Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Revolutionizing microplastic detection in water through quantum dot fluorescence

Researchers developed a novel approach using carbon quantum dots to stain microplastics, enabling fluorescence-based detection in water at low cost and with simple synthesis, demonstrating high sensitivity and selectivity without the toxicity concerns of conventional fluorescent dyes.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Size- and Concentration-Resolved Detection of PET Microplastics in Real Water via Excitation–Emission Matrix Fluorescence Quenching of Polyamide-Derived Carbon Quantum Dots

Scientists developed a new method to detect tiny plastic particles (called microplastics) in drinking water using special fluorescent dots that dim when they encounter plastic pollution. The technique works best at finding very small plastic pieces—smaller than the width of a human hair—which are hardest to detect but potentially most dangerous since they can get into our bodies more easily. This could help monitor plastic contamination in tap water and other water sources we use daily, giving us better information about our exposure to these harmful particles.

2026 Sensors
Article Tier 2

The effects of Micro/Nano-plastics exposure on plants and their toxic mechanisms: A review from multi-omics perspectives.

A multi-omics review of micro/nanoplastic effects on plants found that plastic exposure disrupts gene expression, protein function, and metabolic pathways across multiple plant systems, with potential consequences for crop yield and agricultural food safety.

2024 Journal of hazardous materials
Article Tier 2

Promotion effect of nitrogen-doped functional carbon nanodots on the early growth stage of plants

Researchers found that nitrogen-doped carbon nanodots promoted seed germination, root growth, and biomass production across multiple plant species better than undoped nanodots. This is a plant science nanotechnology study not directly related to environmental microplastic pollution.

2020 Oxford Open Materials Science 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Photoluminescence of Argan-Waste-Derived Carbon Nanodots Embedded in Polymer Matrices

Not relevant to microplastics — this study creates photoluminescent carbon nanodots from argan waste and embeds them in transparent polymer films intended to improve solar panel efficiency by converting UV light, with no connection to microplastic pollution.

2023 Nanomaterials 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Fluorescent carbon dot embedded polystyrene: an alternative for micro/nanoplastic translocation study in leguminous plants

Researchers developed fluorescent carbon dot embedded polystyrene particles as a new tool for tracking how microplastics move through leguminous plants like mung beans. Using fluorescence microscopy, they observed that microplastics accumulated in the vascular regions and cell walls of the plants at concentrations above a certain threshold. The method offers a practical way to study how microplastics are taken up and distributed within edible crops grown in contaminated soil.

2024 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Synthesis and characterization of magnetic nanoparticles functionalized with carbon-based quantum dots (CQDs) for microplastic elimination

Researchers developed magnetic nanoparticles decorated with carbon quantum dots capable of removing microplastics from water using a magnet. This Spanish-language study demonstrates a promising approach to extracting small plastic particles from contaminated water that standard filtration systems miss.

2023 UCrea (University of Cantabria)
Article Tier 2

Recent Advances in Functionalized Carbon Quantum Dots Integrated with Metal–Organic Frameworks: Emerging Platforms for Sensing and Food Safety Applications

This review covers advances in combining carbon quantum dots with metal-organic frameworks to create highly sensitive sensors for detecting food contaminants like heavy metals, pesticides, antibiotics, and pathogens. While not directly about microplastics, these sensing technologies could be adapted to help detect plastic contamination in food and environmental samples.

2025 Foods 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Tracing the entry process of submicrometre plastics in soybean sprouts by leaf-derived fluorescent carbon dots

Researchers used fluorescent carbon dots derived from plant leaves to trace how submicrometre plastic particles enter soybean sprouts. The study found that these tiny plastics can be absorbed by plant roots and transported to above-ground tissues, suggesting a pathway for dietary exposure. Evidence indicates that fluorescent labeling with carbon dots is an effective tool for tracking microplastic uptake in food crops.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 10 citations
Article Tier 2

The threat of micro/nanoplastic to aquatic plants: current knowledge, gaps, and future perspectives

This review summarizes what is known about how micro- and nanoplastics affect aquatic plants, including how plants absorb these particles through roots and leaves and transport them internally. Exposure can alter plant growth, photosynthesis, and interactions with other organisms, though effects vary widely depending on plastic type and concentration. The authors highlight major research gaps and call for more studies on real-world conditions rather than controlled lab settings.

2023 Aquatic Toxicology 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro (nano) plastics uptake, toxicity and detoxification in plants: Challenges and prospects

This review examines how micro and nanoplastics are taken up by plants, covering their toxic effects on growth and gene expression as well as potential detoxification strategies. Smaller nanoplastics can penetrate plant cell walls and accumulate in tissues, causing oxidative stress and genetic damage. The findings are important for human health because contaminated crops could transfer microplastics directly into the food supply.

2023 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 39 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic/nanoplastic toxicity in plants: an imminent concern

This review examines the growing body of research on how microplastics and nanoplastics affect terrestrial plants, from root uptake to changes in growth and gene expression. Researchers found that these particles can alter plant physiology and biochemistry at varying degrees depending on particle size and concentration. The study calls for more research on how plastic contamination in soil may ultimately affect food crop quality and human health through the food chain.

2022 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 182 citations
Article Tier 2

Recent Advances in the Synthesis, Characterization, and Application of Carbon Dots in the Field of Wastewater Treatment: A Comprehensive Review

This review covers carbon dots, a type of nanomaterial that can be used to detect and remove pollutants from wastewater, including heavy metals, dyes, and organic chemicals. Carbon dots can improve water filtration membranes and boost the effectiveness of biological treatment systems. While not directly about microplastics, these technologies could be adapted to help detect and filter microplastics from drinking water and wastewater.

2025 Water 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Revolutionizing microplastic detection in water through quantum dot fluorescence

Researchers developed a quantum dot fluorescence-based detection system for microplastics in water, achieving sensitive and rapid identification of multiple polymer types with lower detection limits and faster analysis times than conventional spectroscopic methods.

2025 Journal of Environmental Science and Health Part A
Article Tier 2

Unveiling the impact of microplastics and nanoplastics on vascular plants: A cellular metabolomic and transcriptomic review

This review summarizes how microplastics and nanoplastics affect plant health at the cellular and genetic level, disrupting metabolism, nutrient uptake, and growth in vascular plants. Since contaminated crops are a pathway for microplastics to enter the human diet, understanding how plants absorb and respond to these particles is important for food safety.

2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Engineered dsRNA-protein nanoparticles for effective long-distance transport, delivery and gene silencing in plants

Researchers showed that double-stranded RNA bound to cationized proteins forms nanoparticles that can travel long distances within plants to silence target genes. The study is focused on agricultural biotechnology and plant gene regulation and is not related to microplastic research.

2023
Systematic Review Tier 1

Nano- and microplastics commonly cause adverse impacts on plants at environmentally relevant levels: A systematic review

Systematic review of 78 studies found that nano- and microplastics commonly cause adverse effects on plants even at environmentally relevant concentrations, with germination and root growth more strongly affected than shoot growth during early development. Chlorophyll levels were consistently reduced while stress indicators (ROS) and antioxidant enzymes were consistently upregulated across species.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 100 citations
Article Tier 2

Unraveling the adverse Impacts of Nano-scale Carbon Exposure on Nitrogen Metabolism during Early Seedling Establishment in Zea mays L. Roots

This paper is not relevant to microplastics research — it examines how nano-scale carbon materials affect nitrogen metabolism and root development in early maize seedlings.

2023