Papers

Exploring Environmental Behaviors and Health Impacts of Biodegradable Microplastics

Biodegradable plastics are promoted as eco-friendly, but this review finds they may actually break down into microplastics faster than conventional plastics, leading to more rapid accumulation in the environment. Like regular microplastics, these biodegradable fragments can carry pollutants into organisms through a "Trojan horse" effect, and their breakdown products may be even more toxic to the nervous system. The findings suggest we need to carefully weigh the risks of biodegradable plastics against their intended environmental benefits.

Toxicological effects and mechanisms of renal injury induced by inhalation exposure to airborne nanoplastics

Researchers studied what happens to mouse kidneys after breathing in airborne polystyrene nanoplastics and found the particles accumulated in kidney tissue after entering through the lungs. The nanoplastics activated stress and inflammation pathways that led to kidney cell damage and death. Testing on lab-grown human kidney organoids showed they were even more sensitive to nanoplastic exposure than standard cell lines, suggesting developing kidneys in embryos could be particularly vulnerable.

Microfluidic sensors for the detection of emerging contaminants in water: A review

This review covers how tiny lab-on-a-chip devices called microfluidic sensors can detect emerging water pollutants, including microplastics and hormone-disrupting chemicals, faster and cheaper than traditional lab methods. Better detection tools matter for public health because identifying contamination quickly makes it possible to treat water before harmful particles reach people.

Interactions between environmental pollutants and gut microbiota: A review connecting the conventional heavy metals and the emerging microplastics

This review examines how environmental pollutants, including both heavy metals and microplastics, interact with gut bacteria in humans and animals. The authors found that these pollutants can disrupt the balance of gut microbiota, which may contribute to various health problems, and that gut bacteria can also transform pollutants in ways that change their toxicity.

Standardization of monitoring data reassesses spatial distribution of aquatic microplastics concentrations worldwide

Researchers created a new method to standardize microplastic measurements across different studies worldwide, enabling accurate comparisons for the first time. After applying the correction, they found that North America had the highest average microplastic concentrations in fresh water, and that contamination levels closely tracked human development indicators. This standardized approach is an important step toward understanding the true scale of microplastic pollution in the water people use.

Biodegradable microplastics aggravate greenhouse gas emissions from urban lake sediments more severely than conventional microplastics

This study found that biodegradable microplastics caused urban lake sediments to release significantly more greenhouse gases (methane and carbon dioxide) than conventional non-biodegradable microplastics. The biodegradable plastics stimulated microbial activity and enzyme production in the sediment, suggesting that switching to biodegradable plastics may have unintended climate consequences if they end up in waterways.

Bibliometric analysis and systematic review of the adherence, uptake, translocation, and reduction of micro/nanoplastics in terrestrial plants

This bibliometric analysis and systematic review synthesized research on how micro- and nanoplastics adhere to, are absorbed by, and translocate through terrestrial plants, with potential accumulation in edible tissues. The study found that particle size, surface charge, and plant species all influence uptake, and that current research lacks standardized methods, making it difficult to fully assess the risk of microplastics entering the human food chain through crops.

Influences of coexisting aged polystyrene microplastics on the ecological and health risks of cadmium in soils: A leachability and oral bioaccessibility based study

This study tested whether the presence of aged microplastics in soil changes how easily the toxic heavy metal cadmium can enter the human body through accidental soil ingestion. The results showed that aged polystyrene microplastics actually reduced cadmium absorption in the stomach phase, though the effect varied by soil type. This suggests that the interaction between microplastics and other pollutants in soil creates a complicated picture for assessing human health risks.

Recent progress of microplastic toxicity on human exposure base on in vitro and in vivo studies

This review summarizes recent research on how microplastics affect the human body based on lab cell studies and animal experiments. Evidence shows microplastics can damage multiple organ systems including the digestive, respiratory, nervous, reproductive, and cardiovascular systems. The paper identifies significant gaps in our understanding and calls for more research using realistic exposure levels to better assess the true risk to human health.

Co-transport behavior and Trojan-horse effect of colloidal microplastics with different functional groups and heavy metals in porous media

This study examined how tiny microplastic particles travel through soil and groundwater while carrying lead, a toxic heavy metal. The researchers found a "Trojan horse" effect where microplastics transport lead to places it would not normally reach on its own. This is concerning because it means microplastics could spread heavy metal contamination further through drinking water sources.

Tackling microplastics pollution in global environment through integration of applied technology, policy instruments, and legislation

This review examines the global microplastics pollution problem and evaluates solutions combining technology, policy, and legislation. Current water treatment technologies like membrane bioreactors can remove microplastics, but no single approach is sufficient. The authors call for coordinated international action combining better detection methods, cleanup technologies, and stronger regulations to address plastic pollution in both water and land environments.

Airborne Nanoplastics Exposure Inducing Irreversible Glucose Increase and Complete Hepatic Insulin Resistance

Mice exposed to airborne nanoplastics developed irreversible increases in blood sugar and complete insulin resistance in the liver, a hallmark of type 2 diabetes. The nanoplastics triggered widespread inflammation and disrupted key metabolic pathways at concentrations similar to what people might actually breathe in polluted areas. This is one of the first studies to show that inhaling tiny plastic particles could directly contribute to metabolic diseases like diabetes.

