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Papers
117 resultsShowing papers from Université Fédérale de Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées
ClearHuman exposure to PM10 microplastics in indoor air
Scientists measured airborne microplastics in homes and car cabins, finding that 94% of particles were smaller than 10 micrometers, small enough to penetrate deep into the lungs. The estimated daily inhalation of these tiny particles was about 68,000 per day, roughly 100 times higher than previous estimates that only counted larger particles.
Aquatic ecosystem indices, linking ecosystem health to human health risks
Researchers reviewed indicators used to assess aquatic ecosystem health and found that most existing tools don't adequately capture the risks that degraded water ecosystems pose to human health and well-being. They propose a new set of combined indicators — covering chemical contaminants, pathogens, and biological markers — to better link ecosystem health monitoring to human health outcomes.
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.
Interlaboratory Comparison Reveals State of the Art in Microplastic Detection and Quantification Methods
This large international study compared how 84 laboratories around the world performed when identifying and measuring microplastics using five common detection methods. The results showed significant differences between labs, with spectroscopy-based methods generally outperforming heat-based techniques for accuracy. The findings highlight that standardized methods are urgently needed so that microplastic measurements in food, water, and the environment can be reliably compared across studies.
Global environmental plastic dispersal under OECD policy scenarios toward 2060
Using a global computer model, researchers simulated how plastic pollution will spread through land, ocean, and atmosphere under different policy scenarios through 2060. Even with strong policy action, microplastics already in the environment will continue to circulate for centuries because existing plastic slowly breaks into smaller pieces. The study estimated the total marine plastic pool at 263 million tons, showing that preventing new pollution is critical but will not quickly solve the microplastic problem already in our ecosystems.
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.
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.
A Critical Review on the Impacts of Nanoplastics and Microplastics on Aquatic and Terrestrial Photosynthetic Organisms
This review examines how microplastics and nanoplastics affect photosynthetic organisms in both water and on land, including algae, aquatic plants, and terrestrial crops. Researchers found that smaller plastic particles and those with positive surface charges tend to be the most toxic, and that chemical additives leaching from plastics are a major source of harm. The study raises concerns that plastics can be absorbed by plants and potentially transferred up the food chain to consumers.
Strain localization in the Alloy 718 Ni-based superalloy: From room temperature to 650 °C
This study investigates how a nickel-based superalloy deforms at different temperatures using high-resolution imaging techniques. The paper is not related to microplastics or human health. It focuses on the mechanical behavior of metal alloys used in engineering applications, examining how strain localizes in the material's internal structure at temperatures up to 650 degrees Celsius.
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.
Microplastics: What happens in the human digestive tract? First evidences in adults using in vitro gut models
Researchers used an advanced artificial gut model to study what happens when polyethylene microplastics pass through the human digestive tract under conditions mimicking repeated exposure. They found that microplastics altered the composition of gut bacteria and affected the intestinal barrier without causing overt toxicity. This is among the first studies to simulate realistic human digestive exposure to microplastics, suggesting subtle but meaningful effects on gut health.
Applications of Starch Biopolymers for a Sustainable Modern Agriculture
This review explores how starch-based biopolymers can replace conventional plastic products in agriculture, including mulch films, packaging, and soil amendments. Researchers found that starch bioplastics are biodegradable under natural conditions and can reduce the accumulation of microplastics in agricultural soils. The study highlights the potential of these bio-based materials to support more sustainable farming practices while reducing plastic pollution.
Understanding the Fragmentation Pattern of Marine Plastic Debris
Researchers collected and analyzed marine plastic debris from the North Atlantic to better understand how plastics fragment in the ocean over time. They found that degradation followed predictable patterns, with UV exposure and wave action producing increasingly smaller particles that became more brittle and chemically altered. The study helps explain why estimated microplastic quantities in the ocean account for only about 1% of annual plastic inputs, suggesting much of it fragments into particles too small to detect with current methods.
The Anthropocene: Comparing Its Meaning in Geology (Chronostratigraphy) with Conceptual Approaches Arising in Other Disciplines
This article compares how the term "Anthropocene" is used in geology versus other academic disciplines like social sciences and humanities. In geology, the Anthropocene is proposed as a formal epoch beginning in the mid-twentieth century, marked by measurable changes in the geological record from industrialization and globalization. Other fields use the term more flexibly, often extending it much further back in time and applying it without reference to specific geological markers.
