Papers

Earth at risk: An urgent call to end the age of destruction and forge a just and sustainable future

This broad review argues that humanity faces converging crises including climate change, pollution, ecosystem destruction, and inequality, all driven by extractive economic practices. Plastic and chemical pollution are highlighted as part of a larger pattern of environmental destruction that disproportionately harms vulnerable populations. The authors call for systemic economic transformation, including replacing exploitative capitalism with models that prioritize sustainability and justice.

Influence of colourants on environmental degradation of plastic litter

A three-year outdoor experiment found that plastic color significantly affects how fast plastics break down into microplastics, with red, blue, and green colored plastics degrading much faster than black, white, and silver ones. Black and white plastics were found to resist degradation for over 45 years, while certain colored pigments allow UV light to break down the plastic, accelerating the formation of harmful microplastics.

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.

Impacts of land use/land cover on water quality: a contemporary review for researchers and policymakers

This review examines how different land uses, from farming to urban development, affect water quality through diffuse pollution. Natural vegetation acts as a protective buffer against contamination, but more research is needed to determine how much vegetation is required to effectively filter pollutants. The findings are relevant to microplastic pollution because urban runoff and agricultural land use are major pathways by which microplastics enter drinking water sources.

Biofouling on buoyant marine plastics: An experimental study into the effect of size on surface longevity

Researchers tested how quickly marine organisms colonize floating plastic debris of different sizes and whether this biofouling causes the plastics to sink. They found that smaller microplastics accumulated enough biological growth to lose buoyancy and begin sinking within weeks, much faster than larger pieces. The study helps explain why smaller microplastics are unexpectedly scarce at the ocean surface, as biofouling may be rapidly transporting them to deeper waters and sediments.

Long-term variations in size and polymer type of meso- and microplastics in seabirds and on beaches since the 1980s

Researchers analyzed plastics found in seabird stomachs and on beaches at a remote South Atlantic island across several decades since the 1980s to track long-term changes in marine plastic pollution. They found shifts in the types and sizes of plastic polymers over time, reflecting changes in global plastic production and how plastics degrade at sea. The study demonstrates that seabirds can serve as effective long-term monitors of floating plastic pollution trends in the ocean.

Plastic additives and legacy persistent organic pollutants in the preen gland oil of seabirds sampled across the globe

Researchers analyzed preen gland oil from 145 seabirds across 32 species worldwide for plastic additives and legacy persistent organic pollutants. The study found PCBs and pesticides were ubiquitous and correlated with trophic level, while plastic-associated UV stabilizers were detected in 46% of individuals, suggesting that seabirds are exposed to plastic-derived chemicals alongside traditional pollutants through their diet.

Understanding the sources of marine litter in remote islands: The Galapagos islands as a case study

Researchers tracked plastic bottle litter on 60 remote beaches across the Galapagos Islands from 2018 to 2022 to determine where marine debris originates. The study found that 76% of beaches were badly polluted, with bottles traced to sources in Asia, South America, and Central America, demonstrating how ocean currents carry plastic waste thousands of miles to even the most isolated island ecosystems.

A heavy burden: Metal exposure across the land-ocean continuum in an adaptable carnivore

Scientists measured metal and metalloid exposure in caracals, wild cat predators living across urban and rural areas in Cape Town, South Africa. Animals living closer to the coast and urban areas had higher levels of toxic metals in their blood, likely from eating contaminated prey. The study demonstrates how pollution from human activities accumulates through the food chain and reaches top predators in rapidly urbanizing landscapes.

Combined threats of climate change and contaminant exposure through the lens of bioenergetics

Researchers reviewed how chemical contaminant exposure combines with climate change to affect animal energy budgets, with a focus on Arctic wildlife exposed to pollutants like persistent organic chemicals and microplastics. They found that both stressors independently increase the energy organisms need to survive, and when combined, the effects can be additive or even multiplicative. The study suggests that animals already stressed by warming temperatures may be especially vulnerable to the additional burden of environmental contaminants.

Emerging contaminant exposure to aquatic systems in the Southern African Development Community

Researchers conducted the first comprehensive assessment of emerging contaminant exposure in aquatic systems across the Southern African Development Community region. They found widespread occurrence of pharmaceuticals, pesticides, personal care products, and microplastics in water bodies, with many contaminants at levels known to cause ecological harm. The study highlights the urgent need for monitoring programs and regulatory frameworks to address emerging pollutants in developing regions.

The transport and fate of microplastic fibres in the Antarctic: The role of multiple global processes

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination across air, seawater, and sediment samples in the Antarctic Weddell Sea and identified 47 distinct microplastic categories, predominantly fibers. The overlap of fiber types across different sample media suggests that microplastics reach Antarctica through multiple transportation pathways, including atmospheric and oceanic currents. The study demonstrates that even one of the most remote regions on Earth is affected by diffuse microplastic pollution from global sources.

