Papers

Macroecotoxicological approaches to emerging patterns of microplastic bioaccumulation in crabs from estuarine and marine environments

Smaller, shorter-lived crabs and those from estuarine intertidal/muddy habitats accumulated significantly more microplastics, with burrowing species holding more particles than omnivorous ones. Crabs at lower latitudes -- likely due to mangrove trapping effects -- and non-human-consumed species showed higher microplastic loads, with colorless PA, PP, and PET fibers (1-5 mm) predominating.

Synergistic effects between microplastics and glyphosate on honey bee larvae

This study found that honey bee larvae exposed to microplastics combined with the herbicide glyphosate experienced worse developmental problems, higher oxidative stress, and stronger immune responses than those exposed to either pollutant alone. The combined exposure disrupted key detoxification and antioxidant genes in the developing bees. While focused on bees, this research highlights how microplastics can amplify the harm from other environmental chemicals, a pattern that likely applies to other organisms including humans.

Biodegradable plastics in aquatic ecosystems: latest findings, research gaps, and recommendations

This review challenges the assumption that biodegradable plastics are harmless to aquatic ecosystems, finding that many materials labeled as biodegradable do not fully break down in natural water environments. Researchers found that these plastics can persist in aquatic settings and pose similar risks to wildlife as conventional plastics, including ingestion and chemical leaching. The study recommends more rigorous testing of biodegradability claims under real-world aquatic conditions.

Profiling microplastic fibers in the intertidal sentinel mussel <i>Brachidontes rodriguezii</i> from the coast of Buenos Aires, Argentina

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in small mussels along the coast of Argentina's most popular resort city and found plastic particles in nearly 98% of all specimens examined. Surprisingly, the highest contamination levels were found at the least urbanized site, suggesting that agricultural runoff and local water currents, not just city pollution, play important roles in distributing microplastics. The study underscores that microplastic contamination in coastal shellfish is widespread regardless of the level of nearby urban development.

Spatial and temporal variation of microplastic in mussels from intertidal and subtidal banks in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean

Researchers compared microplastic contamination in mussels from intertidal and subtidal zones along the Southwestern Atlantic coast of Argentina in 2012 and 2019. They found that 90% of all mussels examined contained microplastics, primarily blue polystyrene fibers, with higher contamination in the intertidal zone. The study underscores that filter-feeding mussels serve as reliable indicators of microplastic pollution in coastal environments.

Airborne microplastic pollution detected in the atmosphere of the South Shetland Islands in Antarctica

Researchers conducted a year-long study at an Antarctic research station and found airborne microplastics in the atmosphere of the South Shetland Islands. The study identified a wide variety of plastic polymers, indicating that microplastic pollution has reached even the most remote parts of the planet. These findings underscore how pervasive plastic contamination has become, extending far beyond populated areas.

Social behaviors as welfare indicators in teleost fish

This review examines social behaviors as potential welfare indicators in teleost fish, considering the diversity of reproductive and social structures across species. The study suggests that a comprehensive approach to fish welfare assessment should account for species-specific physiological mechanisms and how behavioral parameters are influenced by environmental enrichment.

Factors driving the abundance and distribution of microplastics on sandy beaches in a Southwest Atlantic seaside resort

Researchers investigated factors driving microplastic abundance on sandy beaches along the Southwest Atlantic coast, finding that both natural forces like wave energy and anthropogenic inputs influenced the distribution of fiber and fragment microplastics in surface sediments.

Facile, inexpensive, and reliable morphological characterization of microplastics using Optical Microscopy images

Toxicity evaluation of the active ingredient acetamiprid and a commercial formulation (Assail® 70) on the non-target gastropod Biomphalaria straminea (Mollusca: Planorbidae)

Researchers conducted 14-day exposures of the freshwater snail Biomphalaria straminea to the neonicotinoid acetamiprid and a commercial formulation, finding that both induced detoxification and oxidative stress responses while the commercial formulation showed greater toxicity, though neither affected cholinesterase activity, reproduction, or offspring survival.

Adsorption of Methylene Blue and Tetracycline by Zeolites Immobilized on a PBAT Electrospun Membrane

Researchers developed a PBAT electrospun nanofibrous membrane incorporating zeolite that effectively adsorbed methylene blue and tetracycline from water, offering a promising material for removing emerging contaminants from aquatic environments.

