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Papers
26 resultsShowing papers from University of Notre Dame
ClearDirect observation and identification of nanoplastics in ocean water
Researchers developed a new technique to directly see and identify nanoplastics (plastic particles smaller than a micrometer) in ocean water for the first time. They found nylon, polystyrene, and PET particles in samples from two oceans, appearing as tiny fibers, flakes, and other shapes made from plastics commonly used in everyday products.
Advances in Catchment Science, Hydrochemistry, and Aquatic Ecology Enabled by High-Frequency Water Quality Measurements
This review covers advances in high-frequency water quality monitoring technology for streams and rivers, including automated sensors that measure pollutants in real time. While not focused on microplastics specifically, these monitoring tools are increasingly being adapted to track particulate pollutants including microplastics in waterways. Better real-time water monitoring could help communities identify and respond to microplastic contamination in their drinking water sources.
Environmental protein corona on nanoplastics altered the responses of skin keratinocytes and fibroblast cells to the particles
This study found that when nanoplastics pick up a natural protein coating from seawater, they interact with human skin cells differently than bare nanoplastics. The protein-coated particles entered skin cells through new pathways and triggered inflammatory responses, including signals linked to immune activation. This is important because it means nanoplastics in the real environment may be more biologically active than what lab studies using clean particles suggest.
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.
Interaction Between Endocrine Disruptors and Polyethylene Nanoplastic by Molecular Dynamics Simulations
Using computer simulations, researchers found that polyethylene nanoplastics can attract and carry endocrine-disrupting chemicals like bisphenol A (BPA) and benzophenone (BZP), with BZP binding nearly three times more strongly to the plastic surface. Even at low concentrations, these chemicals can interfere with hormones and have been linked to various diseases. The findings suggest that nanoplastics in the environment could act as tiny vehicles, delivering harmful chemicals into the body.
Enzymatic Degradation of Polyethylene Terephthalate Plastics by Bacterial Curli Display PETase
Researchers engineered bacteria to display a PET-degrading enzyme on their surface, creating a reusable biocatalyst capable of breaking down polyethylene terephthalate plastics. The system worked under various conditions, remained stable for at least 30 days, and could even degrade PET microplastics in wastewater and highly crystalline consumer plastic waste. This biological approach offers a promising environmentally friendly alternative for plastic recycling and waste treatment.
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Canadian Fast Food Packaging
Researchers analyzed 42 Canadian fast food packaging samples for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) using multiple analytical techniques. The study found that 55% of samples contained detectable fluorine, with the highest levels found in molded compostable bowls, suggesting that PFAS contamination in food packaging remains a widespread concern even in materials marketed as environmentally friendly.
Global distribution and coincidence of pollution, climate impacts, and health risk in the Anthropocene
Researchers analyzed the relationship between toxic pollution and climate change risk across 176 countries and found a strong correlation between the two. Low-income countries faced disproportionately higher risks from both pollution and climate impacts, while also having the least institutional capacity to respond. The study argues that pollution and climate change should be addressed jointly rather than independently, as they often affect the same vulnerable populations.
Use and release of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in consumer food packaging in U.S. and Canada
Researchers estimated that 9,000 tonnes per year of polymeric PFAS from plant fiber-based and plastic food packaging in the U.S. and Canada flow into waste streams and the environment, quantifying a significant but previously uncharacterized exposure pathway for these persistent chemicals.
Reintroduction of at-risk forest tree species using biotechnology depends on regulatory policy, informed by science and with public support
This review examined how biotechnology approaches like genetic engineering could help reintroduce forest tree species threatened by invasive pests, emphasizing that success depends on science-informed regulatory policies and public acceptance.
Experimental Confirmation of the Interception History Paradigm for Colloid (Micro and Nanoparticle) Transport in Porous Media
Laboratory experiments confirmed the interception history paradigm for colloid filtration under chemically unfavorable conditions, demonstrating that microplastics and other colloidal particles follow predictable deposition patterns in porous media—providing mechanistic data relevant to modeling MP transport through soils and aquifers.
Transport and retention of microplastic fibers in streams are impacted by benthic algae, discharge, and substrate
Researchers used outdoor experimental streams to measure microplastic fiber transport and retention under varying conditions of benthic algae cover, stream discharge, and substrate size. Higher discharge and algae cover increased downstream transport while coarser substrates and algae promoted retention, showing that biological and physical stream features strongly control microplastic fate in rivers.
