Papers

Evaluation of the cancer risk from PAHs by inhalation: Are current methods fit for purpose?

Researchers analyzed current methods for estimating cancer risk from inhaling polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) — toxic chemicals released by burning fossil fuels — and found that the two main approaches (WHO and U.S. EPA) produce dramatically different risk estimates. The study recommends using the WHO method and adopting newer mixture-based testing approaches for more reliable assessments.

UV Aging of PET Microplastics in a Custom-Built Weathering Chamber Replicating Mediterranean Conditions

Researchers built a custom weathering chamber that replicates Mediterranean coastal conditions to study how PET microplastics age in realistic environments. They found that UV exposure combined with seawater caused more severe surface degradation and chemical changes in the microplastics than dry conditions alone. The study highlights that standard plastic weathering tests may not accurately reflect how microplastics actually break down in coastal environments.

Sustainable food packaging: An updated definition following a holistic approach

Researchers proposed an updated, holistic definition for sustainable food packaging by analyzing 38 related terms across the food systems domain. The study found that the lack of a commonly accepted definition has led to uninformed packaging choices by stakeholders throughout the value chain, and the work aims to help producers, distributors, practitioners, and consumers make better decisions about sustainable food packaging alternatives.

Investigating the Agricultural Use and Disposal of Plastics in Malta

Researchers surveyed the use and disposal of agricultural plastics in Malta and found that the sector generates significant plastic waste with limited recycling infrastructure. Mulch films, greenhouse covers, and irrigation tubing were among the most common plastic products used, but many farmers lacked access to proper disposal channels. The study calls for better policies and waste collection systems to prevent agricultural plastics from contaminating farmland soils.

Design of a Weathering Chamber for UV Aging of Microplastics in the Mediterranean Region

Researchers designed and built a low-cost weathering chamber that simulates Mediterranean coastal conditions to study how microplastics age and degrade in the environment. The chamber combines UV light exposure, mechanical abrasion, and elevated temperatures to mimic real-world weathering. The study addresses the challenge of standardizing microplastic aging experiments, making this type of research more accessible to laboratories with limited budgets.

An Overview of Microplastic Contamination in Groundwater: Sources, Transport Pathways, and Environmental Implications

This review examined microplastic contamination in groundwater systems, an area that has received less research attention compared to surface water. Researchers identified key sources and transport pathways for microplastics entering groundwater, including infiltration through soil and fractured rock, and highlighted the environmental implications for drinking water supplies.

Challenges for Sustained Observing and Forecasting Systems in the Mediterranean Sea

This review described over 30 years of multinational coordination in Mediterranean Sea observing and forecasting, highlighting the integration of observation platforms, models, and operational services including the Copernicus Marine Service. The paper outlines ongoing challenges and future directions for sustained oceanographic monitoring across the Mediterranean.

Are litter, plastic and microplastic quantities increasing in the ocean?

This review of marine litter monitoring trends found that plastic amounts are increasing in some remote regions but trends are inconsistent globally, and that gaps in standardization and monitoring programs make it difficult to validate model predictions of increasing ocean plastic loads.

Towards microplastic hotspots detection: A comparative analysis of in-situ sampling and sea surface currents derived by HF radars

Researchers compared in-situ microplastic sampling data with sea surface current measurements from high-frequency radar in the Sicily Channel to develop better methods for detecting plastic pollution hotspots. They found a strong inverse correlation between microplastic fragment occurrence and total kinetic energy, suggesting that areas of low water movement accumulate more debris. The approach could help identify high-accumulation zones, particularly at the centers of eddies, without resource-intensive field sampling.

Microplastics pollution on Colombian Central Caribbean beaches

Researchers conducted a baseline survey of microplastic contamination on Colombia's Central Caribbean Coast beaches, documenting MP types, sizes, and polymer compositions for the first time in that region and finding primarily secondary microplastics from fragmented larger debris.

European environment policy for the circular economy: Implications for business and industry stakeholders

This review evaluates recent European Union circular economy policies and their implications for businesses seeking to reduce environmental impact through sustainable production and supply chain practices. It identifies both opportunities and challenges for companies attempting to implement circular economy principles in compliance with new EU environmental directives.

