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Papers
70 resultsShowing papers from Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro
ClearA Systematic Review of Microplastic Contamination in Commercially Important Bony Fish and Its Implications for Health
This systematic review summarizes research on microplastic contamination found in commercially important fish species. The findings show that microplastics cause physical injuries and false satiety in fish, and may pose health risks to humans who eat contaminated seafood, including inflammation, oxidative stress, and cellular damage.
Microplastics in coastal and oceanic surface waters and their role as carriers of pollutants of emerging concern in marine organisms
Researchers analyzed 167 studies on microplastics in ocean surface waters and marine organisms, finding that fragments and fibers are the most common particle types across all regions studied. The review highlights that microplastics act as carriers for other harmful pollutants, increasing the chemical burden on marine life. The uneven global distribution of research means that microplastic contamination in many ocean regions remains poorly understood.
Interaction Between Endocrine Disruptors and Polyethylene Nanoplastic by Molecular Dynamics Simulations
Using computer simulations, researchers found that polyethylene nanoplastics can attract and carry endocrine-disrupting chemicals like bisphenol A (BPA) and benzophenone (BZP), with BZP binding nearly three times more strongly to the plastic surface. Even at low concentrations, these chemicals can interfere with hormones and have been linked to various diseases. The findings suggest that nanoplastics in the environment could act as tiny vehicles, delivering harmful chemicals into the body.
Análise Bibliométrica da Qualidade da Água: Uma Perspectiva para a Preservação Ambiental
This bibliometric study analyzed over 4,000 research papers on river pollution from 2018 to 2022, finding that the United States, China, and the United Kingdom lead global research in this field. While not focused specifically on microplastics, river pollution research increasingly includes emerging contaminants like microplastics as a key topic. The study identifies gaps in the scientific literature that could guide future research and policy efforts to improve water quality and protect human health.
Evidence of plastics contamination and sewage-derived residues in a Brazilian Hope Spot for conservation of marine biodiversity - Cagarras Islands and surrounding waters
Researchers found plastic contamination including microplastics in a protected marine conservation area near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, designated as a Hope Spot for biodiversity. Plastics made up about 79% of marine litter collected, and microplastics were detected in the water, with evidence suggesting contamination from nearby sewage overflow. The study shows that even officially protected marine areas are not safe from microplastic pollution, which threatens the biodiversity these reserves are meant to protect.
The Exposome and the Kidney: A Silent Dialogue Shaping Chronic Kidney Disease
This review explores how environmental exposures, collectively called the exposome, contribute to chronic kidney disease. Factors including air pollution, nanoplastics, pesticides, ultra-processed foods, and socioeconomic stress all appear to interact with genetic predisposition to influence kidney health. The study suggests that since genetics account for less than 20% of overall disease risk, understanding and reducing harmful environmental exposures could be an important strategy for kidney disease prevention.
Micro- and Nanoplastics on Human Health and Diseases: Perspectives and Recent Advances
This review provides a comprehensive overview of how micro- and nanoplastics enter the human body through ingestion, inhalation, and skin absorption, and how they can then travel through the bloodstream to reach virtually every organ. Researchers summarize evidence that these particles can trigger inflammation, oxidative stress, and disruption of hormonal and immune functions. The study emphasizes that the ability of these particles to cross biological barriers and accumulate in tissues makes understanding their long-term health effects an urgent research priority.
Microplastics associated with stranded macroalgae on an impacted estuarine beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Researchers examined microplastics trapped in seaweed washed up on a beach in Brazil's heavily polluted Guanabara Bay. Red algae captured significantly more microplastic particles than green algae, likely due to their more complex branching structure. The microplastic levels found in these algae were higher than those reported in studies from other locations, suggesting that nutrient-rich, polluted waters increase the amount of plastic debris that accumulates on marine plants.
Gut Microbiota Interventions to Retain Residual Kidney Function
This review examines strategies to modify gut bacteria in patients with chronic kidney disease in order to slow further kidney damage. Researchers found that gut imbalances in these patients lead to increased production of harmful substances that can worsen kidney function. The study suggests that dietary interventions, probiotics, and other approaches to restore healthy gut microbiota may help preserve remaining kidney function and improve patient outcomes.
Mathematical modelling and simulations for microplastic environmental research: a systematic review
This systematic review summarizes how mathematical models and computer simulations are being used to study microplastic pollution in the environment. These modeling tools help scientists predict where microplastics travel, how they accumulate, and where human exposure is most likely, which is crucial for developing effective strategies to protect public health.
Diabetes and Cognitive Decline: An Innovative Approach to Analyzing the Biophysical and Vibrational Properties of the Hippocampus
Researchers used atomic force microscopy and Raman spectroscopy to characterize structural changes in hippocampal brain tissue from diabetic rats. They found that both type 1 and type 2 diabetic animals showed altered tissue roughness, volume, and mechanical properties in the hippocampus compared to controls. The study provides new biophysical evidence for how diabetes may contribute to brain tissue changes associated with cognitive decline.
