Papers

Food chain microplastics contamination and impact on human health: a review

Metal(loid)s, nitrate, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and radioactive contaminants in Nigerian water resources: state-of-the-art of their ecological and health risk assessments

Antibiotic resistance in aquaculture and aquatic organisms: a review of current nanotechnology applications for sustainable management

Researchers reviewed how antibiotics released from aquaculture and other industries accumulate in aquatic ecosystems, promoting antibiotic resistance, and assessed nanotechnology-based interventions — including nanodrug delivery, nanoformulations, and nanosensors — as promising tools for sustainable management of these emerging contaminants.

Nanoparticles for targeted removal of emerging contaminants in wastewater: mechanisms and sustainable practices

This study investigates the use of biologically produced nanoparticles, such as silver and titanium dioxide particles made from plant extracts, for removing pollutants including microplastics from wastewater. The green-synthesized nanoparticles showed promising antibacterial and pollutant-degrading abilities, though challenges remain in scaling up production. Better wastewater treatment methods like these could help reduce the amount of microplastics and other harmful contaminants that reach drinking water sources.

Micro and nanoplastics ravaging our agroecosystem: A review of occurrence, fate, ecological impacts, detection, remediation, and prospects

This review examines how micro and nanoplastics are infiltrating agricultural ecosystems through plastic mulch, irrigation water, sewage sludge, and other sources. Researchers found evidence that these particles harm soil organisms, reduce crop growth, and can carry toxic chemicals up the food chain to humans. The paper highlights the urgent need for better detection methods and remediation strategies to protect food production systems.

Association of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) with micro/nano-plastics: A review of recent findings on ecotoxicological and health impacts

This review examines how tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), a widely used flame retardant found in plastic products, binds to micro and nanoplastics in the environment. When TBBPA hitches a ride on microplastics, the combined effect on organisms and ecosystems is often worse than either contaminant alone. Since TBBPA is an additive in many plastic products, the findings highlight how microplastics can carry harmful chemicals directly into the body.

Macro problems from microplastics: Toward a sustainable policy framework for managing microplastic waste in Africa

Researchers critically reviewed regulatory and policy approaches to managing microplastic pollution across African countries. They found that while environmental monitoring studies demonstrate an urgent need for action, the effectiveness of existing plastic waste policies in Africa remains poorly understood. The study proposes a sustainable policy framework tailored to the unique challenges African nations face in reducing microplastic waste generation and environmental contamination.

Overhauling the ecotoxicological impact of synthetic pesticides using plants’ natural products: a focus on Zanthoxylum metabolites

This review compares the environmental and health impacts of synthetic pesticides with natural plant-based alternatives derived from Zanthoxylum species. Synthetic pesticides persist in the environment and can contaminate soil and water alongside microplastics, compounding ecological damage. Plant-derived compounds offer a potentially safer alternative that could reduce the overall chemical burden on ecosystems and human health.

Addressing the toxic chemicals problem in plastics recycling

This study highlights the challenge of toxic chemicals in plastics recycling, noting that plastics contain hundreds of different chemicals including plasticizers, stabilizers, and pigments, many of which are hazardous. Researchers found that because the chemical composition of plastic waste is largely unknown, recyclers cannot effectively screen out materials containing dangerous substances. The authors propose five policy strategies, including improved chemical transparency, simplified regulations, and economic incentives, to make plastics recycling safer.

Toxic Chemicals and Persistent Organic Pollutants Associated with Micro-and Nanoplastics Pollution

Researchers reviewed how micro- and nanoplastics act as carriers for toxic chemical additives and persistent organic pollutants — like flame retardants and pesticides — making these contaminants more available and harmful once they enter food chains and human bodies. The review identifies major gaps in understanding how these chemicals detach from plastic particles inside living organisms and what health effects they cause.

Microplastics in agroecosystems-impacts on ecosystem functions and food chain

Microplastic burden in Africa: A review of occurrence, impacts, and sustainability potential of bioplastics

Researchers reviewed the occurrence, impacts, and distribution of microplastic pollution across Africa, where over 70% of daily waste is mismanaged. The review found that microplastics facilitate environmental consequences including metal toxicity in aquatic environments and enter the food chain, while also discussing the potential of bioplastics as a more sustainable alternative.

