Papers

Sources, environmental fate, and impacts of microplastic contamination in agricultural soils: A comprehensive review

This review examines how microplastics from fertilizers, irrigation, and atmospheric fallout are contaminating agricultural soils worldwide. Once in the soil, microplastics interact with soil organisms, disrupt plant growth, and can carry other harmful chemicals deeper into the environment. Because these tiny plastics can move up the food chain, they represent a growing threat to both food safety and human health.

Microplastics contamination in water supply system and treatment processes

This systematic review found that microplastics are frequently detected in drinking and bottled water despite current treatment technologies, and that no existing method can completely remove them. Integrating advanced treatment approaches with life-cycle assessment and machine learning is needed to address this pervasive contamination of water supply systems.

Emergence of microplastics in the aquatic ecosystem and their potential effects on health risks: The insights into Vietnam

This review examines the growing microplastic contamination in Vietnam's waterways, where concentrations in surface water vary enormously depending on location. Highly populated cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City show the highest levels, with plastics entering water through agricultural runoff, textile production, and consumer products. The contamination poses health risks to millions of people through drinking water and seafood consumption.

Microplastics in aquaculture environments: Current occurrence, adverse effects, ecological risk, and nature-based mitigation solutions

This review summarizes how microplastics contaminate aquaculture (fish and shellfish farming) environments through land-based plastic waste, shipping, and atmospheric deposition. The plastics can release harmful additives, attract other pollutants, and cause toxic effects in farmed seafood that ultimately reach human consumers. The authors propose nature-based solutions like biofilters and wetlands to reduce microplastic levels in aquaculture.

Review on personal protective equipment: Emerging concerns in micro(nano)plastic pollution and strategies for addressing environmental challenges

This review examines how the massive increase in disposable masks, gloves, and other protective equipment during COVID-19 has become a major new source of microplastic pollution. An estimated 1.6 million tons of plastic waste per day was generated from discarded protective equipment, and as this gear breaks down, it releases micro- and nanoplastic particles into soil and water. These particles can accumulate in seafood and other organisms, creating another pathway for human microplastic exposure.

Ecotoxicity of micro- and nanoplastics on aquatic algae: Facts, challenges, and future opportunities

This review provides a comprehensive assessment of how micro- and nanoplastics harm aquatic algae, which form the base of ocean and freshwater food chains. The toxic effects include reduced growth, oxidative stress, and disrupted photosynthesis, with nanoplastics generally causing more damage than larger particles. Since algae support the entire aquatic food web, their decline from plastic pollution could reduce the quality and safety of fish and shellfish consumed by people.

Microplastics in sewage sludge: Distribution, toxicity, identification methods, and engineered technologies

This review examines how microplastics accumulate in sewage sludge from wastewater treatment plants, which then becomes a major pathway for spreading these particles into the environment. Researchers found that sludge can contain extremely high concentrations of microplastics, ranging from thousands to hundreds of thousands of particles per kilogram. The study evaluates current detection methods and emerging technologies for removing microplastics from sludge before it is applied to agricultural land or disposed of.

A review on the occurrence, analytical methods, and impact of microplastics in the environment

This review summarizes what is known about microplastic pollution across soil, water, and air environments, including how scientists detect and measure these particles. The evidence shows microplastics can disrupt immune function, cause nerve damage, and contribute to other health problems in living organisms. The authors note that research methods still need standardization, but the existing data clearly points to microplastics as a serious and growing threat to human health.

Microplastics occurrence, detection and removal with emphasis on insect larvae gut microbiota

This review covers the sources, detection methods, and toxic effects of microplastics across ecosystems, with a special focus on insect larvae gut microbiota as a biological degradation tool. Researchers found that certain insect larvae, such as mealworms and waxworms, harbor gut bacteria capable of breaking down plastic polymers. The study highlights biological degradation by insect-associated microbes as a promising avenue for microplastic remediation.

Co-pyrolysis of sewage sludge and biomass for stabilizing heavy metals and reducing biochar toxicity: A review

This review examines how mixing sewage sludge with plant-based biomass during pyrolysis can produce safer biochar by stabilizing heavy metals and reducing toxicity. Researchers found that co-pyrolysis improves the quality of the resulting biochar, making it more suitable for use in soil applications compared to sludge-only biochar. The approach offers a promising solution for managing sewage sludge waste while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and pollution.