Future Directions in Conservation Research on Petrels and Shearwaters

This review assembled 38 conservation researchers to summarize the major threats facing petrels and shearwaters, a group of seabirds where 41 percent of species are threatened. Researchers identified invasive species, bycatch, overfishing, light pollution, climate change, and pollution including microplastics as the six primary threats. The paper proposes future research directions and management strategies including habitat restoration, improved fisheries policies, and better monitoring of pollution impacts on these vulnerable seabird populations.

Navigating the continuum between adaptation and maladaptation

Limited long-distance transport of plastic pollution by the Orange-Vaal River system, South Africa

Researchers sampled water from 33 bridges along South Africa's Orange-Vaal River system at wet and dry seasons and found microfibres at every site (>99% of items), but found that larger plastic fragments were largely confined to urban upstream reaches, suggesting the river transports fibres widely but limits long-distance transport of larger debris.

Happy Feet in a Hostile World? The Future of Penguins Depends on Proactive Management of Current and Expected Threats

This global review of threats facing all 18 penguin species found that climate change and fisheries-driven food web alterations are the dominant drivers of population decline, with 11 of 18 species currently decreasing. The authors also document emerging threats from microplastic and chemical pollution and argue that proactive conservation management is essential to prevent further species losses.

Tracing the Anthropocene through microplastic sedimentary records: Drivers and spatiotemporal heterogeneity in Baiyangdian Lake, North China

Scientists found that tiny plastic pieces in lake sediment can track how human activities have changed over the past 80 years, with plastic pollution spiking after dam construction in 1963 and again around 2000 due to increased development. The study shows that microplastics are now everywhere in our environment, even in protected nature areas, though at lower levels than in more developed zones. This matters because these tiny plastics can enter our food and water supply, and understanding where they accumulate most helps us better protect both ecosystems and human health.

Combined effects of microplastics and nitrogen on bivalve‐mediated biogeochemical cycling

Researchers investigated the combined effects of microplastic pollution and excess nitrogen on coastal sediment ecosystems mediated by bivalves. They found that when both stressors were present together, nitrogen processing responses changed in ways not seen with either stressor alone, and sediment health conditions worsened significantly. The study suggests that multiple environmental stressors can interact in unexpected ways that single-stressor studies would miss.

Histologic Assessment of Polyvinyl Chloride on the Uterus of Adult Wistar Rats

Researchers administered polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastics orally to female Wistar rats at different doses for 21 days and examined uterine tissue. Histological examination revealed distorted uterine architecture across all PVC-treated groups, suggesting that microplastic exposure may have implications for reproductive health.

From global north to south: governing contaminants of emerging concern in water systems

This scoping review examined the occurrence of contaminants of emerging concern, including PFAS, pharmaceuticals, and microplastics, in water systems across the Global North and South. The study found that contamination levels in low- to middle-income countries can be 5 to 20 times higher than in wealthier nations, and proposes a phased roadmap for establishing monitoring standards and targeted treatment in underserved regions.

Histologic Assessment of Polyvinyl Chloride on the Uterus of Adult Wistar Rats

Researchers administered polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastics orally to female Wistar rats at different doses for 21 days and examined uterine tissue. Histological examination revealed distorted uterine architecture across all PVC-treated groups, suggesting that microplastic exposure may have implications for reproductive health.

Histologic Assessment of Polyvinyl Chloride on the Uterus of Adult Wistar Rats

Researchers administered polyvinyl chloride microplastics orally to adult female rats for 21 days and examined the effects on uterine tissue. Histological examination revealed distorted uterine architecture across all PVC-treated groups compared to controls. The findings suggest that PVC microplastic exposure may negatively impact reproductive organ structure, raising concerns about potential fertility implications from prolonged exposure.

Plastic Pollution in the World's Oceans: More than 5 Trillion Plastic Pieces Weighing over 250,000 Tons Afloat at Sea

Researchers conducted the first global estimate of floating plastic debris in the oceans, finding more than 5 trillion pieces weighing over 250,000 tonnes at the sea surface, establishing a widely cited baseline for understanding the scale of ocean plastic pollution.

Historical reconstruction of microplastic accumulation in shallow lake sediments and its anthropogenic drivers: A case study in Lake Liangzi

Scientists studied lake sediments in China and found that tiny plastic particles (microplastics) have been building up dramatically since the 1980s, with the biggest increases linked to plastic production, population growth, and urban development. This matters because microplastics in freshwater lakes can enter our drinking water and food chain, and this study shows the problem is getting much worse as human activities increase. The research provides clear evidence that our daily activities are the main cause of plastic pollution accumulating in the water sources we depend on.