We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Papers
231 resultsShowing papers from Sorbonne Université
ClearUltra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes: umbrella review of epidemiological meta-analyses
This umbrella review of epidemiological studies examines the health effects of ultra-processed foods, which are a significant source of human microplastic exposure due to plastic packaging. Ultra-processed foods have been linked to a wide range of adverse health outcomes in population studies. The connection between processed food packaging and microplastic contamination adds another dimension to why reducing ultra-processed food consumption may benefit health.
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.
Plastic pollution in terrestrial ecosystems: Current knowledge on impacts of micro and nano fragments on invertebrates
This review summarizes research on how micro- and nanoplastics affect soil-dwelling invertebrates like earthworms and insects, finding that effects vary widely depending on plastic type, shape, concentration, and exposure time. While no broad conclusions could be drawn, the documented sublethal effects on soil organisms could disrupt the soil ecosystems that support the crops humans depend on for food.
Vulnerability of benthic trait diversity across the Mediterranean Sea following mass mortality events
Researchers analyzed 35 years of mass mortality events across the Mediterranean Sea affecting nearly 400 bottom-dwelling species, finding that larger, slower-growing animals like corals and sponges are most vulnerable to die-offs driven by warming, disease, and other stressors. Over the last five years alone, roughly 11% of the region's functional biodiversity may have been temporarily lost, signaling rapid ecological transformation.
The missing ocean plastic sink: Gone with the rivers
Researchers reanalyzed data on microplastics in rivers and oceans and found that previous estimates of how much plastic rivers deliver to the ocean were overestimated by 100 to 1,000 times. This means microplastics actually stay at the ocean surface much longer than previously thought, lasting years rather than days. The finding changes our understanding of where ocean microplastics come from and how long marine life and potentially seafood are exposed to them.
International consensus guidelines for the definition, detection, and interpretation of autophagy-dependent ferroptosis
This scientific review provides guidelines for understanding a specific type of cell death called autophagy-dependent ferroptosis, where cells essentially digest their own protective components and then die from iron-driven damage. While not directly about microplastics, this process is relevant because microplastics and nanoplastics have been shown to trigger oxidative stress and iron-related cell damage in tissues. Understanding these cell death pathways helps researchers assess how plastic particle exposure could harm organs like the liver, brain, and lungs.
What are the toxicity thresholds of chemical pollutants for tropical reef-building corals? A systematic review
Researchers compiled an open-access database of toxicity thresholds for chemical pollutants tested on tropical reef-building corals, aiming to help environmental managers assess ecological risk from pollution. The review notes that effective concentration data are missing from more than half of studies, and that findings need broader replication across understudied coral species and regions.
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.
Global assessment of marine plastic exposure risk for oceanic birds
Researchers combined ocean plastic density maps with GPS tracking data for over 7,000 seabirds across 77 petrel species to identify where birds are most likely to encounter and accidentally eat plastic debris. High-risk zones were identified in the Mediterranean, northeast Pacific, and South Atlantic, with threatened species facing disproportionately greater exposure — often in international waters beyond any single country's control.
Nanoplastic-Induced Developmental Toxicity in Ascidians: Comparative Analysis of Chorionated and Dechorionated Phallusia mammillata Embryos
This study exposed sea squirt embryos to polystyrene nanoplastics and found that the tiny particles caused developmental problems including abnormal nervous system formation at lower doses and general toxic damage at higher doses. Embryos without their protective outer layer were twice as sensitive to the nanoplastics. These findings suggest that nanoplastic pollution in the ocean could harm the early development of marine organisms, potentially affecting ocean ecosystems and the seafood chain.
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.
A Synthesis of Global Coastal Ocean Greenhouse Gas Fluxes
This large-scale study measured greenhouse gas exchanges between the coastal ocean and atmosphere, finding that while coastal waters absorb carbon dioxide, they also release nitrous oxide and methane that offset much of that climate benefit. While focused on greenhouse gases rather than microplastics, the study is relevant because climate change and ocean chemistry changes affect how microplastics behave in marine environments. Warming oceans and changing chemistry could influence how microplastics break down and move through the food chain.
The urgency of building soils for Middle Eastern and North African countries: Economic, environmental, and health solutions
This review examines soil degradation across the Middle East and North Africa and proposes using constructed soils made from waste materials as a restoration strategy. While focused on soil rehabilitation rather than microplastics specifically, the approach is relevant because waste materials used in soil construction may contain microplastics, and degraded soils are more vulnerable to microplastic contamination. The review highlights the interconnected challenges of waste management, soil health, and food security in arid regions.
A critical review on the evaluation of toxicity and ecological risk assessment of plastics in the marine environment
This critical review questions whether current scientific methods can adequately assess the ecological risks of plastic pollution in the ocean. The authors note that plastics can cause physical, chemical, and biological harm to marine life, but most studies use unrealistically high concentrations and pristine lab-made particles rather than real-world weathered plastics. The review calls for more standardized and environmentally relevant testing approaches.
