Papers

Advances in chemical removal and degradation technologies for microplastics in the aquatic environment: A review

This review summarizes recent advances in chemical methods for breaking down microplastics in water, comparing the effectiveness of various techniques including advanced oxidation processes. Developing better ways to destroy microplastics in water is important for public health because current wastewater treatment plants cannot fully remove these persistent particles before water reaches consumers.

Sources, interactions, influencing factors and ecological risks of microplastics and antibiotic resistance genes in soil: A review

Microplastics in soil serve as hotspots for antibiotic resistance genes, with the plastisphere — the microbial community colonizing plastic surfaces — facilitating horizontal gene transfer of resistance markers. Key factors driving this interaction include microplastic properties, soil chemistry, and agricultural practices, though research in soil environments is still at an early stage compared to aquatic systems.

An Electrochemiluminescence-Activated Amphiphilic Perylene Diimide Probe: Enabling Highly Sensitive and Selective Detection of Polypropylene Nanoplastics in the Environment

Scientists developed a new highly sensitive method to detect polypropylene nanoplastics in water using a special fluorescent probe combined with electrochemiluminescence technology. The method can detect nanoplastics at concentrations as low as 0.01 micrograms per liter, far more sensitive than previous approaches. Better detection tools like this are critical for monitoring nanoplastic contamination in drinking water and understanding the true extent of human exposure.

Attapulgite-supported sulfidated nano Zero-Valent Iron activated persulfate advanced oxidation technology for degradation of polyethylene microplastics: Optimal design, change of particle size and degradation mechanisms

Effects of microplastics and cadmium co-contamination on soil properties, maize (Zea mays L.) growth characteristics, and cadmium accumulation in maize in loessial soil-maize systems

Researchers studied the combined effects of polyethylene microplastics and cadmium on soil properties and maize growth through pot experiments. They found that microplastics altered soil nutrient availability and, depending on size and concentration, either increased or decreased cadmium uptake by the plants. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in agricultural soils can change how crops absorb toxic heavy metals, with potential implications for food safety.

Polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) toxicity induced oxidative stress and intestinal injury in nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

Researchers exposed the nematode C. elegans to various concentrations of polystyrene microplastics and measured physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses. The study found that microplastics accumulated in the intestine and caused oxidative stress, intestinal injury, and adverse physiological effects at concentrations as low as 1 microgram per liter, suggesting that even low-level microplastic exposure can damage gut tissues.

The impact of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and endophytic bacteria on peanuts under the combined pollution of cadmium and microplastics

Researchers tested whether beneficial soil fungi and bacteria could help peanut plants cope with combined contamination from cadmium and microplastics. They found that the microbial treatment effectively trapped cadmium in the plant roots, preventing it from moving into the shoots and edible parts. The study suggests that harnessing natural soil microbes could be a practical strategy for growing safer food in polluted farmland.

The removal of microplastics from water by coagulation: A comprehensive review

This review comprehensively examined coagulation as a technology for removing microplastics from drinking water and wastewater treatment plants, analyzing the mechanisms, influencing factors, and effectiveness of different coagulants for microplastic removal.

Distribution of microplastics in Lanzhou section of the Yellow River: Characteristics, ecological risk assessment, and factors analysis

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in surface water and sediments along the Lanzhou section of China's Yellow River. They found that most particles were small fibrous fragments of PET and polypropylene, with higher abundances during the dry season, and that human activity and weather patterns influenced microplastic distribution. Ecological risk assessments indicated the overall pollution level in this stretch of the river was relatively low.

Effect of Polystyrene Microplastics on Pb(II) Adsorption onto a Loessial Soil (Sierozem) and Its Mechanism

Researchers examined how polystyrene microplastics affect the adsorption of lead onto loessial soil and found that the presence of microplastics reduced lead uptake by the soil. Smaller microplastic particles had a greater inhibitory effect on lead adsorption compared to larger ones, likely due to competitive binding on soil surfaces. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in agricultural soils could alter heavy metal mobility and increase environmental risk.

Simultaneous Removal of Organic Pollutants and Pathogens from Stormwater by an Enhanced Ecological Gabion

Scientists developed an improved storm drain filter system that removes harmful chemicals and disease-causing bacteria from stormwater runoff much better than traditional systems. The new design uses special materials like biochar along with plants to clean polluted water before it reaches rivers and lakes that people use for drinking water and recreation. This could help protect public health by preventing contaminated stormwater from spreading pollution and germs into our water sources.