Radioactivity distributions and biohazard assessment of coastal marine environments of niger-delta, Nigeria

Researchers assessed radioactivity and pollution levels in the coastal marine environment of Nigeria's Niger Delta. They found that radionuclide concentrations in sediments and water exceeded recommended safety limits, with certain fish species accumulating higher levels of radioactive elements. The study recommends continuous monitoring of these polluted coastal waters to protect both ecological and human health.

Ecotoxicological and health implications of microplastic-associated biofilms: a recent review and prospect for turning the hazards into benefits

This review examined the ecological and health implications of biofilms that form on microplastics, discussing how these plastisphere communities can harbor pathogens and alter microplastic properties, while also exploring potential beneficial applications of microplastic-associated biofilms.

A bibliometric analysis of pre- and post-Stockholm Convention research publications on the Dirty Dozen Chemicals (DDCs) in the African environment

Researchers conducted a bibliometric analysis of 884 publications on persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in Africa from 1949 to 2021, finding that research is heavily concentrated in South Africa and Egypt and that publication growth is slow, suggesting most African nations lack sufficient monitoring capacity for Stockholm Convention compliance.

Urban stormwater pollutant dynamics, SuDS performance, and public health risks under intensifying extremes

This review of existing research found that when heavy rainstorms hit cities, they wash dangerous pollutants like germs, metals, and particles into waterways within just the first few minutes. These pollution spikes can make people sick through contaminated water, and green infrastructure like rain gardens helps reduce the problem but works less well during extreme storms or when not properly maintained. The findings suggest cities need better monitoring and maintenance systems to protect public health as climate change brings more intense rainfall.

Dietary exposure to polyvinyl chloride microparticles induced oxidative stress and hepatic damage in Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822)

Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) fed PVC microparticle-spiked diets at three inclusion levels for 45 days showed dose-dependent liver damage, elevated antioxidant enzyme activity, and altered serum biochemistry, indicating that dietary PVC microplastic ingestion causes measurable hepatotoxicity.

Burbot (Lota lota) as a bioindicator of microplastic pollution in the Tisza River: Multi-tissue contamination, polymer characterisation, and implications for ecological and human-health risks

Researchers provided the first evidence of microplastic contamination in burbot fish from the Hungarian Tisza River, detecting an average of 24.6 particles per individual across all sampled fish. Most particles were textile-derived fibers, with gills and the gastrointestinal tract showing the highest concentrations, and estimated human exposure through fish consumption ranged from 14 to 321 microplastic particles per week depending on age and diet.

Microplastic Contamination in Nigerian Treated Waters and Packaged (Sachet, Bottled) Sources: Trends, Regional Disparities, and Policy Implications for Sustainable Practices

Water quality index assessment of toxicity in direct and roofs runoff rainwater in industrial and remote areas of Eastern Nigeria

Researchers tested harvested rainwater from rooftops of different materials across urban and rural Nigeria, measuring heavy metals, bacteria, and water chemistry. Most samples met international drinking water standards, but water quality varied significantly by roof type and location, and the authors recommend treating all harvested rainwater before consumption.

“Microplastics and Polymers in Construction Materials: Sources, Fate, and Structural/Environmental Impacts”

This review synthesizes evidence that construction practices generate microplastic particles from polymer additives and recycled plastics during manufacturing, placement, and demolition, presents a sampling framework for detecting construction-derived microplastics, and compares identification methods for characterizing these particles.

Composting of Cow Dung and Food Waste under Aerobic Conditions for the Improvement of Soil

This study explored aerobic co-composting of cow dung and food waste to produce nutrient-rich compost for soil improvement, finding that the combined feedstock produced compost with a favorable carbon-to-nitrogen ratio and plant-available nutrients. The approach offered a sustainable circular economy pathway for managing organic wastes while improving agricultural soil quality.

Microplastics pollution indices of bottled water from South Eastern Nigeria

Microplastic contamination was evaluated in bottled water from South Eastern Nigeria using scanning electron microscopy, with pollution load indices and estimated daily intake calculated for adults and children, representing the first documented study of microplastics in bottled water from this region.

Sequestration of Lead Ion in Aqueous Solution onto Chemically Pretreated Pycnanthus angolensis Seed Husk: Implications for Wastewater Treatment

Chemically pretreated Pycnanthus angolensis seed husk was evaluated as a low-cost biosorbent for lead removal from contaminated water, with characterization of the activated material and optimization of adsorption conditions demonstrating effective Pb(II) sequestration.