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Papers
204 resultsShowing papers from Jiangnan University
ClearChallenges in safe environmental applications of biochar: identifying risks and unintended consequence
This review examines the overlooked risks of biochar, a charcoal-like material often added to soil for environmental benefits. When biochar breaks down, it can release pollutants including microplastics, heavy metals, and other harmful chemicals into the environment. The authors stress that the environmental and health risks of biochar need careful evaluation before it is widely used in agriculture and land management.
Tissue accumulation of microplastics and potential health risks in human
Researchers analyzed human tissues and found microplastics in every sample tested, with lungs containing the highest concentration at about 14 particles per gram, followed by the small intestine, large intestine, and tonsils. PVC was the most common plastic type found, and women had significantly more microplastic particles than men, raising concerns about long-term health effects.
Combined toxicity of polystyrene microplastics and perfluorobutane sulfonate on mouse liver: Impact on lipid metabolism and gut-liver axis disruption
This study examined what happens when mice are exposed to both polystyrene microplastics and PFBS (a type of "forever chemical") at the same time. The combination caused significantly worse liver damage than either pollutant alone, disrupting fat metabolism and triggering gut bacteria imbalances that further harmed the liver through the gut-liver connection. These findings are concerning because microplastics can absorb PFAS chemicals in the environment, meaning people may often be exposed to both together.
Exposure to polyethylene terephthalate micro(nano)plastics exacerbates inflammation and fibrosis after myocardial infarction by reprogramming the gut and lung microbiota and metabolome
Researchers found that PET microplastics and nanoplastics, one of the most common plastic types found in human coronary blood, worsen heart damage after a heart attack. The plastic particles activated an inflammatory pathway (NLRP3) and disrupted the balance of gut and lung bacteria, leading to chronic inflammation and increased scarring of heart tissue. These findings suggest that plastic pollution exposure may make recovery from heart attacks more difficult.
Environmental behavior of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and the potential role of biochar for its remediation: a review
This review summarizes how biochar, a carbon-rich material made from organic waste, can be used to clean up PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), the persistent "forever chemicals" found widely in the environment. Since microplastics can carry and transport PFAS through water systems, understanding how to remove PFAS is an important piece of the broader pollution picture.
Microplastics and Nanoplastics: Emerging Contaminants in Food
This systematic review focuses on microplastics and nanoplastics as emerging contaminants in our food supply. These tiny particles enter food through packaging, processing, and environmental contamination. Current detection methods are still limited, making it difficult to fully measure how much plastic we are eating — highlighting the need for better testing to protect food safety.
Detection and analysis of microplastics in tissues and blood of human cervical cancer patients
In the first study of its kind, researchers detected 13 types of microplastics in the blood, tumor tissue, and surrounding tissue of cervical cancer patients using Raman spectroscopy. Microplastic levels were higher in cancerous tissue than in nearby healthy tissue, and factors like age, BMI, and bottled water consumption correlated with greater microplastic abundance, suggesting a possible link between plastic exposure and reproductive health.
Bioavailability and phytotoxicity of micro/nanoplastics to aquatic plants: Trends, environmental drivers and mechanisms
This meta-analysis found that micro- and nanoplastics cause significant harm to aquatic plants, reducing their biomass and chlorophyll content through oxidative stress. Polyethylene was especially damaging, cutting plant biomass by over 42%. When plastic pollution harms the base of aquatic food chains, the effects can ripple upward through ecosystems that support both wildlife and human food sources.
Targeted activation of ErbB4 receptor ameliorates neuronal deficits and neuroinflammation in a food-borne polystyrene microplastic exposed mouse model
In mice exposed to polystyrene microplastics through food, researchers found significant brain inflammation and cognitive problems, but activating a specific brain receptor (ErbB4) with a small molecule drug helped reverse these effects. This suggests that microplastic exposure through diet may contribute to brain damage, and points toward possible treatments for microplastic-related neurological harm.
Strategies and technologies for sustainable plastic waste treatment and recycling
This review covers current and emerging methods for recycling and treating plastic waste to reduce environmental pollution. The authors emphasize that improperly managed plastics break down into microplastics that contaminate ecosystems, and they evaluate strategies including chemical recycling, biodegradation, and energy recovery as more sustainable alternatives to landfilling.
Distribution and Biological Response of Nanoplastics in Constructed Wetland Microcosms: Mechanistic Insights into the Role of Photoaging
This study looked at how sunlight aging changes the behavior of nanoplastics in wetland ecosystems. Researchers found that sun-aged nanoplastics accumulated differently in plants, water, and soil compared to fresh ones, and caused stronger biological responses in wetland organisms, suggesting that weathered nanoplastics in the environment may be more harmful than previously thought.
Influence of different food matrices on the abundance, characterization, migration kinetics and hazards of microplastics released from plastic packaging (PP and PET)
Scientists found that plastic food packaging (PP and PET) releases microplastics into food, with acidic and oily foods causing the most release -- over 1,300 particles per piece of packaging. The study showed that aging and oxidation of the plastic accelerate this process, and hazard assessments confirmed these released particles pose risks to human health.
