Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Comprehensive Analysis of Microplastic Abundance in Macrophytes, Macrophyte-Associated Sediments, and Water in Tropical Coastal Lagoons in Sri Lanka

Researchers examined how much microplastic accumulates in aquatic plants (macrophytes) in a tropical coastal lagoon in Sri Lanka, finding that seaweeds like Gracilaria contained up to 9 microplastic particles per gram of wet weight. Fragments dominated in plant tissues while fibers were more common in sediment and water, with PET identified as a key polymer. The study underscores that macrophytes are not just passive bystanders — they actively trap microplastics, making them important indicators of coastal plastic pollution.

2025 Water 1 citations
Review Tier 2

Accumulation and re-distribution of microplastics via aquatic plants and macroalgae - A review of field studies

This review summarizes field studies on microplastic accumulation in aquatic plants and macroalgae, finding that these primary producers can intercept and redistribute microplastics in aquatic ecosystems but have received far less research attention than animals.

2023 Marine Environmental Research 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Traversing the potential of phytoremediation and phycoremediation as pioneering technologies in microplastic mitigation – A critical review

This review examines how plants and algae can be used as natural tools to capture and remove microplastics from contaminated environments. Researchers analyzed the mechanisms by which plant roots trap microplastics in soil and how algae bind to and immobilize plastic particles in water. The study suggests that these biological remediation approaches offer sustainable, low-cost alternatives to conventional cleanup methods, though further research is needed to scale them up.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro- and nano-plastics pollution and its potential remediation pathway by phytoremediation.

This review proposed phytoremediation as a viable approach for removing micro- and nano-plastics from contaminated environments, reviewing evidence that plants can take up particles through roots and translocate them to shoots, and discussing the potential for hyperaccumulating species to be used in soil and water decontamination.

2023 Planta
Review Tier 2

Microplastics – A major contaminant in marine macro algal population: Review

This review identified the occurrence and characteristics of microplastics in marine macroalgae, highlighting macroalgae as both indicators of MP pollution and potential entry points for microplastics into marine food webs.

2023 Marine Environmental Research 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic debris in coastal macroalgae

Plastic debris including microplastics was investigated in five macroalgae species along Chinese coastlines, finding contamination in all species with differences in debris type and abundance related to algal morphology and coastal location, revealing macroalgae as both collectors and potential vectors of plastic pollution.

2021 Environmental Research 69 citations
Article Tier 2

Early evidence of microplastics on seagrass and macroalgae

Researchers quantified microplastic densities on the surfaces of three marine macrophyte species (two macroalgae and one seagrass) collected in situ, finding measurable contamination on all species. The results suggest that macrophytes may serve as an important but underappreciated pathway for microplastics to enter marine food webs.

2020 Marine and Freshwater Research 123 citations
Article Tier 2

Mechanistic understanding on the uptake of micro-nano plastics by plants and its phytoremediation.

This review summarized the mechanisms by which micro-nano plastics are taken up by plants through roots and leaves, and evaluated the potential for phytoremediation as a strategy to reduce plastic contamination in soil, identifying key plant species and genetic factors that influence uptake.

2024 Environmental science and pollution research international
Article Tier 2

Biomonitoring of microplastics, anthropogenic microfibres and glass retroreflective beads by marine macroalgae

Researchers explored the potential of marine macroalgae as biomonitors for microplastics, anthropogenic microfibers, and glass retroreflective beads in coastal environments. The study suggests that seaweed species could offer a more standardized and reliable method for tracking microscopic debris compared to conventional water and sediment sampling approaches.

2024 Environmental Pollution 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring Seaweed Cultivation in the Marine Environment and Its Interaction with Microplastic

This review examines interactions between seaweed cultivation in marine environments and microplastic pollution, exploring how seaweed can both accumulate microplastics and potentially be used in bioremediation strategies to reduce plastic contamination in coastal waters.

2025 BIOEDUSCIENCE
Article Tier 2

Plastic pollution in brackish waters: Macroalgae as collectors of plastic debris

Researchers investigated how two bloom-forming macroalgae (Chaetomorpha aerea and Hypnea cornuta) in a Sicilian coastal lagoon trap plastic debris ranging from macroplastics to microplastics, finding both species act as natural collectors with different capture efficiencies.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Species-specific plastic accumulation in the sediment and canopy of coastal vegetated habitats

A multi-habitat study of coastal vegetated areas in Portugal found that saltmarsh vegetation showed the strongest ability to trap macroplastics in sediment, while microplastics were distributed similarly across all habitat types. Subtidal habitats retained more microplastic fibers on their canopy than intertidal habitats, highlighting how plant structure and submersion depth influence plastic accumulation.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 158 citations
Article Tier 2

Interplay of plastic pollution with algae and plants: hidden danger or a blessing?

