Papers

Microplastic Pollution: Threats and Impacts on Global Marine Ecosystems

This study maps the global distribution of microplastic pollution in oceans and examines how it affects marine wildlife and enters the human food chain. Microplastics accumulate heavily along coastlines and in areas like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, where they are ingested by marine animals. As contaminated seafood reaches human plates, microplastic pollution becomes a direct public health concern.

Mangrove plastisphere as a hotspot for high-risk antibiotic resistance genes and pathogens

This study found that microplastics in mangrove ecosystems serve as hotspots for antibiotic resistance genes and disease-causing bacteria. Polyethylene, polystyrene, and PVC surfaces incubated in mangrove sediments harbored significantly more high-risk resistance genes than the surrounding environment. This is concerning because mangroves are important coastal habitats, and microplastics there could help spread drug-resistant infections to wildlife and potentially to humans.

Feasibility study on non-destructive detection of microplastic content in flour based on portable Raman spectroscopy system combined with mixed variable selection method

Scientists demonstrated that a portable Raman spectroscopy device can detect and measure microplastic contamination in flour with over 98% accuracy. The technique is non-destructive, meaning it does not alter the food being tested. This technology could enable rapid, on-site testing of food products for microplastic contamination, helping to protect consumers from unknowing exposure through their diet.

Z-Type Heterojunction MnO2@g-C3N4 Photocatalyst-Activated Peroxymonosulfate for the Removal of Tetracycline Hydrochloride in Water

Researchers developed an advanced photocatalyst that degrades nearly 97% of tetracycline, a common antibiotic pollutant, in water within 180 minutes using light-activated chemical reactions. The system showed good stability for reuse and reduced the toxicity of breakdown products. While focused on antibiotic removal rather than microplastics, this water treatment technology is relevant because microplastics often carry adsorbed antibiotics, and removing both contaminants is important for safe drinking water.

Global analysis of marine plastics and implications of control measure strategies

This study provides a global overview of ocean plastic pollution, finding that plastic production has grown dramatically since the 1950s and over 1,000 rivers contribute 80% of the plastic entering oceans, with Asia as the largest source. Small microplastics dominate ocean surface contamination by particle count, even though larger pieces account for more mass. The review highlights that without major changes in waste management and recycling, plastic pollution will continue to threaten marine food chains and the people who depend on seafood.

Microplastics in canned, salt-dried, and instant sea cucumbers sold for human consumption

Researchers tested canned, instant, and salt-dried sea cucumbers purchased from Chinese markets and found microplastics present in the products, with an average of about 1.4 particles per individual animal. The particles were mostly small fibers, and polypropylene was the dominant polymer type identified. The study estimates that regular consumers of sea cucumber products could be exposed to microplastics through their diet, though the daily intake levels were relatively low.

Microplastic pollution in aquafeed of diverse aquaculture animals

Researchers analyzed commercial aquafeed used for five different farmed aquatic species in China and found microplastics present in all samples. Microfibers were the most common form, with polypropylene as the dominant polymer type, suggesting that feed processing and packaging are the main contamination sources. The findings raise concerns about microplastics entering the human food supply through farmed seafood.

High-sensitive determination of tetracycline antibiotics adsorbed on microplastics in mariculture water using pre-COF/monolith composite-based in-tube solid phase microextraction on-line coupled to HPLC-MS/MS

Researchers developed a highly sensitive method to detect antibiotic residues adsorbed onto microplastics in mariculture water, capable of measuring amounts as small as fractions of a picogram. Using this technique, they found that microplastics of different sizes carry varying amounts of tetracycline antibiotics, and that algal biofilms on the particles may influence antibiotic levels. The method opens new possibilities for understanding how microplastics transport chemical contaminants in aquatic environments.

Vegetation, salinity, and tides drive nitrogen cycling in Mangrove plastispheres

Researchers studied how microplastics affect nitrogen-cycling microbial communities in mangrove ecosystems under varying salinity and tidal conditions. They found that microplastic surfaces hosted distinct microbial communities with significantly higher abundances of nitrogen-cycling genes compared to surrounding soils. The study suggests that microplastics may act as hotspots for nitrogen transformation in mangrove environments, potentially disrupting natural nutrient cycling.

The Transformation of Coastal Governance Pattern from Human Ecology to Political Ecology—A Case Study of Jimei Peninsula, Xiamen, China

This study examined how coastal governance on China's Jimei Peninsula shifted from human ecology to political ecology, finding that a 2002 coastal exclusion policy eroded maritime culture, disrupted local livelihoods, and caused ecological degradation.

