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Papers
62 resultsShowing papers from University of Delaware
ClearBiological Upcycling of Plastics Waste
This review summarizes research on using biological systems -- including enzymes, bacteria, and engineered microbes -- to break down plastic waste into useful chemicals and materials. Rather than traditional recycling that produces lower-quality plastic each time, biological approaches can convert waste plastics into valuable products like biodegradable plastics, fuels, and specialty chemicals, potentially reducing the flow of plastics into the environment where they break into harmful microplastics.
Artificial engineering of the protein corona at bio-nano interfaces for improved cancer-targeted nanotherapy
Researchers reviewed how engineering the protein corona — the layer of proteins that coats nanoparticles in biological fluids — through modifications like PEGylation and protein pre-coating can improve nanoparticle targeting for cancer drug delivery by controlling how immune cells recognize and clear the particles.
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.
Adsorption of lead(II) onto PE microplastics as a function of particle size: Influencing factors and adsorption mechanism
Researchers studied how lead ions attach to polyethylene microplastics of different sizes in water. They found that smaller microplastic particles had greater capacity to adsorb lead, primarily through chemical bonding mechanisms like hydrogen bonding and surface complexation. The findings suggest that microplastics in the environment can act as carriers for toxic heavy metals, with smaller particles posing a greater risk.
Circularity in polymers: addressing performance and sustainability challenges using dynamic covalent chemistries
Researchers reviewed how dynamic covalent chemistry can be applied to polymeric materials to enable closed-loop recyclability, addressing the waste accumulation caused by current plastics. The study examines how reversible chemical bonds can be tailored for specific reprocessing conditions and evaluates the potential economic and environmental impacts of these recyclable polymer systems.
Exposure of Goniopora columna to polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs): Effects of PE-MP concentration on extracellular polymeric substances and microbial community
Researchers exposed the coral Goniopora columna to varying concentrations of polyethylene microplastics and analyzed changes in microbial communities and extracellular polymeric substances over seven days. At the highest concentration, significant shifts in bacterial composition were observed, along with changes in humic and fulvic-like substances produced by microbial activity. The findings provide new insights into how microplastic concentration affects coral-microbiome interactions in reef ecosystems.
Microplastic ingestion by Atlantic chub mackerel (Scomber colias) in the Canary Islands coast
Researchers examined 120 Atlantic chub mackerel from the Canary Islands and found that 78.3 percent had microplastics in their digestive tracts. Fibers were the most common type of microplastic found, followed by plastic fragments and paint particles. The study represents the first investigation of microplastic contamination in fish from the Northwest African upwelling system, suggesting that this commercially important species could serve as an indicator for microplastic pollution in the region.
Benthic species as mud patrol ‐ modelled effects of bioturbators and biofilms on large‐scale estuarine mud and morphology
An eco-morphodynamic model of an idealized estuary showed that bioturbating macroinvertebrates and microphytobenthos biofilms have opposing effects on mud erodibility and estuarine morphology, with bioturbation increasing net mud export and biostabilization reducing erosion.
Cross-Linked Polyolefins: Opportunities for Fostering Circularity Throughout the Materials Lifecycle
This review examines cross-linked polyolefins, a significant class of plastics that are typically incinerated or landfilled because they cannot be melted for reprocessing. Researchers assessed both traditional mechanical recycling and advanced recycling methods for improving circularity of these materials. The study highlights opportunities to reduce plastic waste through biobased feedstocks, extended product lifespans, and recyclable-by-design strategies for future cross-linked polyolefin products.
Hydrophobins from Aspergillus mediate fungal interactions with microplastics
Researchers discovered that the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus and related species can tightly bind to microplastic particles, with up to 3.85 grams of plastic bound per gram of fungi. They identified hydrophobin proteins on the fungal surface as the key molecules mediating this attachment to plastics. The findings suggest that microplastics may serve as vectors for pathogenic fungi in food chains, raising concerns about how plastic pollution could facilitate the spread of opportunistic infections.
Ecological responses of coral reef to polyethylene microplastics in community structure and extracellular polymeric substances
Researchers investigated how polyethylene microplastics affect coral reef communities, finding that microplastic exposure altered extracellular polymeric substance production and community structure in scleractinian coral, indicating ecological stress responses.
Zooplankton-microplastic exposure in Delaware coastal waters: Atlantic blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) larvae case study
Researchers modeled how blue crab larvae are exposed to microplastics during their offshore migration through Delaware coastal waters. The study identified three key mechanisms that elevate microplastic exposure for zooplankton, including transport into microplastic-laden tidelines, suggesting that larval organisms face significant contamination risk in estuarine environments.