Researchers tested the ability of three microalgae species to remove microplastics from water through bioadhesion, finding that all three species could adsorb particles onto their surfaces. Removal efficiency depended on particle size, surface charge, and algae cell morphology.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 65 citations
Article Tier 2

Macroalgae as Marine Microdebris Traps: a Case Study in the Bahía Blanca Estuary

Researchers examined seven species of macroalgae and surface waters in the Bahia Blanca Estuary, Argentina, to assess marine microdebris including microplastics and antifouling paint particles. Fiber microplastics dominated surface waters, while brown alga P. nakamurae accumulated the highest microplastic concentrations among macroalgae, and green alga B. minima showed elevated paint particle levels, indicating that macroalgae function as passive traps for marine microdebris.

2024
Article Tier 2

Adsorption, uptake and toxicity of micro- and nanoplastics: Effects on terrestrial plants and aquatic macrophytes

This review summarizes research on how micro- and nanoplastics interact with terrestrial plants and aquatic macrophytes, finding that many species can absorb or take up plastic particles. Both short-term and long-term plastic exposure triggered stress responses in plants, and since plants are at the base of food chains and a major part of the human diet, there is concern about plastics moving up through the food web. The findings suggest that plastic pollution could potentially affect plant productivity and broader ecosystem function.

2021 Environmental Pollution 218 citations
Article Tier 2

Macrophytes: A Temporary Sink for Microplastics in Transitional Water Systems

Researchers found microplastics in 94% of macrophyte samples from two northern Adriatic lagoons, with contamination levels ranging from 0.16 to 330 items/g fresh weight showing a site-specific rather than species-specific pattern, and exopolysaccharides on macrophyte surfaces acting as glue to trap plastic particles.

2021 Water 44 citations
Article Tier 2

Impacts of Microplastics on Mangroves - A Review

Mangrove forests act as natural traps for microplastics due to their dense root systems that slow water flow, leading to higher microplastic accumulation in mangroves than other coastal zones. This matters because the build-up harms mangrove plants at the cellular and physiological level, threatening these ecologically critical habitats that protect coastlines and support fisheries.

2023 International Journal of Research and Review 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Natural filters of marine microplastic pollution: implications for plants and submerged environments

Researchers reviewed how vegetated ecosystems — like wetlands and marshes — act as natural filters that trap microplastics before they flow into waterways, but found that these trapped particles can still harm soil health and plant growth by causing oxidative stress. The review highlights a critical gap: plants help protect aquatic environments from microplastic pollution while simultaneously being harmed by it themselves.

2024 Environmental Advances 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of microplastic pollution on Mediterranean coastal plants

Researchers evaluated the effects of pristine, weathered, biodegradable, and non-biodegradable microplastics on two native Mediterranean coastal plant species, Cutandia maritima and Pancratium maritimum, measuring physiological, morphological, and fitness parameters including carbon assimilation, stem length, seed production, and germination rates in F1 offspring. The study found that microplastic exposure affected plant performance, extending research on microplastic phytotoxicity to wild coastal plant communities beyond agricultural species.

2022 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Marine macrophytes retain microplastics

Water sampled within thickets of Baltic Sea macrophytes contained on average 1.7 times more microplastic particles than water sampled outside, with fibers dominating, suggesting that aquatic vegetation physically traps floating microplastics and functions as an important retention zone that concentrates pollution within coastal habitats.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 70 citations
Article Tier 2

Recent Advances in Micro-/Nanoplastic (MNPs) Removal by Microalgae and Possible Integrated Routes of Energy Recovery

This review examined the interactions between micro- and nanoplastics and microalgae, covering how microalgae are affected by plastic particles and how they can in turn be used to remove plastics from aquatic environments. The authors identify microalgae-based systems as promising tools for combined plastic removal and biomass production.

2022 Microorganisms 51 citations
Article Tier 2

The power of green: Harnessing phytoremediation to combat micro/nanoplastics

This review explores how plants and plant-based systems can be used to capture and remove micro- and nanoplastics from contaminated soil and water environments. Researchers found that certain plant species can absorb, trap, or break down plastic particles through their root systems and associated microorganisms. The study suggests that phytoremediation, or using plants to clean up pollution, could become a scalable and environmentally friendly strategy for tackling plastic contamination.

2024 Eco-Environment & Health 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Uptake, transport and accumulation of micro- and nano-plastics in terrestrial plants and health risk associated with their transfer to food chain - A mini review.

This review examines how micro- and nano-plastics (MNPs) are taken up, transported, and accumulated in terrestrial plants, and assesses the associated health risks as MNPs transfer through the food chain from contaminated soil and water environments.

2023 The Science of the total environment
Article Tier 2

The microplastic menace: a critical review of its impact on marine photoautotrophs and their environment

This review examines how microplastics interact with marine macro- and microalgae, covering environmental prevalence, genetic responses to MP exposure, and mitigation strategies. It finds that annual introduction of 28.5 million tons of plastic into oceans threatens marine primary producers and indirectly affects marine food webs and human health through the consumption of contaminated seafood.

2025 Environmental Science and Pollution Research