We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Papers
61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Microplastics and toxic leachate from littered cigarette butts threaten the environment, biodiversity, and human well-being
ClearSmokers’ behaviour and the toxicity of cigarette filters to aquatic life: a multidisciplinary study
Researchers combined behavioral observation of 597 smokers with ecotoxicity tests on cigarette filters, finding that younger smokers and those in groups were more likely to litter, and that cigarette filter fibers — made from semisynthetic plastics — are highly toxic to freshwater insect larvae even at very low concentrations. Sediment exposure was especially harmful, causing over 20% higher larval mortality and severely stunted growth and development.
Microplastics from cigarette filters: Comparative effects on selected terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates
Researchers compared the effects of microplastics from smoked and unsmoked cigarette filters on both land and water invertebrates. Smoked filter microplastics were more toxic due to the added chemicals from tobacco smoke, causing reduced survival and reproduction in the test organisms. Since cigarette butts are one of the most littered items worldwide, this study shows they are a significant and underappreciated source of toxic microplastic pollution in the environment.
A Review of Environmental Pollution from the Use and Disposal of Cigarettes and Electronic Cigarettes: Contaminants, Sources, and Impacts
Researchers reviewed the environmental pollution caused by the use and disposal of cigarettes and electronic cigarettes, including their role as a source of microplastic contamination. Cigarette butts made of cellulose acetate are minimally degradable and represent a major source of both bulk plastic and microplastic pollution, particularly in aquatic ecosystems. The study documents that cigarette butt leachate and nicotine are toxic to a wide range of organisms from microbes to mammals.
Cigarette butts as a source of urban ecosystem pollution
Cigarette butts—the world's most littered item at ~4.5 trillion discarded annually—introduce over 4,000 chemicals into ecosystems and are a major source of microplastic fibers from cellulose acetate filters, with this review analyzing the toxicity of cigarette butt filtrate to aquatic and terrestrial organisms.
A review on cigarette butts: Environmental abundance, characterization, and toxic pollutants released into water from cigarette butts
This review examines the environmental impact of discarded cigarette butts, which number in the trillions worldwide each year and are among the most common litter items. Researchers found that cigarette filters release harmful substances including heavy metals, nicotine, and cellulose acetate microplastic fibers when they enter water. The study highlights that cigarette butt pollution represents a significant but often overlooked source of both chemical contamination and microplastic pollution in aquatic environments.
Microplastic fibers and leachates from cigarette butts: environmental impacts, toxicological concerns, and circular economy-driven solutions
This review of existing research shows that cigarette butts are the world's most common plastic trash, slowly breaking down into tiny plastic fibers that spread harmful chemicals like nicotine and heavy metals into water and soil. These microplastics hurt fish and other animals by changing their behavior and building up in their bodies, which could affect the entire food chain. Since humans eat fish and use water from these contaminated environments, cigarette butt pollution may pose health risks that need more research and better cleanup solutions.
Microplastics from cigarette filters: Comparative effects on selected terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates
Researchers compared the effects of microplastics derived from cigarette filters on selected terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates, examining differences in toxicity across species and environments in a study published in Environmental Pollution.
Tiny but Deadly: a Threat to Environment
This study quantified toxic metals leaching from discarded cigarette butts — the most common form of plastic litter — finding that both the filter and the whole butt release metals into water. Cigarette filters are made from cellulose acetate plastic and represent a poorly recognized source of chemical pollution in the environment.
The environmental and health impacts of tobacco agriculture, cigarette manufacture and consumption
This review examines the environmental footprint of tobacco beyond the well-known health harms, covering impacts at every stage from crop growing to cigarette butt disposal. Cigarette filters — which are made of plastic — are among the most common items found in environmental litter surveys, contributing both microplastics and toxic chemicals to soil and water.
The Hidden Threat of Microplastics in Traditional Cigarettes: A Narrative Review of Health and Environmental Risks
This review reveals that microplastics have been detected in 99% of cigarette filters, meaning smokers are inhaling and ingesting these particles with every cigarette. Microplastics have been found in the blood, lungs, placenta, and feces of the general population, but smokers face particularly high exposure. The improper disposal of cigarette butts also releases microplastics into the environment, making cigarettes a significant and overlooked source of microplastic pollution.
Effects of microplastics from cigarette filters on two aquatic species and in vitro human lung cells
Researchers examined the effects of microplastics from cigarette filters on two aquatic species and conducted in vitro cell tests to assess human health risks. Cigarette filter microplastics caused toxicity in both aquatic organisms and human cells, underscoring the environmental and health hazards of this overlooked microplastic source.