Microplastic infiltration into mobile sediments
Researchers used an annular flume to simulate how microplastic particles infiltrate into sandy river sediments as bedforms migrate. They found that particle size was the most important factor determining how deep microplastics penetrated into the sediment, while bedform speed and particle density had less influence. The study reveals that smaller microplastics can be buried deeper in river sediments, making them harder to detect and potentially creating long-term contamination reservoirs.
Fundamental Challenges and Opportunities for Textile Circularity
Researchers conducted qualitative research with textile industry stakeholders to identify fundamental challenges in transitioning to a circular economy. The study highlights urgent needs including standardized definitions to prevent greenwashing, improved sorting and recycling systems for post-consumer textiles, and innovations in mechanical recycling to maintain material value and reduce environmental pollution from textile waste.
Body distribution and ecotoxicological effect of nanoplastics in freshwater fish, Zacco platypus
Researchers investigated how 50-nanometer polystyrene nanoplastics accumulate in the organs and affect the behavior of pale chub fish over a 14-day exposure. They found that the particles accumulated in the brain, digestive tract, gills, and liver, leading to observable changes in swimming behavior and increased oxidative stress. The study highlights the growing evidence that nanoplastic contamination in aquatic environments may pose significant ecological risks.
Langmuir turbulence in a depth-varying coastal channel: Insights from large eddy simulations
Scientists studied how ocean waves create spinning water currents in coastal areas like bays and rivers, which help mix pollution and tiny plastic particles throughout the water. These wave-driven currents are much stronger than previously thought and significantly change how pollutants like microplastics spread through coastal waters where people swim, fish, and get drinking water. Understanding these mixing patterns is important for predicting where ocean pollution ends up and how it might affect human health.
The effect of wind mixing on the vertical distribution of buoyant plastic debris
Researchers modeled and measured how wind mixing affects the vertical distribution of buoyant plastic debris in the ocean, finding that turbulent mixing drives plastics below the surface and explains why surface sampling underestimates total plastic concentrations.
Hydrophobins from Aspergillus Mediate Fungal Interactions with Microplastics
Researchers found that Aspergillus fungi colonize microplastic surfaces through hydrophobin proteins — surface-active compounds that mediate adhesion to hydrophobic materials — providing the first mechanistic explanation for how fungi form biofilms on plastic particles in the environment.
Revisiting the activity of two poly(vinyl chloride)- and polyethylene-degrading enzymes
Researchers revisited two enzymes previously reported to degrade PVC and polyethylene, finding limited evidence of true carbon-carbon bond cleavage and calling for more rigorous validation standards in the growing field of plastic biodegradation research.
Distribution of Surface Plastic Debris in the Eastern Pacific Ocean from an 11-Year Data Set
Analysis of over 2,500 plankton net tows in the eastern Pacific Ocean from 2001 to 2012 documented a persistent plastic accumulation zone in the North Pacific subtropical gyre corresponding to the predicted convergence zone of ocean currents. The 11-year dataset reveals the long-term stability of this "garbage patch" and its distinct seasonal and interannual variability.
Biophysical flocculation reduces variability of cohesive sediment settling velocity
Researchers measured how biological substances called extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) — sticky molecules produced by microorganisms — influence how sediment particles clump together and sink in water. They found that EPS dramatically reduces the variability in how fast sediment settles, helping explain why lab results often differ from real-world ocean observations.
Investigating the dynamics of methylmercury bioaccumulation in the Beaufort Sea shelf food web: a modeling perspective
An ecosystem-based methylmercury bioaccumulation model was developed for the Beaufort Sea shelf using the Ecotracer module, finding that climate-driven changes in sea ice cover, primary production, and food web structure are key factors driving temporal trends in methylmercury levels in Arctic biota.
Electrophoresis Characterization of Nanoplastic Particle Surface Charge in Dilute Aqueous Electrolytes
This study developed a comprehensive electrophoresis method for accurately measuring zeta potential of nanoplastic particles in dilute aqueous electrolytes, addressing common inaccuracies in standard laser Doppler electrophoresis approaches. Correct surface charge characterization is important for predicting nanoplastic behavior in aquatic environments.
Influence of aging processes on PE microplastics with various oxidants: Morphology, chemical structure, and adsorption behavior toward tetracycline
Polyethylene microplastics aged by four different oxidants showed increased surface oxidation and hydrophilicity, with KMnO4-aged and NaOCl-aged PE showing the highest adsorption capacity for tetracycline, while persulfate-aged PE showed the lowest, demonstrating that aging chemistry significantly affects contaminant adsorption.