A combined light regime and carbon supply regulation strategy for microalgae-based sugar industry wastewater treatment and low-carbon biofuel production to realise a circular economy

Bridging Knowledge Gaps towards 2030: The Use of Foresight for the Strategic Management of a Sustainable Blue Economy

This paper reviewed how foresight methods can be integrated into strategic management of marine and coastal environments, demonstrating how scenario planning and expert consultation complement conventional decision support tools for addressing long-term sustainability challenges.

Investigating the Use of Plastic and Its Disposal in Agriculture in Malta

A case study of Malta found that incineration and direct soil incorporation of agricultural plastic waste are common practices among farmers, releasing chemicals and microplastics into soils that grow food crops. The research identified strong willingness among farmers to adopt better disposal methods, suggesting that education-focused policy interventions could meaningfully reduce agricultural plastic pollution at the source.

Emerging Technologies for the Discovery of Novel Diversity in Cyanobacteria and Algae and the Elucidation of Their Valuable Metabolites

Not relevant to microplastics — this paper reviews emerging biotechnology and omics methods for discovering new cyanobacteria and microalgae species and characterizing their bioactive metabolites for industrial applications.

A review of nature-based solutions for resource recovery in cities

This review examines nature-based solutions for resource recovery in cities, focusing on technologies that use microorganisms and ecological processes to shift urban systems from linear resource sinks toward more circular and sustainable models.

Automating Jellyfish Species Recognition through Faster Region-Based Convolution Neural Networks

Researchers trained a suite of faster region-based convolutional neural networks (Faster R-CNN) on hundreds of citizen science photographs submitted to the 'Spot the Jellyfish' campaign to automatically classify five jellyfish species commonly found in Maltese waters. The resulting models demonstrated the potential of deep learning to assist with the taxonomic validation of high-volume citizen science marine biodiversity reports.

Humor Helps: An Experimental Analysis of Pro-Environmental Social Media Communication

Researchers found that combining humorous satirical cartoons with factual environmental messages on social media significantly increased engagement and pro-environmental behavioral intentions compared to factual messages alone.

Looking at the Bigger Picture—Considering the Hurdles in the Struggle against Nanoplastic Pollution

This review examines the key scientific, technical, and regulatory hurdles impeding effective responses to nanoplastic pollution, noting that 12-21 million tonnes of tiny plastic fragments float in the Atlantic alone. The authors highlight gaps in detection methods, toxicological understanding, and policy frameworks needed to address nanoplastics comprehensively.

Posidonia oceanica wrack intercepts plastic debris: First evaluated evidence on Maltese beaches

Researchers measured plastic debris trapped within deposits of Posidonia oceanica seagrass wrack on three Maltese beaches, finding up to 102 plastic items per square meter and documenting the seagrass mats as useful indicators of coastal plastic pollution — including micro-, meso-, and macroplastics.

Detection, Quantification, and Characterisation of Microplastics in Maltese Bottled Water

Researchers detected microplastics in 84% of bottled water samples from five Maltese brands at an average concentration of 35,877 ± 23,542 particles per litre, with an average particle diameter of 2.37 μm and polymers including polyurethane, polyethylene, and polymethyl methacrylate identified by Raman spectroscopy.

Presence of Phthalate Esters Used as Common Plasticisers in Maltese Shoreline Sand

Researchers conducted the first study of phthalate plasticisers DBP and DEHP in Maltese shoreline sand, analyzing 75 samples from busy and secluded beaches via UPLC-MS/MS. Concentrations varied significantly by beach, with anthropogenic activities and beach topography driving uneven spatial distributions of both compounds.

Towards Microplastic Hotspots Detection: A Comparative Analysis of In-Situ Sampling and Sea Surface Currents Derived by Hf Radars

Use of UAVs and Deep Learning for Beach Litter Monitoring

Researchers developed an autonomous beach litter monitoring pipeline using UAV drone surveys combined with a YOLOv5 deep learning object detection algorithm trained on footage from Malta, Gozo, and the Red Sea coast. The system achieved a mean average precision (mAP50-95) of 0.252 across all litter classes and incorporated geolocation and digital elevation model data to support future autonomous retrieval robots.