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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Microplastics could be marginally more hazardous than natural suspended solids – A meta-analysis
ClearWhat is particular about microplastics? A meta-analysis of the toxicity of microplastics and suspended sediments
This meta-analysis pools data from multiple studies to compare the toxicity of microplastics with natural suspended sediment particles in aquatic environments. The results help determine whether microplastics are uniquely harmful or behave similarly to other particles that organisms naturally encounter. This distinction matters for setting science-based pollution limits and understanding actual health risks.
A Meta-analysis of Ecotoxicological Hazard Data for Nanoplastics in Marine and Freshwater Systems
This meta-analysis assessed the environmental hazard of nanoplastics (extremely tiny plastic particles) in freshwater and marine systems. By building species sensitivity distributions from available toxicity data, it found that nanoplastics can harm aquatic organisms at relatively low concentrations, highlighting the need for better environmental safety thresholds.
Meta-analysis of the hazards of microplastics in freshwaters using species sensitivity distributions
This meta-analysis built species sensitivity distributions for microplastics in freshwater and found that predicted no-effect concentrations for pristine microplastics were lower than for weathered ones, suggesting lab studies with new plastics may overestimate real-world hazards. The research highlights that most ecotoxicological studies use pristine microplastics at concentrations far exceeding environmental levels, complicating ecological risk assessment.
Risk assessment of microplastics in freshwater sediments guided by strict quality criteria and data alignment methods
Researchers developed a quality-screened risk assessment framework for microplastics in freshwater sediments worldwide, rescaling published exposure data to a standard 1-5000 µm size range and aligning ecotoxicity thresholds to account for polydispersity and bioaccessible fractions. Using species sensitivity distributions, they calculated hazardous concentrations for 5% of species at approximately 4.9 x 10^9 particles/kg dry weight, finding that current environmental concentrations approach but generally fall within the margin of uncertainty of this threshold.
Estimating species sensitivity distributions for microplastics by quantitatively considering particle characteristics using a recently created ecotoxicity database
Researchers estimated species sensitivity distributions for microplastics using Bayesian modeling that accounts for particle characteristics such as size, shape, and polymer type. The study suggests that quantitatively considering these microplastic properties yields more accurate environmental risk assessments than traditional approaches that treat all microplastics as equivalent.
Assessment of potential ecological risk for microplastic particles
Researchers applied an ecological risk assessment framework to evaluate the hazard posed by microplastic particles across multiple environmental compartments, using species sensitivity distributions and environmental concentration data. The assessment highlighted specific particle types and size ranges that present the greatest ecological risk.
Non-traditional species sensitivity distribution approaches to analyze hazardous concentrations of microplastics in marine water
Researchers analyzed species sensitivity distribution curves for microplastic toxicity in marine water using non-traditional approaches, determining hazardous concentration thresholds across multiple toxicity endpoints to support environmental risk assessment.
Microplastic exposure in aquatic invertebrates can cause significant negative effects compared to natural particles - A meta-analysis.
This meta-analysis pools data from 26 studies comparing the effects of microplastics versus natural particles on aquatic animals. The findings show that microplastics cause more harm to growth, reproduction, and survival than natural particles in some species, suggesting that the chemical composition of plastics, not just the physical presence of particles, contributes to their toxicity.
A probabilistic risk framework for microplastics integrating uncertainty across toxicological and environmental variability: Development and application to marine and freshwater ecosystems
Researchers developed a new probabilistic risk assessment framework for microplastics that accounts for uncertainty in how laboratory toxicity data translates to real environmental conditions. Using Monte Carlo simulation and an enhanced species sensitivity distribution model, they found that uncertainty from particle-trait alignments can drive threshold variability by up to two orders of magnitude. The framework highlights that current risk assessments may underestimate hazards and identifies key research needs for improving microplastic environmental safety thresholds.
Raw data related to publication "Microplastics could be marginally more hazardous than natural suspended solids –a meta-analysis"
This meta-analysis provides raw data supporting a study comparing microplastic toxicity to natural suspended solids in water. The findings suggest that microplastics may be only marginally more harmful than natural particles, which is important context for understanding the actual health risks microplastics pose compared to other particles we routinely encounter.
Data driven methods to increase the reliability of microplastics hazard assessment
Researchers applied statistical data-driven methods to improve the reliability of microplastic hazard assessments derived from a growing but inconsistent body of ecotoxicology literature. The analysis identified key study characteristics that explain variability in reported effect sizes.
