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Papers
39 resultsShowing papers from Friedrich Schiller University Jena
ClearThe recovery of European freshwater biodiversity has come to a halt
Researchers analyzed 1,816 freshwater invertebrate community datasets from 22 European countries spanning 1968 to 2020, finding that biodiversity recovered steadily through the 1990s and 2000s thanks to water quality improvements, but has largely plateaued since the 2010s. Emerging threats including climate warming, emerging pollutants like microplastics, and invasive species are now offsetting earlier conservation gains, signaling that stronger protections are urgently needed.
Animal migration in the Anthropocene: threats and mitigation options
This review examines the many human-caused threats facing migratory animals worldwide, including habitat loss, climate change, pollution, disease, and overexploitation. While broadly focused on wildlife conservation, the paper is relevant to microplastic research because plastic pollution is identified as one of the threats affecting migratory species across aquatic, terrestrial, and aerial environments. The review emphasizes that these threats often interact in unpredictable ways, making the combined impact worse than any single stressor alone.
Ostracoda (Crustacea) as indicators of anthropogenic impacts – A review
This review examines how ostracods, tiny crustaceans found in lakes, rivers, and oceans, can serve as living indicators of water pollution from human activities including heavy metals, pesticides, and nutrient runoff. The authors note that ostracods have barely been studied in relation to microplastic contamination, presenting an opportunity for future research. Since these organisms are sensitive to water quality changes, they could become useful biological tools for monitoring microplastic pollution in aquatic environments.
Quantification of Polystyrene Uptake by Different Cell Lines Using Fluorescence Microscopy and Label-Free Visualization of Intracellular Polystyrene Particles by Raman Microspectroscopic Imaging
Scientists tested how human cells take up polystyrene microplastic particles using three cell types that represent the lung lining, intestinal lining, and immune system. All three cell types absorbed the microplastic beads, with immune cells showing different uptake patterns compared to the barrier cells of the lungs and gut. This study confirms that microplastics can enter human cells through multiple exposure routes, including breathing and eating, and that immune cells may play a special role in processing these particles.
Addressing chemical pollution in biodiversity research
This paper argues that chemical pollution, including microplastics, deserves far more attention in biodiversity research alongside climate change and habitat loss. Evidence shows that anthropogenic chemicals are a growing threat to ecosystems worldwide, yet pollution is often left out of biodiversity studies. The authors call for interdisciplinary collaboration between ecologists and environmental chemists to better understand and combat pollution-driven biodiversity decline.
Ostracoda and Foraminifera as bioindicators of (aquatic) pollution in the protected area of uMlalazi estuary, South Africa
Researchers used tiny shell-bearing organisms (ostracods and foraminifera) as biological indicators to assess water quality in a protected South African estuary. Despite its protected status, the estuary showed signs of pollution based on the species diversity and health of these indicator organisms. While not focused on microplastics specifically, these biological monitoring methods could be adapted to assess the ecological impact of microplastic pollution in coastal and estuarine environments.
From properties to toxicity: Comparing microplastics to other airborne microparticles
This study compared airborne microplastics to other well-studied airborne particles like asbestos, silica, soot, and cotton dust to better understand potential health risks from inhaling plastic particles. Researchers examined how properties such as size, shape, surface charge, and durability drive toxicity across these different particle types. The comparison provides a framework for understanding microplastic inhalation risks, which remain poorly studied despite growing evidence of atmospheric plastic pollution.
Lifecycle-dependent toxicity and removal of micropollutants in algal cultures of the green seaweed Ulva (Chlorophyta)
This study tested how the green seaweed Ulva, often proposed as a natural water filter in aquaculture, handles exposure to common micropollutants including antibiotics and herbicides. Researchers found that the seaweed's ability to remove these chemicals varied depending on its life stage, with some pollutants being absorbed and others transformed. The findings are important for understanding whether seaweed used in water treatment could itself become contaminated.
Raman Spectroscopic Imaging of Human Bladder Resectates towards Intraoperative Cancer Assessment
Researchers used Raman spectroscopy imaging to distinguish between healthy and cancerous human bladder tissue without the need for chemical stains or labels. The technique successfully identified cancer regions in tissue samples from ten patients, using advanced data analysis to map molecular differences. While not directly related to microplastics, this spectroscopy method is also used in microplastic research and demonstrates the power of label-free chemical imaging in medical applications.
Optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy with simultaneously acquired Raman spectroscopy for two-dimensional microplastic identification
Researchers demonstrated that optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy combined with simultaneous Raman acquisition enables more reliable two-dimensional microplastic identification, overcoming limitations of individual FTIR or Raman techniques alone.
Denoising and Baseline Correction of Low-Scan FTIR Spectra: A Benchmark of Deep Learning Models Against Traditional Signal Processing
Researchers developed a physics-informed cascade U-Net architecture for FTIR spectral denoising and baseline correction that uses an embedded spectroscopic constraint layer to prevent hallucinations, achieving a 51% reduction in RMSE compared to raw single-scan inputs and enabling imaging 32 times faster than conventional multi-scan methods.
