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Papers
28 resultsShowing papers from Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi
ClearDirect observation and identification of nanoplastics in ocean water
Researchers developed a new technique to directly see and identify nanoplastics (plastic particles smaller than a micrometer) in ocean water for the first time. They found nylon, polystyrene, and PET particles in samples from two oceans, appearing as tiny fibers, flakes, and other shapes made from plastics commonly used in everyday products.
Analysing micro- and nanoplastics with cutting-edge infrared spectroscopy techniques: a critical review
This review evaluates cutting-edge infrared spectroscopy techniques for detecting and analyzing micro- and nanoplastics in environmental and food samples. Better detection methods are crucial for understanding human exposure because they allow scientists to measure smaller particles more accurately, including nanoplastics that are small enough to cross biological barriers and accumulate in human tissues.
Cellular response of keratinocytes to the entry and accumulation of nanoplastic particles
Researchers studied how nanoplastic particles interact with human skin cells when the protective outer skin layer is compromised. They found that nanoplastics readily penetrate and accumulate inside skin cells, triggering stress responses and activating inflammatory pathways -- suggesting that people with damaged or sensitive skin may be especially vulnerable to nanoplastic absorption.
Environmental protein corona on nanoplastics altered the responses of skin keratinocytes and fibroblast cells to the particles
This study found that when nanoplastics pick up a natural protein coating from seawater, they interact with human skin cells differently than bare nanoplastics. The protein-coated particles entered skin cells through new pathways and triggered inflammatory responses, including signals linked to immune activation. This is important because it means nanoplastics in the real environment may be more biologically active than what lab studies using clean particles suggest.
Sorption, Extraction, and Characterization of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Environmentally Weathered Microplastics, Particulate Organic Matter, Sediment, and Fish Species in the Lavaca-Matagorda Bay System
Researchers studied how microplastics carry cancer-causing chemicals called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the Lavaca-Matagorda Bay system in Texas. They found PAHs attached to microplastics, sediment, and in the digestive systems of three commercially important fish species. This shows that microplastics can act as vehicles for toxic chemicals in coastal waters, potentially affecting the safety of fish that people eat.
Adsorption and removal of polystyrene nanoplastics from water by green-engineered clays
Scientists developed green clay materials made from natural chlorophyll and montmorillonite that can effectively bind and remove polystyrene nanoplastics from drinking water. The materials showed high binding capacity and significantly reduced nanoplastic toxicity in lab organisms. This research is promising for water treatment because it offers an eco-friendly way to reduce human exposure to nanoplastics through contaminated drinking water.
Determination of the optical interference of iron oxide nanoparticles in fluorometric cytotoxicity assays
Researchers investigated how iron oxide nanoparticles interfere with common laboratory tests used to measure cell toxicity, including fluorometric and colorimetric assays. They found that the nanoparticles significantly absorb light across the visible spectrum, which can skew results and make toxicity readings unreliable. The study provides guidance on how to add proper controls to these experiments so that researchers get accurate measurements when testing iron oxide nanomaterials.
Materials, surfaces, and interfacial phenomena in nanoplastics toxicology research
This review examines how the materials and surface properties of engineered nanoplastics used in toxicology research may not accurately represent real environmental nanoplastics. Researchers found that surfactants, fluorescent labels, and surface modifications commonly applied to lab-made nanoparticles can alter their toxicological profiles in unpredictable ways. The study calls for greater attention to how particle surface chemistry and preparation methods influence experimental outcomes in nanoplastics safety research.
Testing an Iron Oxide Nanoparticle-Based Method for Magnetic Separation of Nanoplastics and Microplastics from Water
Researchers tested iron oxide nanoparticles with hydrophobic coatings as a method for magnetically separating micro- and nanoplastics from water. The approach achieved 100% removal of larger microplastics and nearly 90% removal of nanoplastics using a simple permanent magnet, suggesting a viable method for water purification and environmental monitoring.
Sea salt associated microplastics amplify pathogenic Vibrio and impair development in brine shrimp (Artemia franciscana)
Researchers found that microplastics present in harvested sea salt promoted biofilm formation by the pathogenic bacterium Vibrio harveyi and impaired the development of brine shrimp. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in sea salt could amplify pathogenic bacteria and increase infection risks in inland mariculture operations.
Microplastic particle versus fiber generation during photo-transformation in simulated seawater
Researchers exposed common plastic films and fibers to simulated sunlight in seawater and tracked the photo-transformation process, finding that particles and fibers formed at different rates and that UV irradiation preferentially generates certain morphologies depending on the parent polymer.
