We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Papers
7 resultsShowing papers from York University
ClearGroundwater is a hidden global keystone ecosystem
This study argues that groundwater should be recognized as a "keystone ecosystem" because of its critical role in sustaining surface environments, biodiversity, and human water supplies. Over half of the world's land surface has significant interaction with groundwater, yet it remains overlooked in conservation planning. Protecting groundwater is essential for planetary health, including safeguarding water sources from emerging contaminants like microplastics.
Maternal transfer of nanoplastics to offspring in zebrafish (Danio rerio): A case study with nanopolystyrene
Researchers demonstrated maternal transfer of polystyrene nanoplastics in zebrafish by feeding exposed females and detecting particles in yolk sacs, livers, and guts of offspring, finding that transferred nanoplastics reduced antioxidant enzyme activity and caused bradycardia in embryos without major effects on overall reproductive success.
A review on polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production through the use of lignocellulosic biomass
This review examines the process of producing polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) bioplastics from lignocellulosic biomass. The study covers the full production chain from biomass pre-treatment to PHA extraction, exploring pathways for cost-effective biodegradable plastic production.
High-levels of microplastic pollution in a large, remote, mountain lake
Researchers discovered high levels of microplastic pollution in a large, remote mountain lake, finding concentrations comparable to lakes in densely populated areas, suggesting that atmospheric deposition can deliver substantial microplastic loads to even isolated environments.
Microplastic pollution in the surface waters of the Laurentian Great Lakes
Researchers documented microplastic pollution across the surface waters of the Laurentian Great Lakes, finding contamination in all lakes sampled — particularly Lake Erie — with fibers as the dominant particle type, highlighting plastic pollution in a critical freshwater system.
Tried and true vs. shiny and new: Method switching in long‐term aquatic datasets
This paper discusses best practices for switching methods in long-term aquatic datasets, warning that poorly managed transitions can introduce artifacts that compromise trend detection, and offering a framework for validating method changes before full adoption.
Lake Phytoplankton Assemblage Altered by Irregularly Shaped PLA Body Wash Microplastics but Not by PS Calibration Beads
Researchers found that irregularly shaped PLA (polylactic acid) microplastics from body wash scrubs significantly disrupted freshwater phytoplankton communities, eliminating certain algae types, while standard spherical polystyrene calibration beads had no such effect. The findings highlight that microplastic shape matters and that real-world secondary microplastics may alter aquatic food webs from the bottom up.