Potential deterioration of chemical water quality due to trace metal adsorption onto tire and road wear particles – Environmentally representative experiments
Researchers studied how tire and road wear particles affect water quality by adsorbing trace metals from the environment. They found that these particles, which constitute a significant fraction of microplastic emissions, can adsorb metals like zinc and copper from water under realistic environmental conditions. The findings indicate that tire wear particles may worsen chemical water quality in surface waters by acting as carriers and concentrators of toxic metals.
Rapid Microplastic Detection Using High-Throughput Screening Raman Spectroscopy
Researchers developed a high-throughput Raman spectroscopy platform combining a 3.15 × 2.10 mm field of view with 1.4 µm spatial resolution for rapid label-free detection of microplastics. The system integrates automated particle recognition, autofocus correction, and spectral acquisition, significantly reducing analysis time compared to conventional micro-Raman approaches.
Variability in microplastic abundance, bisphenol A contamination, antioxidant properties, and health risks associated with vegetable consumption
Researchers examined variability in microplastic abundance and bisphenol A contamination alongside antioxidant protein responses in marine organisms, finding that combined chemical exposure induced stronger oxidative stress responses than MPs or BPA alone.
Ostracoda and Foraminifera as indicators of anthropogenic impacts – case studies from Sub-Saharan Africa
Researchers used ostracod and foraminifera assemblages as bioindicators of anthropogenic impacts in coastal sediments from Ghana and South Africa. Results revealed degraded communities in areas receiving urban sewage and agricultural runoff, with sediment chemical analysis confirming contamination by metals and organic pollutants, demonstrating the value of microfossil assemblages for reconstructing recent pollution histories.
Architecture of soil microaggregates: Advanced methodologies to explore properties and functions
This review covers advanced methodologies for exploring the three-dimensional architecture of soil microaggregates (particles smaller than 250 micrometers), including imaging techniques that reveal pore space, mineral-organic interfaces, and microbial habitats. Understanding microaggregate structure is key to linking soil physical properties with carbon cycling and microbial ecology.
Introduction to the special issue: Tackling inequality and providing sustainable welfare through eco-social policies
This editorial introduced a special issue on eco-social policies for sustainable welfare, arguing that addressing social inequality and environmental crisis requires a new paradigm beyond economic growth-centered strategies.
Spatial distribution and consequences of contaminants in harbour sediments – A case study from Richards Bay Harbour, South Africa
Surface sediments from Richards Bay Harbour in South Africa were analyzed for microplastics, metals, and microfaunal assemblages, finding that microplastics concentrated near recreational areas while heavy metals were elevated near bulk goods terminals, with sediment core analysis documenting historical metal contamination and bioindicator stress at contaminated sites.
Disnovation.org’s Futuristic Bestiary: Imagining a New Era of Bio- and Geodiversity
This research analyzes an art book called "Bestiary of the Anthropocene" that imagines how pollution and human activity are creating strange new life forms, like animals filled with microplastics or radioactive mushrooms. The book presents these polluted creatures as a new type of biodiversity that might emerge as our planet becomes more contaminated. While this is an artistic project rather than scientific research, it highlights how real pollution—including microplastics that are already found in human blood and organs—could fundamentally change life on Earth.
Seasonal dynamics of micro- and nanoplastics and associated pollutants in Aarin River: Insights into abundance and digestion impact
Researchers measured micro- and nanoplastics in Nigeria's Aarin River across two seasons, finding higher particle counts during the rainy season (up to 130 particles per liter in water) alongside elevated levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals. The data highlight how seasonal rainfall flushes plastics and co-contaminants into West African freshwater systems that communities rely on, yet which remain severely understudied.
Duckweed: Research Meets Applications
Not relevant to microplastics — this is a brief editorial introduction to a journal special issue on duckweed (Lemna and related aquatic plants) research and its agricultural, wastewater, and biotechnology applications.
A genetic tool to express long fungal biosynthetic genes
Researchers developed a genetic tool that can assemble and express very large fungal genes — over 20,000 base pairs — in a single step within a common laboratory fungus. This system unlocks access to previously inaccessible natural compounds from fungi that can't be cultured in a lab, potentially opening new avenues for discovering bioactive molecules.
The Next 100 Years of Polymer Science
This review reflects on 100 years of polymer science since Hermann Staudinger's foundational work on polymerization, examining how synthetic polymers have transformed modern society and exploring future directions for the field.
Atomistic Insights into Structure and Properties of ε-Caprolactone Oligomers
Not relevant to microplastics — this paper uses computational chemistry methods to study the molecular structure and melting behavior of short-chain caprolactone oligomers as a step toward designing fully biodegradable polyesters; while the broader motivation mentions preventing microplastic accumulation, the study itself does not investigate microplastics in the environment.