Illustrating a Species Sensitivity Distribution for Nano- and Microplastic Particles Using Bayesian Hierarchical Modeling
Researchers developed a Bayesian hierarchical model to construct species sensitivity distributions for nano- and microplastic particles, deriving hazardous concentration thresholds to support environmental risk assessment of plastic pollution.
Understanding hazardous concentrations of microplastics in fresh water using non-traditional toxicity data
Researchers developed hazard concentration thresholds for microplastics in freshwater using non-traditional toxicity data, accounting for environmentally relevant sizes, shapes, and polymer types to provide more realistic governance standards.
Assessment of potential ecological risk for microplastic particles
Researchers developed a framework for assessing the ecological risk of microplastic particles, incorporating particle characteristics, environmental concentrations, and species sensitivity data. The assessment identified conditions under which current environmental microplastic levels pose significant risk to aquatic organisms.
Bayesian species sensitivity distribution modeling for microplastic particles: integrating particle characteristics and intra-species variation
Researchers applied hierarchical Bayesian modeling to develop species sensitivity distributions for microplastics, incorporating particle size, shape, and censored effect data across up to 33 species, finding that smaller particles and fiber shapes are associated with lower chronic no-effect concentrations and estimating hazardous concentrations spanning several orders of magnitude.
Risk-based management framework for microplastics in aquatic ecosystems
This meta-analysis pooled data from 21 toxicity studies to create a risk management framework for microplastics in water. The researchers identified specific concentration thresholds where microplastics begin to harm aquatic life — either by diluting their food supply or by particles entering their tissues. This framework could help regulators set pollution limits to protect ecosystems and, ultimately, human food sources.
Micro/nanoplastics effects on organisms: A review focusing on ‘dose’
This critical review examined published dose-response data for microplastic effects on organisms, finding that the vast majority of studies used concentrations far exceeding measured environmental levels and calling for greater focus on realistic exposure scenarios to produce ecologically meaningful hazard assessments.
An enigma: A meta-analysis reveals the effect of ubiquitous microplastics on different taxa in aquatic systems
This meta-analysis pooled data from multiple studies to assess how microplastics affect aquatic organisms including fish, invertebrates, and zooplankton. Results showed that microplastic exposure can reduce feeding, growth, and reproduction across different species, raising concerns about broader impacts on aquatic food webs.
Global distribution characteristics and ecological risk assessment of microplastics in aquatic organisms based on meta-analysis
This meta-analysis assessed the global distribution of microplastics in aquatic organisms across multiple trophic levels, finding that biological characteristics like body size and feeding strategy significantly influence microplastic ingestion rates. The study provides a framework for ecological risk assessment and proposes strategies to reduce microplastic input into water bodies.
Microplastics in Aquatic Ecosystems: A Review of Ecotoxicological Effects, Exposure Pathways and Trophic Transfer Risks
This review synthesises evidence on the ecotoxicological effects of microplastics in marine, freshwater, and estuarine environments, covering ingestion, bioaccumulation, trophic transfer, and physiological harms across aquatic fauna. It identifies chemical co-contamination and particle size as key modulators of toxicity.
Microplastics in aquatic environments: Occurrence, accumulation, and biological effects
This review compiled evidence on microplastic occurrence, accumulation, and biological effects in global aquatic environments, covering uptake by organisms across trophic levels and the role of microplastics as vectors for persistent organic pollutants. The authors highlight concentration-dependent toxicity and the need for ecologically relevant exposure scenarios in laboratory studies.
Study on water quality criteria and ecological risk assessment of microplastics in China’s surface waters
Researchers derived water quality criteria for microplastics in Chinese surface waters using species sensitivity distribution analysis across aquatic toxicity data. The resulting criteria values provide regulatory benchmarks for protecting aquatic organisms from microplastic contamination in freshwater and marine environments.
Blueprint for the ideal microplastic effect study: Critical issues of current experimental approaches and envisioning a path forward
A double-weighted meta-analysis incorporating both experimental quality and statistical precision found that most published microplastic effect studies depart substantially from ecologically relevant experimental design, particularly in failing to mimic natural environments. The framework provides a quantitative benchmark for improving the rigor and generalizability of future microplastic toxicity research.
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.