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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Using eRNA/eDNA metabarcoding to detect community-level impacts of nanoplastic exposure to benthic estuarine ecosystems
ClearExploitation of environmental DNA (eDNA) for ecotoxicological research: A critical review on eDNA metabarcoding in assessing marine pollution
This review examines how environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis -- a method that detects organisms through DNA traces left in water -- can be used to monitor the effects of marine pollution, including plastic waste. While eDNA does not detect plastics directly, it reveals how pollution changes the biodiversity of marine communities, serving as an early warning system. The approach could help scientists better track the ecological damage caused by microplastic contamination in oceans.
Size-dependent impacts from polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics on freshwater invertebrates: A mesocosm study combining environmental DNA metabarcoding and morphological identification
A 14-week outdoor mesocosm experiment exposed natural freshwater invertebrate communities to 15 µm and 150 nm polystyrene particles, finding size-dependent effects on community composition with nanoplastics causing greater disruption than microplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations.
Multi-omics-based approach reveals the effects of microplastics on microbial abundance and function of sediments in Shenzhen coastal waters
Researchers used a multi-omics approach combining metagenomics and metatranscriptomics to investigate how microplastic contamination affects microbial community abundance and functional gene expression in coastal sediments from eastern and western Shenzhen, China. They found microplastic concentrations of 119 items per kilogram in eastern sediments and 664 items per kilogram in western sediments, with higher contamination sites showing significant shifts in microbial community composition and altered expression of genes involved in carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycling.
Unveiling microplastic's role in nitrogen cycling: Metagenomic insights from estuarine sediment microcosms
Researchers used metagenomic analysis to examine how polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics affect nitrogen cycling in estuarine sediments. They found that microplastics altered the abundance of genes involved in key nitrogen transformation processes like nitrification and denitrification. The study reveals that microplastic pollution in estuaries may disrupt important biogeochemical cycles that support aquatic ecosystem health.
Where Have You Been? Backtracking Microplastic to Its Source Using the Biomolecular Composition of the Ecocorona
Researchers used metaproteomic and eDNA metabarcoding analysis of the biological ecocorona coating microplastics to trace plastic particles back to their source environment. Pristine and pre-incubated plastic fibers and fragments deployed in different environments accumulated distinct biomolecular signatures, enabling environmental source tracking of microplastics.
Microplastic pollution in estuaries across a gradient of human impact
Researchers reviewed available literature on nanoplastic effects across marine organisms from algae to invertebrates, finding widespread negative effects including reproductive harm and lethality, high potential for bioaccumulation up food chains, and a critical lack of standardized detection methods or regulatory frameworks for nanoplastics in marine environments.
Microplastics as persistent and vectors of other threats in the marine environment: Toxicological impacts, management and strategical roadmap to end plastic pollution
Researchers analyzed how microplastics spread through marine environments, acting as rafts for toxic chemicals and dangerous biofilms that infiltrate the food chain — a problem worsened by COVID-19's surge in single-use plastic waste. The review highlights emerging environmental DNA tools as a way to better track and manage marine microplastic contamination.
Detection, counting and characterization of nanoplastics in marine bioindicators: a proof of principle study
Researchers demonstrated a proof-of-concept workflow for detecting and counting nanoplastic particles (below 1 µm) in marine invertebrate tissues using electron microscopy and spectroscopic confirmation, finding nanoplastics in marine bioindicator species and establishing a methodology for future monitoring programs.
The distribution and ecological effects of microplastics in an estuarine ecosystem
Researchers surveyed 22 intertidal sites and found that microplastic abundance, size, and diversity correlated with benthic microalgal communities and sediment biostabilization properties in an estuarine ecosystem.
Microplastic biofilms as potential hotspots for plastic biodegradation and nitrogen cycling: a metagenomic perspective
Researchers used genetic analysis to study the microbial communities that form biofilms on different types of microplastics in an estuarine environment. They found that these plastic-associated communities contained genes for both plastic degradation and nitrogen cycling, suggesting the biofilms may play dual roles in the ecosystem. The study indicates that microplastic surfaces in waterways create unique microbial habitats that could influence both pollution breakdown and nutrient processing.
Genes of filter-feeding species as a potential toolkit for monitoring microplastic impacts
Researchers developed a genetic toolkit using candidate genes from filter-feeding marine species to monitor the biological impacts of microplastic exposure in natural environments. They identified six genes across nine species that show measurable expression changes when organisms encounter microplastics. The study offers a practical molecular approach for tracking how microplastic pollution is actually affecting wild marine populations.