The suspension stability of nanoplastics in aquatic environments revealed using meta-analysis and machine learning
Researchers combined machine learning and meta-analysis to model nanoplastic aggregation behavior in water, finding that surface charge is the dominant factor, and predicting that nanoplastics will aggregate and settle in estuarine and low-flow conditions such as those found in China's Poyang Lake.
Recent Advances on Underwater Soft Robots
This paper describes advances in underwater soft robots made from flexible materials that can adapt to ocean environments. While not directly related to microplastics, these robots have potential applications in ocean monitoring and environmental cleanup. The review covers the materials, movement patterns, power systems, and sensing capabilities that could eventually help address marine plastic pollution.
Enhanced degradation of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics by an engineered Stenotrophomonas pavanii in the presence of biofilm
Scientists engineered a biofilm-forming bacterium to break down PET microplastics (the type found in water bottles and food containers) at room temperature. The engineered bacteria achieved significant PET degradation over 30 days and also worked on other polyester plastics, offering a potential biological solution for cleaning up microplastic pollution in water environments.
Potential toxicity of nanoplastics to fish and aquatic invertebrates: Current understanding, mechanistic interpretation, and meta-analysis
Nanoplastics significantly reduced survival, behavior, and reproduction of fish and aquatic invertebrates by 56%, 24%, and 36% respectively, while increasing oxidative stress by 72% and decreasing antioxidant defenses by 24%, with effects influenced by particle size, functional groups, and concentration.
Soil Metabolome Impacts the Formation of the Eco-corona and Adsorption Processes on Microplastic Surfaces
This study found that natural molecules in soil form a coating (called an eco-corona) on microplastic surfaces, which changes how chemicals stick to them. The type and amount of coating depends on the soil's chemical makeup, meaning microplastics behave differently in different soils. This matters because it affects what pollutants microplastics can carry into the food chain and water supply.
Application of Machine Learning in Nanotoxicology: A Critical Review and Perspective
This review evaluates how machine learning and artificial intelligence are being used to predict the toxic effects of nanomaterials, including nanoplastics, on human health and the environment. These computational tools can help screen thousands of materials for potential hazards much faster than traditional lab experiments, though the authors note that better data quality and standardized methods are still needed.
First identification of microplastics in human uterine fibroids and myometrium
For the first time, researchers detected microplastics inside human uterine fibroids and surrounding womb tissue, with fibroid tissue containing roughly twice as many plastic particles as healthy tissue. Patients who frequently consumed takeout meals and bottled water had higher microplastic levels, and larger fibroids were associated with more plastic contamination. These findings raise questions about whether microplastics could play a role in the growth of uterine fibroids.
Identification and Visualization of Polystyrene Microplastics/Nanoplastics in Flavored Yogurt by Raman Imaging
Researchers developed a method using Raman imaging to detect and measure polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics in flavored yogurt, identifying particles as small as 1 to 10 micrometers. Polystyrene, polypropylene, and polyethylene were all found in commercial yogurt samples, highlighting that microplastic contamination in everyday foods is measurable and raises questions about cumulative dietary exposure.
Mechanistic insight into the intensification of arsenic toxicity to rice (Oryza sativa L.) by nanoplastic: Phytohormone and glutathione metabolism modulation
Nanoplastics at environmentally realistic levels did not harm rice plants on their own, but when combined with arsenic they made arsenic toxicity significantly worse, reducing plant growth by up to 23%. The nanoplastics increased arsenic uptake by disrupting plant hormones and weakening the plant's natural detoxification systems. This is concerning because rice is a staple food for billions of people, and agricultural soils increasingly contain both nanoplastics and heavy metals.
Microplastic changes during the development of cervical cancer and its effects on the metabolomic profiles of cancer tissues
Researchers found microplastics in cervical cancer tissue, with polyethylene and polypropylene being the most common types, and levels increased as the cancer progressed to more advanced stages. The microplastics appeared to alter the chemical environment within the cancer tissue, suggesting they may play a role in how cervical cancer develops, though more research is needed to confirm a causal link.
Reducing microplastics in tea infusions released from filter bags by pre-washing method: Quantitative evidences based on Raman imaging and Py-GC/MS
Researchers measured the microplastics released from tea filter bags during brewing and found up to 1,288 micron-sized particles per bag. However, a simple fix -- washing the tea bag three times with room temperature water before brewing -- removed 76-94% of the microplastics. This practical finding gives tea drinkers an easy way to significantly reduce their microplastic intake from a common daily exposure source.
Nano- and Microplastics Increase the Occurrence of Bacterial Wilt in Tomato (<i>Solanum lycopersicum</i> L.)
This study found that tiny nano- and microplastic particles in soil made tomato plants significantly more vulnerable to bacterial wilt disease. The smallest nanoplastics (30 nm) more than doubled the disease rate by disrupting the plant's immune defenses and altering soil bacteria, raising concerns about how plastic pollution in farmland could threaten food crop health.