Papers

Unveiling the impacts of microplastics on cadmium transfer in the soil-plant-human system: A review

A meta-analysis found that microplastics significantly increase soil cadmium bioavailability by 6.9% and cadmium accumulation in plant shoots by 9.3%, through both direct surface adsorption and indirect modification of soil pH and dissolved organic carbon. This enhanced cadmium mobility through the soil-plant-human food chain amplifies health risks, as co-ingestion of microplastics and cadmium increases cadmium bioaccessibility and tissue damage.

A review of the endocrine disrupting effects of micro and nano plastic and their associated chemicals in mammals

This review summarizes how micro- and nanoplastics carry hormone-disrupting chemicals that can interfere with the thyroid, reproductive organs, and other parts of the endocrine system in mammals. Because these chemicals are not tightly bound to the plastic, they can leach into milk, water, and food, potentially disrupting hormone function in humans who consume them.

Reproductive Effects of Phthalates and Microplastics on Marine Mussels Based on Adverse Outcome Pathway

Researchers found that microplastics and the chemical plasticizer DEHP that leaches from them work together to disrupt reproductive function in female mussels by interfering with estrogen signaling and reducing hormone levels. While this study focused on marine mussels, DEHP is a known endocrine disruptor in humans as well, and the findings illustrate how microplastics can release harmful chemicals that affect hormone systems.

The threat of microplastics and microbial degradation potential; a current perspective

This review covers the growing threat of microplastics in marine environments, where they enter the food chain and can transfer to humans along with pathogenic organisms, causing various toxic effects. The paper also explores how bacteria and fungi found in ocean environments could be harnessed to biodegrade different types of plastics as a future strategy for reducing microplastic pollution.

When microplastics meet microalgae: Unveiling the dynamic formation of aggregates and their impact on toxicity and environmental health

Researchers studied what happens when microplastics and algae meet in water, finding that algae colonize plastic surfaces and form clumps that absorb more toxic metals like copper than bare microplastics alone. This matters for human health because these microplastic-algae clumps can concentrate pollutants in aquatic food chains that eventually lead to the seafood on our plates.

Comparing the Aging Processes of PLA and PE: The Impact of UV Irradiation and Water

Scientists compared how biodegradable PLA plastic and conventional polyethylene break down under UV light and water exposure. PLA degraded more severely, fragmenting into smaller particles more readily than polyethylene, though both types developed surface cracks and chemical changes. Understanding how different plastics age is important because smaller, more degraded particles may be more easily absorbed by living organisms and potentially cause greater harm.

Comprehensive analysis of microplastics at typical outlets around Hainan Island: From spatial distribution to flux estimation and correlation analysis

A comprehensive study of sewage outlets around Hainan Island in the South China Sea found high concentrations of microplastics being discharged from wastewater treatment plants, industrial areas, residential zones, and aquaculture facilities. Researchers estimated that approximately 61.6 trillion microplastic particles are released annually into the South China Sea from this single island's rivers. The study identifies wastewater treatment plants as the most critical control point for reducing land-based microplastic pollution entering the ocean.

Activation of gut metabolite ACSL4/LPCAT3 by microplastics in drinking water mediates ferroptosis via gut–kidney axis

This study found that polystyrene microplastics carrying the pollutant benzo[a]pyrene caused kidney damage in mice by triggering a type of cell death called ferroptosis through disrupted fat metabolism. The damage occurred through a gut-kidney pathway, where the pollutant-laden microplastics first affected intestinal cells before impacting the kidneys. These findings reveal how microplastics in drinking water could act as carriers for other toxins, amplifying harm to the kidneys.

Cs3Bi2Br9/BiOCl S-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts with solid built-in electric field for efficient polystyrene microplastics degradation

Chronic exposure to low concentrations of microplastics causing gut tissue damage but non-significant changes in the microbiota of marine medaka larvae (Oryzias melastigma)

Marine medaka fish larvae exposed to low concentrations of polyethylene and polylactic acid microplastics for 60 days showed no changes in growth or survival, but their intestinal tissue was visibly damaged with inflammation and loss of gut lining. The gut microbiome remained largely intact despite the physical tissue damage. This study suggests that microplastics can cause hidden gut injury even at low levels that do not affect outward signs of health, raising concerns about subtle damage going undetected.

Biodegradable and conventional microplastics posed similar toxicity to marine algae Chlorella vulgaris

Researchers compared the toxicity of biodegradable microplastics made from polylactic acid and polybutylene succinate with conventional microplastics made from polyethylene and polyamide on marine algae. They found that both types inhibited algal growth and photosynthesis to a similar degree, causing comparable oxidative stress and cell membrane damage. The study challenges the assumption that biodegradable plastics are inherently safer for marine ecosystems than conventional plastics.

Environmental legislation analysis improvement approach of global marine plastic pollution from the perspective of holistic system view

This review analyzes international laws and regulations aimed at preventing marine plastic pollution, from United Nations conventions to individual country legislation. The authors find that current legal frameworks are fragmented and fail to address the full scope of the problem, including microplastics entering human bloodstreams through the food chain. They propose a comprehensive Marine Plastics Convention that emphasizes environmental justice and stricter risk prevention measures.

Advances in Biosensors for the Rapid Detection of Marine Biotoxins: Current Status and Future Perspectives

This review covers advances in biosensor technology for rapidly detecting marine biotoxins, which are harmful substances produced by marine organisms that threaten both ecosystems and human health through contaminated seafood. While focused on biotoxins rather than microplastics, the optical, electrochemical, and piezoelectric sensor technologies described could be adapted for microplastic detection. Better rapid-testing tools are essential for monitoring the safety of seafood, which is a known pathway for both biotoxins and microplastics to reach humans.

