. Researchers found that PBDEs cause similar harmful effects across species, including hormonal disruption, brain development problems, and immune system damage, with children and pregnant women facing the highest risks. The study also highlights emerging concerns about interactions between PBDEs and microplastics, which may increase how much of these chemicals organisms absorb.

Microplastic Deposit Predictions on Sandy Beaches by Geotechnologies and Machine Learning Models

Researchers used satellite imagery and machine learning to predict where microplastics accumulate on sandy beaches along Brazil's northern coast. They found that beach shape, slope, and proximity to urban areas were strong predictors of microplastic deposits. The study demonstrates that geotechnology tools can help identify pollution hotspots without costly field sampling at every location.

Unveiling microplastic and metal pollution in giant armadillos (Priodontes maximus) from areas impacted by human activities in the Rio Doce Basin, Brazil

Researchers examined giant armadillos in a Brazilian nature reserve affected by the 2015 dam disaster and found both microplastics and metals in their tissues. The animals, which forage by digging in soil and consuming invertebrates, showed contamination likely linked to the mining waste and broader plastic pollution in the Rio Doce Basin. The study demonstrates that even large, burrowing mammals in conservation areas are not shielded from microplastic and metal pollution.

Multiple endpoints of polylactic acid biomicroplastic toxicity in adult zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Assessment of microplastic toxicity to embryonic development of the sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus (Echinodermata: Echinoidea)

Researchers assessed the toxicity of both virgin and beach-stranded plastic pellets to sea urchin embryo development. The study found that chemical substances leaching from microplastics into surrounding water caused developmental abnormalities, indicating that microplastics can release harmful compounds that affect marine organisms even without direct ingestion.