Combined pollution of tetracyclines and microplastics in the aquatic environment: Insights into the occurrence, interaction mechanisms and effects

This review examines how microplastics and tetracycline antibiotics interact in water environments, since microplastics can absorb and carry antibiotics on their surfaces. Factors like pH, heavy metals, and organic matter in water influence how tightly antibiotics bind to microplastics, and the combined pollution is more harmful to aquatic life than either pollutant alone. This is relevant to human health because these microplastic-antibiotic combinations can enter drinking water supplies and promote antibiotic resistance.

Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Health Concerning Cellular Toxicity Mechanisms, Exposure Pathways, and Global Mitigation Strategies

This review synthesizes current knowledge on how micro- and nanoplastics cause cellular damage in the human body, covering mechanisms like oxidative stress, inflammation, DNA damage, and disruption of cell signaling pathways. Researchers note that exposure occurs through multiple routes including ingestion and inhalation, allowing particles to reach organs throughout the body. The study highlights significant gaps in understanding long-term and low-dose exposure effects that are most relevant to everyday human contact with these particles.

Bacterial cellulose and composites for the treatment of water pollution: a review

Lab-on-a-chip technologies for food safety, processing, and packaging applications: a review

Researchers reviewed lab-on-a-chip microfluidic devices for food safety applications, comparing electrochemical, optical, and biological detection methods for pathogens and contaminants, and highlighting their potential for food processing, nutraceutical development, and smart packaging — though noting most systems are not yet commercially scaled.

Nano-plastics and their analytical characterisation and fate in the marine environment: From source to sea

Researchers reviewed the sources, environmental fate, organism interactions, and analytical detection methods for nano-sized plastic polymers in the marine environment, concluding that nanoplastics pose the greatest ecological risk among plastic size fractions and that standardized analytical protocols for nanoplastic characterization are urgently needed.

Succession of biochar addition for soil amendment and contaminants remediation during co-composting: A state of art review

Researchers reviewed how adding biochar during composting improves soil health and reduces contaminants, finding that co-composting with biochar can remediate heavy metals by 66–95% and also adsorb emerging organic pollutants like microplastics and pesticides, though some changes to soil microbial communities may inadvertently favor pathogens.

Large Scale Microplastic Fibre Analysis in Wastewater: A Comprehensive Review and Recommendations

This review critically analyzes current and emerging methods for identifying and quantifying microplastic fibers in wastewater, covering sample collection, pretreatment, and analytical techniques. The authors note that there are currently no universally accepted standards for collecting and analyzing microplastic fibers specifically, and that most existing methods were designed for microplastics in general. The study provides recommendations for developing standardized large-scale fiber analysis protocols for wastewater monitoring.

Nanotechnology-based controlled release of sustainable fertilizers. A review

This review examines nanotechnology-based controlled-release fertilizers using zinc oxide nanoparticle encapsulation, highlighting how nanofertilizers can improve nutrient use efficiency beyond the 40-60% typical of conventional fertilizers while reducing environmental pollution.

Baseline Marine Litter Surveys along Vietnam Coasts Using Citizen Science Approach

Researchers conducted baseline marine litter surveys along Vietnamese coasts using citizen science, documenting over 21,000 litter items dominated by plastics, with single-use items accounting for the majority and litter density varying significantly across coastal regions.

Assessment of microplastic presence in coastal environments and organisms of Da Nang, Vietnam

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in seawater, sediments, and marine organisms along the coast of Da Nang, Vietnam. The study found microplastics in all sampled environments, with fibers being the most common shape and nylon the most prevalent polymer type. Benthic organisms like oysters and mussels contained significantly higher microplastic concentrations than fish, suggesting that habitat and feeding behavior influence uptake.

Machine learning approaches for predicting microplastic pollution in peatland areas

Researchers used machine learning models to predict microplastic quantities in peatland sediments in Vietnam from easily measurable environmental parameters. The study found that pH, total organic carbon, and salinity were the most influential factors, and that Least-Square Support Vector Machines and Random Forest models could effectively predict microplastic contamination levels.

Progress on microalgae cultivation in wastewater for bioremediation and circular bioeconomy

This review explores the potential of microalgae cultivation in wastewater for bioremediation and circular bioeconomy, highlighting how microalgae can simultaneously treat wastewater while producing valuable biomass for various applications.

The Impact of Plastic on the Ecological Environment: The Pathway of Microplastics and the Control of Microplastic Pollution

Investigation of ecological risk of microplastics in peatland areas: A case study in Vietnam

Microplastics were characterized in peatland areas of Vietnam's Mekong Delta, with polyvinyl chloride (60.7%), polyethylene (25.8%), and polypropylene (11.9%) as the dominant polymer types. Ecological risk assessment indicated moderate to high risk, highlighting peatlands as an underexplored sink for plastic contamination.