Levels of microplastics and their characteristics in molluscs from North-West Mediterranean Sea: Human intake
Researchers measured microplastic contamination in commercially consumed mollusks along the Catalan coast of the Mediterranean Sea, finding microplastics in all species tested. Large oysters and mussels had the highest concentrations at around 19 to 23 particles per individual. Based on typical consumption patterns, the study estimated that the local adult population ingests an average of over 8,000 microplastic particles per year through mollusk consumption alone.
The tolerance of a keystone ecosystem engineer to extreme heat stress is hampered by microplastic leachates
Researchers found that chemical substances leaching from microplastics significantly reduced the ability of blue mussels to survive extreme heat stress. At 35 degrees Celsius, mussels exposed to leachates from beached plastic pellets had the lowest survival rates, likely because weathered plastics release more toxic additives. This study shows how microplastic pollution and climate change can interact to threaten key marine species, which has cascading effects on coastal ecosystems that humans depend on.
Plastic pollution and marine mussels: Unravelling disparities in research efforts, biological effects and influences of global warming
This review analyzed 106 studies on how plastic pollution, including microplastics, nanoplastics, and chemicals that leach from plastics, affects marine mussels. The research found effects at every biological level, from molecular and cellular damage to changes in behavior and reproduction. Since mussels are filter feeders that concentrate pollutants and are widely eaten by humans, they serve as both early warning indicators of plastic pollution and a direct pathway for human exposure.
Impacts of microplastics and the associated plastisphere on physiological, biochemical, genetic expression and gut microbiota of the filter-feeder amphioxus
Researchers exposed filter-feeding amphioxus to weathered microplastics colonized by natural marine biofilms and found significant impacts on physiology, biochemistry, and gut microbiota under starvation conditions. The weathered plastics with their attached microbial communities caused more disruption than pristine particles typically used in lab studies. The findings suggest that real-world microplastic pollution, complete with its biofilm coating, may pose greater risks to marine filter feeders than laboratory experiments usually indicate.
Human health evidence in the global treaty to end plastic pollution: a survey of policy perspectives
Researchers surveyed United Nations delegates involved in developing the Global Plastics Treaty to understand how human health evidence is being considered in policy decisions. They found that most delegates support health-based measures and see scientific evidence as essential, but face challenges translating research into actionable policy. The study underscores the importance of making health research accessible and relevant to policymakers working on international plastic pollution agreements.
NMR Relaxometry Across Time: From Early Insights to Emerging Directions
This review traces the evolution of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxometry from its theoretical origins to its modern applications across materials science, biomedicine, and environmental monitoring. The technique can probe molecular motion and interactions in diverse materials, from polymers and porous media to biological tissues. While primarily a methods review, the technology has emerging applications in analyzing microplastic contamination and understanding how plastic particles interact with environmental systems.
Cross-Shore Microplastic Accumulation on Sri Lanka’s West Coast One Year After the Catastrophic X-Press Pearl Pollution Event
Researchers conducted a detailed survey of microplastic pellet contamination along Sri Lanka's west coast one year after the catastrophic X-Press Pearl container ship disaster, which released an estimated 50 billion plastic pellets. They found that pellets were still widely present in beach sediments, with some locations showing very high densities. The study demonstrates that a single marine pollution event can result in persistent, long-term microplastic contamination of coastal environments.
Cold-water coral mortality under ocean warming is associated with pathogenic bacteria
Researchers experimentally exposed deep-sea cold-water corals to elevated temperatures and found that a warming of just 3°C or more caused significant coral death, with microbiome analysis suggesting that pathogenic bacteria moved in as temperatures rose. The results indicate these reef-forming corals are highly sensitive to ocean warming, with survival likely depending on whether local deep-ocean temperatures stay below a 3°C increase.
A machine learning algorithm for high throughput identification of FTIR spectra: Application on microplastics collected in the Mediterranean Sea
Researchers developed a machine learning method to automatically identify the chemical composition of microplastics from FTIR spectroscopy data collected during the Tara Mediterranean expedition. The algorithm performed well for common polymers like polyethylene and was applied to classify over 4,000 unidentified microplastic spectra. The study demonstrates that automated identification tools can significantly speed up large-scale microplastic pollution surveys while maintaining acceptable accuracy.
Floating plastics and their associated biota in the Western South Atlantic
Researchers conducted the first comprehensive survey of floating plastics and their associated organisms in coastal and oceanic waters of southern Brazil. They found an average concentration of about 4,461 plastic items per square kilometer, predominantly microplastics, colonized by diverse communities of bacteria and other organisms including potential pathogens and plastic-degrading microbes.