A membrane cascade for size-based separation and concentration of nanoplastics in environmental waters
Researchers developed a cascade system of membrane filters that can separate and concentrate nanoplastics from environmental water samples by size. They demonstrated that the system effectively isolates nanoplastic particles while tracking recovery rates using fluorescent markers. The technology addresses a major challenge in nanoplastic research by providing a reliable method to extract these extremely small particles from water for accurate measurement and analysis.
Gut microbiota of aquatic organisms: A key endpoint for ecotoxicological studies
This review examines how environmental contaminants including microplastics, pesticides, heavy metals, and pharmaceuticals affect the gut microbiota of aquatic organisms. Researchers highlight that changes in gut bacterial communities can serve as sensitive indicators of pollution exposure and may have downstream effects on host fitness. The study calls for improved methodologies to better link contaminant-induced shifts in gut microbiota to measurable health outcomes in aquatic species.
Earth Observations for Monitoring Marine Coastal Hazards and Their Drivers
Researchers reviewed the use of Earth observation technologies for monitoring coastal hazards including pollution, sea-level changes, and extreme weather events. The study highlights how satellite-based monitoring and forecasting systems are increasingly important for managing risks to densely populated coastal zones, including emerging threats from marine pollution such as microplastics.
Removal of microplastics and nanoplastics in water treatment processes: A systematic literature review
Researchers systematically reviewed 103 studies across 26 water treatment plants in 12 countries to assess how well various technologies remove microplastics and nanoplastics from drinking water, finding that while coagulation, filtration, and advanced treatments help, significant gaps remain. The review identifies that no single process achieves complete removal, leaving microplastics as a persistent contaminant in treated water supplies.
Scientists’ Warning to Humanity: Rapid degradation of the world’s large lakes
Scientists issued a comprehensive warning that the world's large lakes — critical freshwater sources supporting biodiversity and billions of people — are degrading rapidly due to warming temperatures, habitat destruction, invasive species, and accelerating pollution including microplastics. The review calls for urgent conservation action and a global network of long-term lake monitoring stations to detect and respond to ongoing changes.
Effects of Pollution on Fish Behavior, Personality, and Cognition: Some Research Perspectives
This review examined how pollutants, including microplastics, affect fish behavior, personality, and cognitive abilities. Researchers identified that neurotoxic effects of pollutants can alter behavioral traits and cognitive function in fish, which may in turn affect their fitness and survival, and proposed new research perspectives for understanding how environmental contamination drives behavioral variation in wild fish populations.
Exposure to polyethylene microplastics alters immature gut microbiome in an infant in vitro gut model
Researchers used an artificial infant gut model to study how chronic exposure to polyethylene microplastics affects the developing intestinal microbiome. They found that microplastics shifted gut microbial composition, increasing the abundance of potentially harmful bacteria such as Enterobacteriaceae while decreasing beneficial butyrate production. The study suggests that microplastic ingestion may disrupt the gut microbiome of infants, though no significant damage to the intestinal barrier was observed.
Swarm Robotics: Past, Present, and Future [Point of View]
This article reviews the history, current state, and future directions of swarm robotics, which involves coordinating large groups of robots inspired by natural systems like insect colonies and bird flocks. While not directly related to microplastic research, swarm robotics technologies have potential applications in environmental monitoring and pollution cleanup efforts.
A Review of the Dissemination of Antibiotic Resistance through Wastewater Treatment Plants: Current Situation in Sri Lanka and Future Perspectives
This review examines how wastewater treatment plants contribute to the spread of antibiotic resistance in the environment, with a focus on the situation in Sri Lanka. Researchers found that conventional treatment processes often fail to fully eliminate antibiotic-resistant bacteria and resistance genes from effluent. The study calls for upgraded treatment technologies and better monitoring to address this growing public health concern.
Spatial variability of Saharan dust deposition revealed through a citizen science campaign
Researchers used a citizen science campaign to collect dust-on-snow samples across the Pyrenees and Alps following a major Saharan dust event in February 2021. They found that the amount and particle size of deposited dust decreased with distance from the source, and south-facing slopes accumulated more dust. The study demonstrates how citizen science can fill gaps in understanding atmospheric dust transport, which also carries microplastics and other pollutants across long distances.