Molecular Diet Analysis of Asian Clam for Estuarine Biodiversity Monitoring: A Case Study of Nakdong River Estuary
Researchers used environmental DNA extracted from the gut contents of Asian clams to identify biodiversity in the Nakdong River Estuary. Filter-feeding organisms like clams accumulate microplastics alongside food particles, making them useful both as biodiversity monitors and as indicators of microplastic contamination levels.
Plankton assemblages from microplastics of tropical coastal environments reveal high diversity and evidence of toxic species
Microplastic particles collected from beach sediments in the Johor and Singapore Straits harbored highly diverse plankton communities — including several documented harmful algal bloom species — detectable only through DNA sequencing rather than microscopy alone. This demonstrates that microplastics serve as rafts transporting potentially toxic microorganisms across coastal ecosystems, adding a biological dimension to the pollution risk they pose.
[Effects of Microplastics on Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Estuarine Sediments].
Researchers investigated the effects of three types of microplastics on antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in estuarine sediment microcosms, finding that microplastic presence altered the persistence, abundance, and diversity of ARGs as measured by high-throughput quantitative PCR.
The scientific basis for addressing marine micro- and nanoplastic pollution: Informing effective monitoring and remediation frameworks
This review synthesizes the scientific basis for monitoring and remediating marine micro- and nanoplastic pollution, covering detection technologies, ecotoxicological effects across the food web, and the specific challenges nanoplastics pose due to their nanoscale properties.
Enhanced eDNA Recovery from Microplastic-Polluted Freshwater Systems Using Surfactant-Assisted Bead-Beating with Enzymatic Digestion
Researchers developed an improved eDNA recovery method combining surfactant-assisted bead-beating with enzymatic digestion to overcome the interference caused by microplastic pollution in freshwater biodiversity monitoring. The approach significantly enhanced eDNA retrieval from contaminated water bodies where conventional methods underperform.
Metagenomics reveals the influence of small microplastics on microbial communities in coastal sediments
Researchers used high-throughput metagenomic sequencing and micro-Raman spectrometry to study how small microplastics (under 100 um) influence microbial communities in coastal sediments of Hangzhou Bay, China. Results revealed distinct microbial community shifts associated with small microplastic presence, an effect often overlooked due to measurement challenges at small particle sizes.
Environmental DNA metabarcoding reveals the effects of seafloor litter and trawling on marine biodiversity
This study used environmental DNA metabarcoding to examine how seafloor litter and bottom trawling affect marine biodiversity in demersal fish communities. Results showed that combining these anthropogenic pressures significantly altered species composition compared to either stressor alone.
Toxicological review of micro- and nano-plastics in aquatic environments: Risks to ecosystems, food web dynamics and human health.
This review synthesized evidence on the toxicological effects of micro- and nanoplastics in aquatic ecosystems, covering risks to individual organisms, disruptions to food web dynamics, and pathways through which plastic exposure poses risks to human health via seafood consumption.
Early molecular responses of mangrove oysters to nanoplastics using a microfluidic device to mimic environmental exposure
Researchers used a microfluidic chip mimicking estuarine water conditions to expose mangrove oysters to nanoplastics from polystyrene and beach-collected sources, finding that low concentrations of beach-derived nanoplastics triggered the strongest gene expression responses. Genes involved in endocytosis, oxidative stress, and DNA repair were activated, demonstrating the utility of microfluidic devices for nanoplastic ecotoxicology.
Microbial Communities on Plastic Polymers in the Mediterranean Sea
Researchers collected floating microplastics from a bay in the Mediterranean and analyzed their bacterial biofilm communities using 16S rRNA sequencing, finding that microbial communities on plastics were distinct from surrounding seawater and differed between polymer types.
Investigation of Soil-Dwelling Bacterial Community Changes Induced by Microplastic Ex posure Using Amplicon Sequencing
Researchers analyzed soil bacterial community composition after microplastic contamination, finding that different polymer types caused distinct shifts in microbial diversity and functional groups, with implications for soil nutrient cycling and agricultural productivity.
Do microbial decomposers find micro- and nanoplastics to be harmful stressors in the aquatic environment? A systematic review of in vitro toxicological research
Researchers systematically reviewed in vitro studies on how bacteria and fungi respond to micro- and nanoplastics, finding that polystyrene particles and E. coli dominate the literature and that nanoplastic toxicity commonly disrupts antioxidative systems, gene expression, and cell membrane integrity in microbial decomposers.
Extracting DNA from ocean microplastics: a method comparison study
Researchers compared multiple methods for extracting DNA from microplastics collected in the ocean, providing detailed protocols for studying the microbial communities that colonize plastic debris. Understanding what microorganisms colonize marine plastics is important because these surfaces can transport bacteria — including potentially harmful species — across long ocean distances.