Microplastic Contamination in Aquafeed Ingredients Used as Protein and Carbohydrate Sources

Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in common aquafeed ingredients used as protein and carbohydrate sources. They found that poultry by-products had the highest microplastic levels, with polypropylene being a dominant polymer type likely originating from packaging materials. The study identifies a pathway by which microplastics can enter aquaculture food chains through contaminated feed ingredients.

The Transformation of Coastal Governance, from Human Ecology to Local State, in the Jimei Peninsula, Xiamen, China

This study examined how coastal governance in Xiamen's Jimei Peninsula transformed from traditional human ecology-based management to a modern local state model, revealing a shift toward development-oriented governance driven by urbanization and economic policies.

Comparative analysis of characteristic wavelength extraction methods for nondestructive detection of microplastics in wheat using FT-NIR spectroscopy

Chronic exposure to polystyrene microplastics at environmentally relevant concentration induced growth retardation in Macrobrachium rosenbergii via multi-pathway toxicity: Oxidative stress, microbial dysbiosis, and biodistribution

Researchers exposed juvenile freshwater prawns to environmentally relevant concentrations of polystyrene microplastics for 42 days and found significant growth inhibition, with a 15.6% reduction in body length and 29.6% decrease in body weight. The microplastics accumulated in gills, stomachs, intestines, and hemolymph, causing persistent mitochondrial damage, oxidative stress, and gut microbiota imbalance that did not fully recover even after the exposure ended.

Dietary High Glycinin Reduces Growth Performance and Impairs Liver and Intestinal Health Status of Orange-Spotted Grouper (Epinephelus coioides)

Researchers investigated the effects of dietary glycinin from soybean meal on the growth and health of orange-spotted grouper over an 8-week trial. The study found that high glycinin levels impaired intestinal barrier integrity, promoted cell death, and altered gut microbiota composition, while moderate glycinin supplementation at 4.5% actually supported maximum growth performance.

Antibacterial starch-cellulose-based films with pH-responsive colorimetric properties for real-time food freshness monitoring

Research advances in centrifugal microfluidics and its applications

Impact of micro and nanoplastics on aquaculture animals: a systematic review

Melt-blended PLA/curcumin-cross-linked polyurethane film for enhanced UV-shielding ability

A biomass film was developed by melt-blending polylactic acid (PLA) with curcumin-crosslinked castor oil-based polyurethane, producing a material with strong UV-shielding ability and enhanced mechanical properties. The fully bio-based film is proposed as a sustainable plastic replacement for food packaging applications.

Multi-Scenario Simulation to Predict Ecological Risk Posed by Urban Sprawl with Spontaneous Growth: A Case Study of Quanzhou

This study used a Markov chain and PLUS land-use simulation model to project urban expansion under multiple scenarios for Quanzhou, China from 2005 to 2018 and beyond. Results showed that organic urban sprawl driven by market forces posed the greatest ecological risk compared to planned or constrained growth scenarios.

The Role of Land Use Transition on Industrial Pollution Reduction in the Context of Innovation-Driven: The Case of 30 Provinces in China

This study analyzed data from 30 Chinese provinces to examine how land use transitions associated with urbanization affect industrial pollution levels, finding that innovation-driven development strategies can decouple economic growth from pollution under certain land use conditions.

[Pollution Characteristics and Risk Assessment of Microplastics in the Xiamen Houxi River Watershed].

A comprehensive survey of the Xiamen Houxi River watershed found 100% microplastic detection across all sampling points, with abundance, shape, color, and polymer type assessed alongside ecological risk using pollution load and risk indices.

Changes in the Arctic Traffic Occupancy and Their Connection to Sea Ice Conditions from 2015 to 2020

Researchers analyzed changes in Arctic maritime traffic volume and routes, linking traffic density changes to sea ice retreat over recent decades. Shipping activity increased substantially in previously ice-covered corridors as ice extent declined, raising concerns about the associated pollution, noise, and disturbance risks to sensitive Arctic marine ecosystems.

Soil pH has a stronger effect than arsenic content on shaping plastisphere bacterial communities in soil

Soil pH had a stronger influence than arsenic contamination on shaping the bacterial communities colonizing microplastic surfaces (plastisphere) in contaminated soils, highlighting pH as a key driver of plastisphere ecology.