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Papers
118 resultsShowing papers from Université de Montpellier
ClearImmune-mediated disease caused by climate change-associated environmental hazards: mitigation and adaptation
This review examines how climate change-driven events like wildfires, dust storms, and heatwaves increase air pollution and allergen exposure, contributing to rising rates of asthma, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. The paper specifically notes that nanoplastics, alongside other environmental pollutants, can disrupt skin and mucous membrane barriers and alter the microbiome in ways that trigger immune system dysfunction.
Lifelong exposure to polystyrene-nanoplastics induces an attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder-like phenotype and impairs brain aging in mice
Mice exposed to nanoplastics throughout their entire lives -- from the womb through old age -- developed ADHD-like symptoms as adults, including hyperactivity, risk-taking behavior, and impaired learning, and showed a lower seizure threshold in old age. These behavioral changes were accompanied by altered brain proteins and accelerated brain aging at the cellular level, suggesting lifelong nanoplastic exposure may contribute to neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders.
International consensus guidelines for the definition, detection, and interpretation of autophagy-dependent ferroptosis
This scientific review provides guidelines for understanding a specific type of cell death called autophagy-dependent ferroptosis, where cells essentially digest their own protective components and then die from iron-driven damage. While not directly about microplastics, this process is relevant because microplastics and nanoplastics have been shown to trigger oxidative stress and iron-related cell damage in tissues. Understanding these cell death pathways helps researchers assess how plastic particle exposure could harm organs like the liver, brain, and lungs.
Global assessment of marine plastic exposure risk for oceanic birds
Researchers combined ocean plastic density maps with GPS tracking data for over 7,000 seabirds across 77 petrel species to identify where birds are most likely to encounter and accidentally eat plastic debris. High-risk zones were identified in the Mediterranean, northeast Pacific, and South Atlantic, with threatened species facing disproportionately greater exposure — often in international waters beyond any single country's control.
Degradation and environmental assessment of compostable packaging mixed with biowaste in full-scale industrial composting conditions
Researchers ran a full-scale composting trial incorporating certified compostable plastics into household biowaste, finding that the materials lost 98% of their mass within four months with no adverse effects on compost safety, soil fertility, or crop growth, and a lower environmental impact than incineration for most indicators.
Microbial education for marine invertebrate disease prevention in aquaculture
This review examines how manipulating the microbial communities of farmed shellfish and crustaceans can help prevent diseases in aquaculture. While not directly about microplastics, the paper is relevant because microplastic contamination in aquaculture environments can disrupt the beneficial microbiomes of farmed species, making them more vulnerable to disease. Healthier aquaculture organisms also mean safer seafood for human consumption.
Unlocking secrets of microbial ecotoxicology: recent achievements and future challenges
This review explores how microorganisms interact with environmental pollutants, including microplastics, covering how bacteria can break down pollutants but are also harmed by them. The authors highlight that microplastics create new surfaces in the environment where bacteria form communities, potentially spreading harmful species or antibiotic resistance. Understanding these microbial interactions is critical for developing nature-based solutions to reduce pollution and protect human health.
Exposure to nanoplastics and nanomaterials either single and combined affects the gill-associated microbiome of the Antarctic soft-shelled clam Laternula elliptica
Researchers exposed the Antarctic soft-shell clam Laternula elliptica to polystyrene nanoparticles and nano-titanium dioxide — alone and combined — and found that both nanomaterials shift the gill-associated microbiome toward potentially harmful bacterial taxa, with combined exposure amplifying changes in metabolic functions related to nutrient and DNA processing.
Impacts of climate change on spatial wheat yield and nutritional values using hybrid machine learning
This study used machine learning to predict how climate change will affect wheat yield and nutritional value, specifically iron and zinc content. While not directly about microplastics, it is relevant because microplastics in agricultural soil can also alter how crops absorb nutrients like iron and zinc. The research highlights the broader challenge of maintaining food nutrition quality as environmental conditions change.
Combined exposure of the bivalve Mytilus galloprovincialis to polyethylene microplastics and two pharmaceuticals (citalopram and bezafibrate): Bioaccumulation and metabolomic studies
Researchers exposed Mediterranean mussels to polyethylene microplastics combined with two pharmaceutical drugs and found that the microplastics altered how the drugs accumulated in mussel tissue and changed the organisms' metabolic responses. The combined exposures caused different metabolic disruptions than single exposures, and not all effects were reversed after a recovery period. This highlights how microplastics in the ocean can interact with pharmaceutical pollution to create unexpected biological effects in seafood species.
Microplastic bacterial communities in the Bay of Brest: Influence of polymer type and size
Researchers analyzed bacterial communities growing on microplastics collected from a coastal bay in France and found that the type of polymer influenced which bacteria colonized the surface. Different plastics like polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene each hosted distinct microbial communities, though particle size had less influence. The study reveals that microplastics in the ocean serve as unique habitats for bacteria, which could have implications for how pollutants and pathogens are transported through marine environments.
Chronic LDPE microplastic ingestion: oxidative stress and mutagenicity in reef fish Stegastes fuscus
Researchers fed reef damselfish a diet containing low-density polyethylene microplastics for four months and observed increased DNA damage in blood cells and elevated oxidative stress markers in the brain. While the fish showed no changes in behavior, the cellular-level damage points to real biological harm from chronic microplastic ingestion. The findings highlight a hidden threat to reef fish health that could have cascading effects on coral reef ecosystems.