Exposure sources and pathways of micro- and nanoplastics in the environment, with emphasis on potential effects in humans: A systematic review

This systematic review maps out all the ways humans are exposed to microplastics — through drinking water, food, and the air we breathe. The research highlights that current water treatment technology does not fully filter out microplastics, and their accumulation in the body may pose risks to human health.

Toxic effects and mechanisms of nanoplastics on embryonic brain development using brain organoids model

Using lab-grown brain organoids (miniature brain models), researchers found that nanoplastics exposure damaged developing brain cells, reduced the number of neural precursor cells, and disrupted connections between neurons. The damage appeared to work through the Wnt signaling pathway, which is critical for normal brain development. These findings raise concerns that nanoplastic exposure during pregnancy could potentially harm fetal brain development.

Microplastics in freshwater ecosystems: A significant force of disrupting health and altering trophic transfer patterns by reduced assimilation efficiency of aquatic organisms

Human Microplastics Exposure and Potential Health Risks to Target Organs by Different Routes: A Review

Interactions Between Microplastics and Heavy Metals in Aquatic Environments: A Review

This review examines how microplastics interact with heavy metals in water, with a particular focus on the role that microorganisms play in driving these interactions. Bacteria that colonize microplastic surfaces can change how metals bind to and release from the particles, potentially increasing their toxicity. The combined threat of microplastics and heavy metals to aquatic ecosystems and human health through seafood consumption is a growing concern that needs more research.

Artificial Intelligence-Based Microfluidic Platform for Detecting Contaminants in Water: A Review

This review explores how microfluidic devices combined with artificial intelligence can detect water pollutants including microplastics and nanoplastics in real-time, outside the laboratory. Traditional water testing requires large lab equipment, but these portable chip-based systems can identify contaminants quickly and accurately using machine learning. This technology could improve monitoring of microplastic contamination in drinking water and other water sources.

Asymmetric Atomic Pt–B Dual-Site Catalyst for Efficient Photoreforming of Waste Polylactic Acid Plastics in Seawater

Researchers developed a new light-powered catalyst that can break down polylactic acid (PLA) plastic waste in seawater, converting it into useful chemicals and hydrogen fuel. The catalyst uses precisely arranged platinum and boron atoms to efficiently drive the chemical reaction. While focused on cleanup technology rather than health effects, this work offers a promising approach to reducing plastic pollution in the ocean before it breaks down into microplastics.

Microplastics in drinking water distribution systems: Occurrence, environmental behavior, and human health concerns

This review examines how microplastics move through drinking water distribution systems, from treatment plants all the way to household taps. Despite treatment efforts, microplastics persist in the water supply, with plastic pipes and fittings themselves contributing additional contamination. The tiny particles also serve as carriers for harmful bacteria and other pollutants, compounding the health risks of microplastic-contaminated drinking water.

New Insights into the Long-Term Leaching Process of Dissolved Organic Matter from Microplastics: Dynamic Formation and Transformation Mechanism

This study tracked how polystyrene and a biodegradable plastic (PBAT) release dissolved organic compounds as they age under ultraviolet light over 94 days. Polystyrene released chemicals much more slowly but with steadily increasing toxicity over time, while the biodegradable plastic released compounds faster but with less overall toxic buildup. These findings are important because they show that microplastics in the environment continuously leach potentially harmful chemicals, and so-called biodegradable plastics may not be as safe an alternative as assumed.

Distribution characteristics and transport pathways of soil microplastics in coral reef islands with different developmental stages and human activities

Researchers mapped microplastic contamination in the soil of coral reef islands in the South China Sea and found 1,068 to 1,616 particles per kilogram across islands at different stages of development. More developed islands with greater human activity had higher contamination levels, and ocean currents and monsoons were the main forces spreading microplastics to less developed islands. The study shows that even remote island ecosystems are not safe from microplastic pollution, which can affect the soil and water these communities depend on.

Pyrolysis temperature matters: Biochar-derived dissolved organic matter modulates aging behavior and biotoxicity of microplastics

Researchers found that dissolved organic matter from biochar (a charcoal-like soil additive) affects how microplastics age in the environment by generating reactive oxygen species that alter the plastic surfaces. Importantly, microplastics aged in the presence of biochar-derived compounds caused significantly more inflammation and tissue damage in living organisms than freshly made microplastics. This means microplastics in the real world, where they interact with soil compounds, may be more toxic than laboratory tests with clean plastic particles suggest.

Environmental fate of microplastics in high-altitude basins: the insights into the Yarlung Tsangpo River Basin

Researchers mapped microplastic pollution across the Yarlung Tsangpo River Basin in Tibet, finding contamination in water, sediment, and soil even in remote high-altitude areas. Below 4,000 meters, human activity was the main source, while above 4,500 meters, microplastics arrived through the atmosphere. The study shows that microplastic pollution has reached some of Earth's most remote regions, meaning no freshwater source is truly free from contamination.