Statistical-physical method for simulating the transport of microplastic-antibiotic compound pollutants in typical bay area
This study applied a statistical-physical method to simulate the transport of microplastic-antibiotic compound pollutants formed by adsorption in coastal areas, where both pollutant types are ubiquitous and frequently co-occur. The modeling approach provided predictions of how these composite contaminants move through coastal water environments.
The entrainment of polyester microfibers modifies the structure and function of periphytic biofilms
Researchers studied how polyester microfibers -- shed from synthetic textiles -- affect the structure and function of periphytic biofilms over prolonged exposure periods. Microfiber entrainment significantly altered biofilm community composition and reduced key functional metrics, demonstrating that textile-derived microfibers are a meaningful stressor for benthic microbial communities in freshwater systems.
Direct Observation of Nanoplastics in Ocean Water
This study directly observed nanoplastic particles in actual ocean water samples for the first time using advanced microscopy techniques, confirming the presence of nanoscale plastic fragments in marine environments and providing a method for studying their distribution and behavior.
Microplastic deposition velocity in streams follows patterns for naturally occurring allochthonous particles
Using particle-spiraling metrics adapted from organic matter studies, researchers found that microplastic deposition velocity in streams followed patterns similar to natural particles, enabling predictions of riverine microplastic retention.
Land–Sea Connection of Microplastic Fiber Pollution in Frenchman Bay, Maine
Researchers examined the land-sea connection of microplastic fiber pollution in Frenchman Bay, Maine, tracing terrestrial fiber sources through watershed transport to coastal accumulation and quantifying the contribution of inland human activity to marine plastic loads.
Biodegradable Elastomers: Where Is the Solution?
Despite its title referencing biodegradable elastomers, this paper reviews the development of sustainable rubber-like polymer materials as alternatives to conventional synthetic rubbers — not microplastic pollution. It examines the chemistry of bio-based and degradable elastomers and is not specifically relevant to microplastics or human health, though reducing persistent synthetic rubber in consumer products could have long-term environmental benefits.
Using Infrared Photothermal Heterodyne Imaging to Characterize Micro- and Nanoplastics in Complex Environmental Matrices
Researchers introduced infrared photothermal heterodyne imaging (IR-PHI) as a 300 nm resolution technique for identifying and quantifying micro- and nanoplastics in complex environmental matrices, demonstrating its application to nylon tea bag leachates and sediment samples.
Widespread microplastic pollution in Indiana, USA, rivers
Researchers surveyed nine Indiana river watersheds and found microplastics in every single one, regardless of whether the surrounding land was urban, agricultural, or forested. Plastic fibers dominated across all sites, suggesting they arrive mainly via atmospheric deposition rather than runoff, which means even remote waterways are exposed. The findings indicate that rivers have a distinct microplastic profile compared to large lakes, and that flowing water ecosystems are pervasively contaminated throughout the midwestern United States.
What does it mean to be wild? Assessing human influence on the environments of nonhuman primate specimens in museum collections
This study examines whether primate specimens in museum collections were exposed to human-modified environments, which could confound research using them as proxies for 'wild' animals. Understanding historical human impacts on wildlife is relevant to interpreting baseline health and toxicology data in animals affected by pollution.
Anionic nanoparticle and microplastic non-exponential distributions from source scale with grain size in environmental granular media
Laboratory experiments showed that tiny anionic plastic particles do not travel through sand in a simple, predictable way — instead their distribution is irregular and non-exponential. This complicates efforts to model how microplastics move through soil and groundwater systems.
Markovian Models for Microplastic Transport in Open‐Channel Flows
Markovian statistical models were developed to describe how microplastic particles move through rivers and streams, capturing both active transport and temporary deposition behavior. The models were compared against experimental data and found to accurately represent particle movement patterns. Better transport models are essential for predicting how microplastics spread from rivers to the ocean.
Distribution and Fate of Polyethylene Microplastics Released by a Portable Toilet Manufacturer into a Freshwater Wetland and Lake
A portable toilet manufacturer in Indiana, USA, released polyethylene microplastics into a protected wetland for at least three years, providing a rare opportunity to study how microplastics spread from a known point source through a freshwater ecosystem. Researchers found microplastics distributed widely through water and sediment, with atmospheric deposition also contributing to contamination across the wetland.