Accumulation of Nanoplastics in Biomphalaria glabrata Embryos and Transgenerational Developmental Effects
Three generations of Biomphalaria glabrata snail embryos exposed to polystyrene nanoparticles (30–500 nm) showed size- and dose-dependent increases in mortality and developmental defects, with transgenerational effects observed even in unexposed F2 offspring of exposed parents.
Proceed with caution: The need to raise the publication bar for microplastics research
This commentary argues that microplastics research suffers from a lack of methodological rigor and calls on journals and reviewers to enforce higher standards for clear, reproducible methods. The authors emphasize this is especially important because plastic pollution policy is being developed in real time alongside a rapidly evolving scientific field.
A Holistic Assessment of Polyethylene Fiber Ingestion in Larval and Juvenile Japanese Medaka Fish
Japanese medaka larvae and juveniles exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of polyethylene fibers showed intestinal histological changes, altered gut microbiota composition, and disrupted lipid metabolism, with effects dependent on both exposure concentration and the developmental stage at which exposure occurred.
Are We Underestimating Microplastic Contamination in Aquatic Environments?
This review argues that current microplastic monitoring methods likely underestimate the true extent of contamination in aquatic environments, especially for small particles and fibers. The authors call for standardized, more sensitive detection methods to better inform regulation and risk assessment.
Direct Observation of Nanoplastics in Ocean Water
This study directly observed nanoplastic particles in actual ocean water samples for the first time using advanced microscopy techniques, confirming the presence of nanoscale plastic fragments in marine environments and providing a method for studying their distribution and behavior.
Developmental Polyethylene Microplastic Fiber Exposure Entails Subtle Reproductive Impacts in Juvenile Japanese Medaka (Oryzias latipes)
Japanese medaka fish exposed to environmentally relevant levels of polyethylene microplastic fibers throughout development showed subtle but measurable reproductive impacts including alterations in gonadal development. The findings suggest that chronic low-dose microplastic fiber exposure during early life may impair future reproductive capacity in fish.
Parity in bacterial communities and resistomes: Microplastic and natural organic particles in the Tyrrhenian Sea
Bacterial communities and antibiotic resistance genes on microplastic particles and natural organic particles in the Tyrrhenian Sea were found to be surprisingly similar, suggesting that microplastics may not selectively enrich for resistance genes in this context.
Uptake of Nanoplastic particles by zebrafish embryos triggers the macrophage response at early developmental stage
Zebrafish embryos were exposed to fluorescently labeled nanoplastic particles of 30 nm and 100 nm, finding that uptake increased exponentially with time and that nanoparticles penetrated natural barriers triggering macrophage activation at early developmental stages. The results demonstrate that nanoplastics can interact with the embryonic immune system even before organ development is complete.
Binary solvent extraction of microplastics from a complex environmental matrix
Researchers developed a simple, low-cost method for separating microplastics from complex environmental samples such as estuarine particulate organic matter and surface water using an ethanol-water binary solvent mixture. The technique achieved 89–93% recovery across a wide range of particle sizes (30–2500 µm) and polymer types without generating hazardous waste, aligning with Green Chemistry principles. Accessible, affordable extraction methods like this are important for scaling up microplastic monitoring globally.
Microplastic contamination in Corpus Christi Bay blue crabs,Callinectes sapidus
Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus) from Corpus Christi Bay, Texas, finding microplastics in crab stomachs and identifying fragment and fiber morphologies associated with sediment ingestion during benthic foraging. The study documents microplastic exposure in a commercially and ecologically important estuarine crustacean in the Gulf of Mexico.
Using visualization techniques to assess the accumulation of nanoplastics with varying surface modifications
Researchers synthesized fluorescent PMMA nanoplastic particles to study cellular uptake and biodistribution in skin cells and zebrafish embryos, finding that PMMA nanoparticles can enter embryos and accumulate in larval bodies, and highlighting concerns that surface modifications on commercial polystyrene particles may produce misleading results in nanoplastic toxicity studies.
Molluscs along a salinity gradient in a hypersaline coastal lagoon, southern Gulf of Mexico
Researchers characterized mollusc communities along a salinity gradient in the hypersaline Río Lagartos coastal lagoon in Mexico, documenting the taxonomic composition, habitat preferences, and feeding guilds of species adapted to this extreme and ecologically dynamic environment.
Binary Solvent Extraction of Microplastics from Complex Environmental Matrix.
Researchers tested a two-solvent extraction method for isolating microplastics from complex environmental matrices. An efficient extraction technique is important for accurately detecting and quantifying microplastics in samples like sediment and biological tissue that contain many other organic and inorganic compounds.