Toxicity and Biotransformation of Carbon-Based Nanomaterials in Marine Microalgae Heterosigma akashiwo
Researchers assessed the toxicity of carbon-based nanomaterials including carbon nanotubes, fullerene, graphene, and graphene oxide on marine microalgae, finding varying effects on growth, membrane potential, and reactive oxygen species generation over seven days of exposure.
Microplastics in Freshwater River in Rio de Janeiro and Its Role as a Source of Microplastic Pollution in Guanabara Bay, SE Brazil
Researchers found widespread microplastic contamination in three rivers flowing into Guanabara Bay, Brazil, with an average of 3,651 particles per cubic meter dominated by fibers, identifying these freshwater systems as major sources of coastal microplastic pollution.
A Synthesis of Provision and Impact in Seagrass Ecosystem Services in the Brazilian Southwest Atlantic
This synthesis reviewed seagrass ecosystem services along the Brazilian southwest Atlantic coast, screening over 30,000 search results to identify 394 relevant studies. The study found that while seagrasses provide crucial provisioning and supporting services including fisheries support and coastal protection, coastal urbanization and marine food harvesting are the primary drivers negatively impacting these ecosystems.
Transfer of industrial contaminants from the inner to the outer region of Sepetiba Bay (SE Brazil) by dredge spoil dumping activities: a temporal record
Researchers analyzed a sediment core from Sepetiba Bay, Brazil, to reconstruct approximately 170 years of environmental change driven by industrial contamination and dredge spoil dumping. The study found progressive increases in organic matter and potentially toxic elements in the outer bay region, along with evidence of subsurface gas indicating eutrophication. Evidence indicates that dredging activities have transferred industrial contaminants from the inner to the outer region of the bay over time.
Microbial Innovations for Sustainable Wastewater Management: A Comprehensive Review of Azo Dye Bioremediation
Researchers reviewed microbial strategies for degrading azo dyes in industrial wastewater, examining the enzymatic mechanisms of bacteria, fungi, algae, and consortia, and highlighting that reductive cleavage of azo bonds can generate toxic aromatic amines, underscoring the need for complete mineralization pathways rather than decolorization alone.
Assessment of macro-, meso- and microplastics in wild and cultivated Perna perna mussels (Mollusca: Bivalvia)
Researchers sampled wild-harvested and cultivated Perna perna mussels from Brazil and analyzed macro-, meso-, and microplastic contamination by visual inspection and FTIR spectroscopy. Both wild and farmed mussels contained plastic particles, with fragments and fibers most common, raising food safety concerns for commercial mussel aquaculture.
Comparative Study of the Addition of TiO2 and TiO2/OMMT Clay on the Properties of PBAT for Biodegradable Food Packaging Applications
Researchers incorporated TiO₂ nanoparticles and TiO₂/OMMT clay into a biodegradable PBAT matrix to improve its properties for food packaging, finding that the nanofillers enhanced barrier and mechanical performance without significantly altering thermal stability or crystallinity.
Promoting Biofilm Formation by Serratia marcescens on Three Types of Artificially Aged Microplastics Under Marine Conditions
Researchers investigated Serratia marcescens biofilm formation on virgin and UV-aged polyethylene, polypropylene, and expanded polystyrene microplastics under marine conditions, finding that aging enhanced biofilm formation on PE and enabled it on PP, while expanded polystyrene showed initial biofilm that dissipated by day 14.
Contamination by microplastics in free-living white-eared opossums (Didelphis albiventris) resident in Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
Researchers captured 22 white-eared opossums in urban forest fragments in Brazil and found microplastics in gastrointestinal tract and lung tissue in most animals, demonstrating that urban wildlife are substantially exposed to microplastic pollution through their environment.
Potential effects of plastic waste: microplastics, a global concern
This review examined how the degradation of plastics into microplastics smaller than 5 mm affects aquatic organisms and human health, discussing sources, affected environmental compartments—soil, air, and water—and alternative approaches to mitigate plastic pollution.
Microplastics in wetlands: contrasting fish contamination between mangroves and temporary ponds in southeastern Brazil
Researchers compared microplastic contamination in annual and perennial killifish across mangroves and temporary ponds in coastal Brazil, finding that habitat type influenced contamination more than fish life history, with mangrove-dwelling fish showing higher loads.
Toxicity and Biotransformation of Carbon-based Nanomaterials in Marine Microalgae <em>Heterosigma akashiwo</em>
Carbon-based nanomaterials including carbon nanotubes, fullerene, graphene, and graphene oxide were tested for toxicity in marine microalgae Heterosigma akashiwo, with carbon nanotubes showing the highest toxicity (EC50 of 18.98 mg/L) primarily through oxidative stress and membrane depolarization.
Abundance and distribution of solid waste and microplastics in southeastern Brazilian islands: a comprehensive analysis
Solid waste and microplastic abundance and distribution were characterized on beaches of three islands in southeastern Brazil - Trindade, Grande, and Paqueta - varying in proximity to the continent and occupation patterns. The study identified factors driving debris origin and distribution, including island remoteness, tourism, and proximity to shipping routes.