Fish and macroinvertebrate assemblages reveal extensive degradation of the world's rivers

Researchers assessed the biological health of rivers worldwide using fish and macroinvertebrate data from over 100,000 sites across 45 countries, including the most comprehensive coverage of the Global South to date. They found that roughly one-third of assessed river sites showed signs of significant biological degradation. The study highlights that freshwater biodiversity loss is a global crisis, with pollution and habitat alteration affecting rivers on every inhabited continent.

Preferential adsorption of medium molecular weight proteins in extracellular polymeric substance alleviates toxicity of small-sized microplastics to Skeletonema costatum

Scientists discovered that natural substances secreted by marine algae form a coating on microplastic surfaces that actually reduces the toxicity of the smallest particles. This coating, made of proteins and sugars, changed the surface properties of the microplastics and helped the algae grow better despite the pollution. The finding suggests that natural biological processes in the ocean may partially buffer the harmful effects of microplastics, though this protection may vary with particle size.

Remote Mountainous Area Inevitably Becomes Temporal Sink for Microplastics Driven by Atmospheric Transport

A 13-month study of an uninhabited mountainous area in China found microplastics in the air at respirable sizes year-round, with 15 different polymer types detected. Atmospheric modeling traced the sources to populated areas hundreds of kilometers away, showing that wind can carry microplastics to even the most remote locations. The findings mean that virtually no place on Earth is free from airborne microplastic exposure.

Metabolic profiles and protein expression responses of Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) to polystyrene microplastic stress

Researchers exposed Pacific oysters to polystyrene microplastics for 21 days and found the particles caused oxidative stress and disrupted the oysters' metabolism, particularly amino acid processing. Different microplastic concentrations triggered different metabolic changes in the oysters. Since oysters are a popular seafood, these findings raise questions about food safety and whether microplastic-stressed shellfish could affect consumer health.

Microplastics leachate may play a more important role than microplastics in inhibiting microalga Chlorella vulgaris growth at cellular and molecular levels

Researchers found that chemical compounds leaching from aged microplastics may be more harmful to algae than the microplastic particles themselves. UV-weathered polyethylene and PVC released substances that inhibited algae growth, caused oxidative stress, and altered gene expression more severely than direct particle exposure. The study suggests that the chemicals released by degrading microplastics deserve more attention as a source of aquatic toxicity.

Selective enrichment of bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes in microplastic biofilms and their potential hazards in coral reef ecosystems

Researchers found that microplastic surfaces in coral reef waters selectively collect bacteria carrying antibiotic resistance genes, with the concentration of resistant bacteria linked to antibiotic levels in the surrounding water. The bacterial communities on microplastics were enriched for disease-related pathways compared to the surrounding seawater. This means microplastics in marine environments could serve as vehicles for spreading drug-resistant infections, posing risks to both coral ecosystems and human health.

Hydrophilic Fraction of Dissolved Organic Matter Largely Facilitated Microplastics Photoaging: Insights from Redox Properties and Reactive Oxygen Species

This study investigated how dissolved organic matter in natural water affects the breakdown of microplastics by sunlight. The water-soluble fraction of organic matter was most effective at speeding up microplastic aging by generating reactive oxygen species that attack the plastic surface. This matters because faster breakdown of microplastics in the environment creates smaller, potentially more dangerous nanoplastic particles that can more easily enter living organisms.

Microplastics weaken the digestion and absorption functions in the golden pompano (Trachinotus blochii) by affecting the intestinal structure, bacteria and metabolites

Researchers exposed golden pompano fish to polystyrene microplastics and found that the particles damaged intestinal structure, disrupted gut bacteria, and impaired the fish's ability to digest and absorb nutrients. Microplastics caused breakdowns in fat, sugar, and amino acid metabolism in the intestines, activating disease-related pathways. Since golden pompano is a commercially important food fish raised in coastal areas with high microplastic contamination, these findings raise concerns about the quality and safety of farmed seafood.

The potential effects of microplastic pollution on human digestive tract cells

Researchers tested polystyrene particles of four different sizes on human colon and small intestine cells to assess the potential effects of microplastic ingestion. They found that the smallest nanoscale particles were more readily taken up by cells and caused greater reductions in cell viability and increased oxidative stress. The study suggests that smaller plastic particles may pose a greater risk to the human digestive tract than larger ones.

Co-exposure of decabromodiphenyl ethane and polystyrene nanoplastics damages grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) hepatocytes: Focus on the role of oxidative stress, ferroptosis, and inflammatory reaction

Researchers found that combined exposure of grass carp liver cells to polystyrene nanoplastics and the flame retardant DBDPE triggered stronger oxidative stress, iron overload-mediated cell death (ferroptosis), and inflammatory cytokine release than either pollutant alone, with the ferroptosis inhibitor ferrostatin-1 partially reversing the damage.

Micro- and nano-plastics in marine environment: Source, distribution and threats — A review

This review examines the sources, distribution, and threats of micro- and nanoplastics in the marine environment. Researchers found that microplastics are nearly ubiquitous in ocean ecosystems, causing harm to marine animals ranging from malnutrition to chemical poisoning. The study also highlights that nanoplastics can penetrate biological barriers, including the gastrointestinal and blood-brain barriers, and accumulate in vital organs.