Current and emerging biodegradable mulch films based on polysaccharide bio-composites. A review

Identification and quantification of microplastics in the Antarctic coastal waters using laser direct infrared (LDIR)

This was the first study to detect microplastics smaller than 20 µm in Antarctic surface waters near Carlini Station, using Laser Direct Infrared (LDIR) spectroscopy. Microplastics were found in all 18 samples at a median abundance of approximately 0.1 particles/L, extending the known size range of Antarctic microplastic contamination.

Alternative Conservation Paradigms and Ecological Knowledge of Small-Scale Artisanal Fishers in a Changing Marine Scenario in Argentina

Researchers used ethnographic interviews to document the ecological knowledge and conservation paradigms of small-scale artisanal fishers in Argentina's Bahía Blanca Estuary, finding that fishers held a communalist worldview and detailed knowledge of climate-driven and pollution-related changes that could meaningfully inform co-management strategies.

Microplastics in the digestive tract of an endangered cetacean of the Southwest Atlantic Ocean: The franciscana dolphin

Researchers found microplastics in the digestive tract of La Plata dolphins (Pontoporia blainvillei), an endangered cetacean of the Southwest Atlantic. The detection in this endangered species highlights plastic pollution as an additional threat alongside habitat degradation and bycatch.

Macro-, meso- and microplastic abundance in sandy beaches and factors influencing their distribution in an SW Atlantic resort

Researchers surveyed macro-, meso-, and microplastic abundance in marine sediments of tourist beaches in the Southwest Atlantic (Argentina), using generalized linear models to identify how beach morphology, grain size, and human activity influence plastic distribution.

Legacy and emerging contaminants in marine mammals from Argentina

This study reviewed legacy organochlorine pesticides and emerging contaminants including microplastics and pharmaceuticals in marine mammals from Argentina, documenting bioaccumulation patterns and discussing health effects relevant to conservation of these sentinel species.

Histological characterization and morphological alterations in gill and digestive gland in non-native bivalve from the Province of Buenos Aires: spatial and seasonal evaluation

This paper is not primarily about microplastics — it characterizes tissue health in Pacific oysters from urbanized coastal areas, finding links between human activity and gill and digestive gland damage, without a microplastics focus.

Latin America: Knowledge diversity for a sustainable future

This editorial introduces a special series highlighting Latin American environmental research on pollutants including microplastics, hydrocarbons, metals, and pesticides, emphasizing the value of incorporating diverse knowledge systems and community participation in addressing transdisciplinary environmental challenges.

Assessment of microplastic pollution in sand beach from SW Atlantic coast (Argentina) using a regional harmonized method. 

Researchers assessed microplastic pollution on sand beaches of the SW Atlantic coast of Argentina using a regionally harmonised sampling and analysis method, characterising particle morphology, colour, size, and polymer type in a country that produces over 1.16 million tons of plastic annually. The study aimed to identify sources and fate of beach microplastics and establish a standardised baseline for future regional monitoring.

Floating marine debris in two pelagic ecosystems of the southwestern Atlantic off Argentina

Researchers conducted observational surveys from seismic vessels in 2012-2013 to quantify floating marine debris in two southwestern Atlantic pelagic ecosystems, finding higher debris loads off Tierra del Fuego (6.15 items mean) than the Brazil-Malvinas Confluence (3.31 items mean) with plastics dominating at over 80% of items.

Reclutamiento de la merluza argentina, Merluccius hubbsi, del stock patagónico: una revisión de las principales características que afectan el potencial reproductivo y la supervivencia durante las primeras etapas de la vida

This review examines factors driving recruitment variability in Patagonian Argentine hake (Merluccius hubbsi), synthesizing evidence on reproductive ecology, trophic dynamics, and environmental influences across life stages. Researchers found that maternal effects — female size, age, and condition — strongly influence reproductive potential, while larval survival depends heavily on spatial overlap with the nutrient-rich North Patagonian Frontal System.

Marine debris ingestion by the South American Fur Seal from the Southwest Atlantic Ocean

Marine debris was found in 7% of South American fur seals examined from beaches in Argentina and Brazil, with plastic being the most common type. While the ingestion rate was relatively low, the findings confirm that this marine mammal species is exposed to plastic pollution throughout its range.

Macroecotoxicology: Challenges and opportunities to study broad-scale biodiversity patterns under the effect of microplastics contamination