Effects of microplastics from unsmoked and smoked cigarette filters on aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates
Researchers exposed aquatic invertebrates (rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus, water flea Daphnia magna) and terrestrial invertebrates (woodlice Porcellio scaber, mealworm Tenebrio molitor) to microplastics derived from both unsmoked and smoked cigarette filters at concentrations ranging from 1 to 100 mg/L and assessed acute toxicity. The study found that cigarette butt-derived microplastics caused measurable adverse effects on multiple invertebrate species across both aquatic and terrestrial exposure routes.
Koja je cijena pušenja? – Opasnosti za okoliš
This Croatian paper reviews the environmental hazards of cigarette butt litter, noting that approximately 80% of cigarette butts are discarded into the environment. Cigarette filters are made from cellulose acetate, a polymer that degrades slowly and leaches toxic chemicals into soil and water. The authors discuss biodegradable filter alternatives as a strategy to reduce plastic pollution from tobacco products.
Microplastics contamination in branded cigarettes: Characterization and potential burning inhalation risk assessment
Analysis of 21 domestic and international cigarette brands found microplastics present in filter materials, raising concern about inhalation exposure during smoking as an underrecognized route of human microplastic intake.
Littered cigarette butts in both coastal and inland cities of China: occurrence and environmental risk assessment
Researchers surveyed cigarette butt pollution across four Chinese cities, both coastal and inland, assessing contamination levels and heavy metal leaching risks. The study found that cigarette butts release microplastics and heavy metal particles, with contamination patterns varying by land use type and city development level, highlighting cigarette waste as an underappreciated source of microplastic pollution.
Toxicological assessment of cigarette filter-derived microplastics in Daphnia magna
Researchers assessed the toxicity of microplastics derived from degraded cigarette filters on the freshwater organism Daphnia magna. They found that the filter-derived particles were ingested by the organisms and gradually released harmful chemicals, causing chronic toxic effects beyond simple physical blockage. The study highlights cigarette litter as an overlooked but significant source of toxic microplastic pollution in aquatic environments.
Research on the presence of cigarette butts and their leaching of chemical pollutants and microparticles: the case of Dalian, China
This study quantified toxic substances (heavy metals, PAHs, and microplastics) leached from littered cigarette butts from major Chinese brands, providing data on the pollution contribution of cigarette butt litter in urban Chinese environments.
Effects of microplastics from cigarette filters on two aquatic species and in vitro human lung cells
Researchers assessed the ecotoxicological effects of microplastics derived from cigarette filters on two aquatic species and conducted in vitro tests for human cellular toxicity. Cigarette filter microplastics caused harm to both aquatic organisms and human cells, confirming them as a toxicologically relevant source.
Time to kick the butt of the most common litter item in the world: Ban cigarette filters
Researchers argue that cigarette filters, made of cellulose acetate single-use plastic, offer no public health benefit while being the most littered item globally and a significant source of microplastics, toxic chemical leaching, and ecological harm.
Microplastics from cigarette filters: Comparative effects on selected terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates
Researchers generated raw data comparing the effects of microplastics derived from cigarette filters on selected terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates, supporting a published study in Environmental Pollution examining the comparative toxicity of cigarette filter-derived microplastics across different organism types.
Attitudes, Beliefs, and Behaviors about Cigarette-Butt Littering among College-Aged Adults in the United States
Researchers surveyed over 7,500 college-aged smokers across the United States and found that cigarette butt littering was most common among those who did not believe butts were harmful or considered litter, suggesting targeted education about butt toxicity and microplastic content could reduce this significant pollution source.
The unignorable ecological impact of cigarette butts in the ocean: an underestimated and under-researched concern
This opinion piece argues that cigarette butts — which contain plastic cellulose acetate filters that fragment into microplastics — are a significantly underestimated source of ocean plastic pollution. Billions of cigarette butts are discarded each year, and recognizing them as a major microplastic source is important for designing more effective litter-reduction policies.
Smoked cigarette butts: Unignorable source for environmental microplastic fibers
Researchers highlight that discarded cigarette butts, made of cellulose acetate plastic, are an overlooked but major source of environmental microplastic fibers, with each butt containing over 15,000 detachable plastic strands. They estimate that approximately 300,000 tons of potential microplastic fibers from cigarette butts may enter aquatic environments annually. The study notes that these fibers also carry toxic substances like nicotine and carcinogenic compounds that can harm aquatic organisms.
Cigarette butts as a microfiber source with a microplastic level of concern
Researchers investigated whether cigarette butts are a significant source of microfiber pollution by analyzing smoked and unsmoked filters. They found that cigarette filters release large quantities of cellulose acetate microfibers, with smoked filters releasing even more than unsmoked ones due to degradation during use. The study identifies discarded cigarette butts as an overlooked but substantial contributor to microplastic pollution in the environment.