Environmental microplastics disrupt swimming activity in acute exposure in Danio rerio larvae and reduce growth and reproduction success in chronic exposure in D. rerio and Oryzias melastigma
Researchers exposed zebrafish and marine medaka to environmental microplastics collected from Caribbean beaches and found that acute exposure disrupted swimming behavior in larvae, while chronic dietary exposure reduced growth and reproduction by up to 70%. The study suggests that environmentally relevant microplastic concentrations can cause cross-generational effects, with offspring of exposed fish showing premature mortality.
Discussion about suitable applications for biodegradable plastics regarding their sources, uses and end of life
Researchers critically evaluated the scientific basis for biodegradable plastics as a solution to plastic pollution, concluding that no plastic biodegrades universally across all ecosystems, that treating the environment as a waste treatment system is unacceptable, and that compostable plastics require dedicated collection infrastructure to deliver on their environmental promise.
Towards Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions Agriculture in North Africa through Climate-Smart Agriculture: A Systematic Review
This systematic review found that climate-smart agriculture practices in North Africa, including conservation tillage, agroforestry, and improved water management, can reduce greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining crop productivity. However, adoption remains limited due to lack of localized research, policy gaps, and insufficient financial incentives for farmers in the region.
Spatial variability of Saharan dust deposition revealed through a citizen science campaign
Researchers used a citizen science campaign to collect dust-on-snow samples across the Pyrenees and Alps following a major Saharan dust event in February 2021. They found that the amount and particle size of deposited dust decreased with distance from the source, and south-facing slopes accumulated more dust. The study demonstrates how citizen science can fill gaps in understanding atmospheric dust transport, which also carries microplastics and other pollutants across long distances.
A threshold model of plastic waste fragmentation: New insights into the distribution of microplastics in the ocean and its evolution over time
Researchers proposed a new model for how plastic waste breaks down in the ocean, suggesting there is a critical size below which particles resist further fragmentation. The model predicts a peak in microplastic abundance around 1 millimeter in size, which matches real-world observations and helps explain the puzzling distribution patterns of ocean plastic pollution.
Combined threats of climate change and contaminant exposure through the lens of bioenergetics
Researchers reviewed how chemical contaminant exposure combines with climate change to affect animal energy budgets, with a focus on Arctic wildlife exposed to pollutants like persistent organic chemicals and microplastics. They found that both stressors independently increase the energy organisms need to survive, and when combined, the effects can be additive or even multiplicative. The study suggests that animals already stressed by warming temperatures may be especially vulnerable to the additional burden of environmental contaminants.
Agroecological transition: towards a better understanding of the impact of ecology-based farming practices on soil microbial ecotoxicology
This review examined how ecology-based farming practices like organic farming, agroecology, and permaculture affect soil microorganisms compared to conventional agriculture. The study suggests that these alternative approaches generally support healthier soil microbial communities, though more research is needed to fully understand how reduced pesticide and chemical use benefits the complex web of organisms that drive soil fertility.
Environmental performance of plastic food packaging: Life cycle assessment extended with costs on marine ecosystem services
Researchers conducted a life cycle assessment comparing conventional polypropylene and biodegradable PHBV food packaging, finding that PP trays have lower overall environmental impact per unit of packaged food, but that PHBV imposes roughly seven times lower lifetime costs on marine ecosystems due to its much shorter environmental persistence.
Microplastic pollution in the Greenland Sea: Background levels and selective contamination of planktivorous diving seabirds
Researchers quantified microplastic contamination in the Greenland Sea, studying both surface water samples and planktivorous diving seabirds. The study found that despite being far from major pollution sources, the Arctic contains measurable microplastic levels and that seabirds in the region are selectively contaminated, confirming the widespread reach of microplastic pollution.
Chronic feeding exposure to virgin and spiked microplastics disrupts essential biological functions in teleost fish
Researchers fed zebrafish and marine medaka environmentally relevant concentrations of virgin and chemically spiked polyethylene and PVC microplastics over four months. While classical biomarkers showed no changes, significant decreases in growth and disruptions to reproduction, gut integrity, and liver function were observed. The findings suggest that chronic dietary exposure to microplastics can disrupt essential biological functions in fish even without triggering traditional toxicity markers.
Microplastics in the insular marine environment of the Southwest Indian Ocean carry a microbiome including antimicrobial resistant (AMR) bacteria: A case study from Reunion Island
Researchers studied the microbial communities growing on microplastics collected from the waters around Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean. They found that these plastic-associated microbiomes included bacteria carrying antimicrobial resistance genes, which differ from what is typically found in the surrounding seawater. The findings highlight that ocean microplastics can serve as floating platforms for potentially harmful, drug-resistant microbes even in remote island environments.
Juveniles at risk: behaviour and colour changes in sole juveniles (Solea solea) after exposure to estuarine ragworms (Hediste diversicolor) contaminated with microplastics
Researchers exposed juvenile sole fish to ragworms contaminated with microplastics to study effects on behavior and body coloration in estuarine conditions. The study found that microplastic exposure through the food chain caused observable changes in the fish juveniles, suggesting that trophic transfer of microplastics can affect the development and behavior of young fish in estuarine nursery habitats.