Papers

The response of aquatic ecosystems to the interactive effects of stratospheric ozone depletion, UV radiation, and climate change

This assessment reviews how changes in UV radiation and climate interact to affect aquatic ecosystems, including impacts on water chemistry and organisms. The breakdown of plastics by UV light is highlighted as a growing concern, since sunlight accelerates the creation of microplastics and nanoplastics in water. These smaller plastic fragments are more easily taken up by aquatic life, increasing the potential for microplastics to enter the human food chain.

Seasonal dynamics, tidal influences, and anthropogenic impacts on microplastic distribution in the Yangtze River estuary: A comprehensive characterization and comparative analysis

Researchers studied microplastic pollution in the Yangtze River estuary and found average concentrations of about 1 particle per cubic meter of surface water, mostly polystyrene, polypropylene, and polyethylene. Microplastic levels were nearly twice as high during flood season compared to dry season and decreased with distance from urban centers. These findings highlight how population density and seasonal water flow influence microplastic distribution in major waterways.

Plastics in the environment in the context of UV radiation, climate change and the Montreal Protocol: UNEP Environmental Effects Assessment Panel, Update 2023

Researchers from the UN Environment Programme reviewed how sunlight and climate change accelerate the breakdown of plastic debris into micro- and nanoplastics, which have now been detected in every ecosystem on Earth — including inside the human body. They conclude that new plastics should be designed to break down harmlessly at the end of their useful life, rather than persisting indefinitely as pollution.

Continuing benefits of the Montreal Protocol and protection of the stratospheric ozone layer for human health and the environment

This assessment reviews the continuing health and environmental benefits of the Montreal Protocol, which protects the ozone layer. While primarily focused on UV radiation, skin cancer, and air quality, the review notes that UV light accelerates the breakdown of plastics into microplastics in the environment. The interaction between ozone protection, climate change, and plastic degradation highlights the complex relationship between atmospheric changes and microplastic pollution.

Soil pollution and remediation: emerging challenges and innovations

This perspective reviews emerging challenges in soil pollution, including contamination from heavy metals, pesticides, PFAS, and microplastics, all worsened by urbanization and climate change. Researchers highlight innovative monitoring and remediation technologies, such as advanced sensors, bioremediation, and machine learning approaches for predicting contamination patterns. The study emphasizes the need for sustainable, integrated soil management strategies to protect environmental health.

The interactive effects of stratospheric ozone depletion, UV radiation, and climate change on aquatic ecosystems

This assessment reviews how stratospheric ozone depletion and climate change interact to affect UV radiation exposure in aquatic ecosystems. Researchers found that climate change is now the primary driver of UV exposure variations in water, through mechanisms like changing ice cover, water clarity, and mixing depths. The study notes that increased UV exposure can accelerate the breakdown of microplastics and other contaminants in surface waters, highlighting complex interactions between atmospheric changes and aquatic pollution.

Pore-Scale Visualized Transport and Retention of Fibrous and Fragmental Microplastics in Porous Media under Various Surfactant Conditions

Researchers used a pore-scale visualization system to observe how fibrous and fragmental microplastics move through porous media under different surfactant conditions. They found that fibrous microplastics had lower mobility because they tend to entangle and clog pore spaces, while fragmental particles moved more freely and responded differently to various surfactant types. The study provides detailed insight into how microplastic shape and surface chemistry influence their transport through soil and groundwater systems.

Environmental effects of stratospheric ozone depletion, UV radiation, and interactions with climate change: UNEP Environmental Effects Assessment Panel, Update 2021

Researchers with the UNEP Environmental Effects Assessment Panel updated their assessment of how stratospheric ozone depletion and UV radiation interact with climate change, finding cascading effects on ecosystems and human health — including the photo-degradation of outdoor plastics into microplastics and nanoplastics under increased UV exposure.

Environmental effects of stratospheric ozone depletion, UV radiation, and interactions with climate change: UNEP Environmental Effects Assessment Panel, Update 2020

Researchers with the United Nations Environment Programme assessed how stratospheric ozone depletion, UV radiation, and climate change interact to affect human health and ecosystems — including the degradation of outdoor plastics by UV light, which accelerates the breakdown of plastic materials into microplastics.

Removal of sulfamethoxazole using Fe-Mn biochar filtration columns: Influence of co-existing polystyrene microplastics

Researchers investigated how polystyrene microplastics affect the removal of the antibiotic sulfamethoxazole using iron-manganese modified biochar filtration columns. They found that the presence of microplastics significantly reduced antibiotic retention due to competitive sorption, with the effect varying depending on water pH. The study highlights that co-occurring microplastics in wastewater can interfere with contaminant removal systems, potentially allowing more antibiotics to pass through treatment processes.

The Montreal Protocol and the fate of environmental plastic debris

This study modeled how the Montreal Protocol-driven recovery of stratospheric ozone and associated increase in solar UV reaching Earth's surface will affect the photodegradation rate of plastic litter, finding that increased UV exposure will accelerate secondary microplastic generation from environmental plastic debris.

Understanding and mitigating global change with aquatic sensors: current challenges and future prospects

This paper is not about microplastics. It reviews the use of autonomous in-water sensors for environmental monitoring, discussing challenges like sensor calibration, fouling, drift, and data quality in the context of tracking global change impacts on aquatic ecosystems. While sensors could potentially be applied to monitor microplastic pollution, the paper focuses broadly on sensor technology for water quality parameters rather than on microplastics specifically.

Environmental plastics in the context of UV radiation, climate change, and the Montreal Protocol

This review examines how UV radiation and climate change interact with environmental plastics to alter their degradation rates and toxic profiles, with particular focus on how ozone depletion affects UV-induced plastic fragmentation. The authors argue that changing UV environments under climate change will accelerate plastic breakdown and increase nanoplastic production in surface waters.

Two-step conversion of polyethylene into recombinant proteins using a microbial platform

Researchers engineered bacteria to break down polyethylene plastic — one of the most common types of plastic pollution — and convert it into useful proteins, demonstrating a promising biological pathway for upcycling plastic waste into valuable materials.

Soothsaying DOM: A Current Perspective on the Future of Oceanic Dissolved Organic Carbon

This review examined the current state of knowledge and future prospects for oceanic dissolved organic carbon (DOC), discussing the production, recycling, and long-term storage of DOC from marine phytoplankton through heterotrophic microbial processing. The authors explored how DOC chemical composition and environmental conditions influence carbon reactivity and fate in the deep ocean.

Index

From Source to Tap: Microplastics in a Sub-watershed of the Hudson River Estuary

Microbial Upcycling of Polyethylene into Recombinant Proteins

Researchers engineered Pseudomonas bacteria to grow using deconstructed polyethylene (a proxy for plastic breakdown products) as their sole carbon source and produce valuable recombinant proteins. This demonstrates a route to converting plastic waste into high-value materials using microbes, potentially reducing the plastic that becomes environmental microplastics.

Special Section Guest Editorial: Hard X-Ray Tomography with Micrometer Resolution

This guest editorial introduces a special section of the Journal of Medical Imaging focused on hard X-ray tomography at micrometer resolution, presenting an overview of advances in this high-resolution 3D imaging technique used in materials science and biomedical research. The collection showcases applications where micron-scale internal structure must be visualized non-destructively.