Distribution and risk assessment of microplastics in Liujiaxia Reservoir on the upper Yellow River

Researchers conducted the first systematic survey of microplastics in Liujiaxia Reservoir on the upper Yellow River, finding PET, polystyrene, and polypropylene as dominant polymer types with abundances up to 12 items per liter in surface water.

Co-occurrence of microplastics and heavy metals in sediments of the Lanzhou section of the Yellow River: Distribution characterizations and comprehensive ecological risk assessment

Researchers assessed the co-occurrence of microplastics and heavy metals in sediments from the Yellow River's Lanzhou section, finding microplastic abundance ranging from 243 to 4,289 items per kilogram, predominantly small fragments under 100 micrometers. The study developed an optimized two-dimensional index for evaluating combined pollutant risks and found severe composite pollution, with copper and cadmium showing the highest contamination levels. The findings highlight the need for integrated risk assessment frameworks in urban river systems.

A Mini-Review of Antibiotic Resistance Drivers in Urban Wastewater Treatment Plants: Environmental Concentrations, Mechanism and Perspectives

This review examines the drivers of antibiotic resistance in urban wastewater treatment plants, including antibiotics, heavy metals, disinfectants, personal care products, and microplastics. Researchers summarized the concentration levels and mechanisms by which these chemical pollutants promote the development and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and genes. The study emphasizes the importance of studying these interactions under realistic conditions to better understand and mitigate antibiotic resistance in wastewater systems.

Comparing the long-term responses of soil microbial structures and diversities to polyethylene microplastics in different aggregate fractions

Long-term soil incubation with polyethylene microplastics found that MPs altered aggregate stability, inhibited soil enzyme activities, and changed microbial community structure and diversity differently across soil aggregate size fractions, with effects persisting over time.

Sources and distribution of atmospheric microplastics in Northwest China river valleys via land use

This study quantified suspended atmospheric microplastics across eight land use types in Lanzhou, northwest China, finding a mean abundance of 4.5 particles/m³ with peaks in industrial and residential areas. Land use type was the strongest predictor of MP concentration, highlighting urban and agricultural activities as key emission drivers.

Evolution of Microbial Community Structure and Denitrifying Functional Microorganisms in the Biological Sponge Iron System

This study tracked changes in microbial community structure and nitrogen-cycling functional bacteria over time in a biological sponge iron system treating wastewater, finding that as operation time increased, denitrifying bacteria became enriched and the system's nitrogen removal efficiency improved.

Multifunctional MOF-based superhydrophobic quartz sand: Interfacial interactions for durable and efficient microplastic removal in stormwater

[Research Progress on Removal of Microplastics by Filtration in Drinking Water Treatment].

This review examines how media filtration at drinking water treatment plants removes microplastics, evaluating filter types, operating conditions, and removal efficiencies reported in the literature. It identifies filtration as a scalable, cost-effective barrier for MP removal and discusses optimisation strategies to improve performance.

Microplastics Affect Sediment Phosphorus Transformation: Based on the Interplay of Bioturbation and Microbial Regulation

This study investigated how microplastics (polypropylene, polystyrene, and polylactic acid) affect phosphorus cycling in river sediments, finding that MP contamination altered the distribution of phosphorus fractions and that bioturbation by benthic animals changed how MPs interacted with nutrient transformation processes.

Microplastics and the efficiency of their removal in rainwater treatment systems in Loess Plateau, Qingyang City, China

Fouling behavior heterogeneity of typical nanoplastics in widely used polyvinylidene fluoride ultrafiltration membranes

Polystyrene nanoplastics caused more severe membrane fouling and greater cleaning difficulty in polyvinylidene fluoride ultrafiltration membranes than polyethylene nanoplastics, with flux descent rates ranging from 9–36%, raising concerns about nanoplastics passing through or fouling water treatment membranes.

Insights into the inhibitory effects of trichloroisocyanuric acid disinfectant on the phototransformation of polypropylene microplastics

This study investigated how trichloroisocyanuric acid, a disinfectant commonly used in aquaculture, mediates the phototransformation of microplastics in natural aquatic environments. Results showed that artificially introduced chemicals can alter the rate and products of microplastic degradation under sunlight exposure.

The Carbon Emission Intensity of Rainwater Bioretention Facilities

This study investigated the carbon emission intensity of rainfall volume capture by bioretention facilities, examining how climate conditions, aquifer height, permeability coefficient, and facility area affect carbon costs. Results revealed that both external environmental factors and inherent facility attributes jointly determine carbon emission intensity per unit of stormwater managed.