Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Circular and lower impact mussel and seaweed aquaculture by a shift towards bio‐based ropes

This review examines how shifting mussel and seaweed aquaculture from conventional plastic ropes to bio-based alternatives could reduce marine litter and microplastic generation. Bio-based ropes offer comparable functionality while providing better end-of-life options, including recycling and biodegradation. The transition would support circular economy principles and help reduce the aquaculture industry's contribution to ocean plastic pollution.

2023 Reviews in Aquaculture 36 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Food packaging based on biodegradable polymers from seaweeds: a systematic review

This systematic review examines the use of seaweed-based biodegradable polymers as alternatives to conventional plastic food packaging. The research explores how seaweed materials can provide effective food packaging while breaking down naturally in the environment. Replacing petroleum-based plastics with biodegradable alternatives is one strategy for reducing the microplastic pollution that enters our food and water.

2024 BIO Web of Conferences 9 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Rethinking material use in low-trophic aquaculture: A global review

This systematic review reveals that low-trophic aquaculture — farming seaweed and shellfish often promoted as sustainable — actually relies heavily on plastic materials like ropes, nets, and floats. These plastics degrade in seawater and release microplastics directly into marine environments. The findings challenge assumptions about the environmental friendliness of these farming practices.

2025 Journal of Environmental Management
Article Tier 2

Challenge in increasing the use of animal-origin textile fibers to reduce microplastic pollution on earth

This review argues that replacing synthetic textile fibers with natural animal-origin fibers—such as wool and silk—could significantly reduce the release of microplastic fibers during washing, which currently contributes large quantities of plastic pollution to aquatic environments. The authors propose a scientific and policy framework to scale up natural-fiber use as a practical strategy for cutting textile-derived microplastic contamination.

2023 Journal of Textile Engineering & Fashion Technology 1 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

Marine Biodegradability and Ecotoxicity of MWool® Recycled Wool Fibers: A Circular-Economy-Based Material

Researchers tested MWool recycled wool fibers for marine biodegradability and ecotoxicity, finding that these fibers biodegrade in marine conditions and show low toxicity to marine organisms, supporting their potential as a more sustainable alternative to synthetic microfibers from textile washing.

2023 Oceans 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Future Island-Island Impact Cards:Rathlin Wool Rope

This practice-led design research project explored the feasibility of replacing polypropylene ropes used in maritime industries with natural wool ropes from the island of Rathlin, as a microplastic reduction strategy. Laboratory testing and lifecycle analysis informed the development of prototype ropes evaluated for strength and biodegradability.

2025 Ulster University Research Portal (Ulster University)
Article Tier 2

Potential microplastic release from the maritime industry: Abrasion of rope

Researchers quantified microplastic production from maritime rope use, finding that older, more worn ropes shed significantly more microplastic fibers during hauling, identifying the maritime industry as an underestimated source of ocean plastic pollution.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 107 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics contamination in seaweed: impacts on human health and mitigation approaches

This review found that microplastics contaminate many types of edible seaweed, with fibers and fragments being the most common forms. Since seaweed is consumed worldwide, these microplastics can enter the human body and potentially cause oxidative damage, cell toxicity, and neurotoxicity. More research is needed to fully understand the health risks of eating microplastic-contaminated seaweed.

2025 Discover Oceans 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Risk of aquaculture-derived microplastics in aquaculture areas: An overlooked issue or a non-issue?

This review examines aquaculture-derived microplastics from degrading fishing nets and foam buoys, finding they represent a significant but overlooked source of marine microplastic pollution with distinct environmental consequences compared to other sources.

2022 Frontiers in Marine Science 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Ecosystem Services Provided by Seaweeds

This review summarizes the many ecosystem services that seaweeds provide, including food production, carbon storage, water filtration, and habitat for marine life. Seaweeds can also help combat pollution by absorbing heavy metals and other contaminants from the water. The review is relevant to microplastics research because healthy seaweed ecosystems may play a role in filtering microplastics from ocean water, and damage to these ecosystems could worsen marine plastic pollution.

2023 Hydrobiology 133 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and their potential effects on the aquaculture systems: a critical review

This review examines the sources, distribution, and potential ecological effects of microplastics in aquaculture systems worldwide. Researchers found that microplastics enter aquaculture through feed, water intake, and atmospheric deposition, and can accumulate in farmed fish and shellfish tissues. The study highlights the need for monitoring programs and mitigation strategies to protect both aquaculture productivity and consumer safety from microplastic contamination.

2020 Reviews in Aquaculture 154 citations
Review Tier 2

Microplastic Pollution in Seawater: A Review Study

This review study systematically evaluated recent data on microplastic contamination in seawater, synthesizing findings on distribution, concentration, polymer types, and ecological impacts in marine ecosystems. The evidence confirms that microplastic pollution is a growing global concern with documented negative effects on marine biota.

2023 Nature Environment and Pollution Technology 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Contribution of seaweed farming to the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and microplastics pollution

Researchers reviewed how seaweed farming can help fight two major environmental problems: seaweed absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere without competing for agricultural land, and seaweed-derived polymers can be used to make biodegradable plastics that break down without generating persistent microplastics. Scaling up seaweed-based bioplastics remains limited by production costs, but the potential environmental benefits make further research worthwhile.

2024 Algal Research 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluating Pollution from Aquaculture Materials and Developing Sustainable Alternatives to Reduce Marine Environmental Impacts: A Case Study in Vietnam

Researchers assessed the status of marine pollution associated with aquaculture activities in Vietnam, with particular emphasis on plastic and microplastic contamination from aquaculture materials, and developed recommendations for more sustainable alternatives to reduce the environmental footprint of coastal aquaculture operations.

2025 Mitteilungen Klosterneuburg
Article Tier 2

Eco-Friendly Processing of Wool and Sustainable Valorization of This Natural Bioresource

This review examines sustainable approaches to wool processing and valorization as an environmentally friendly alternative to synthetic polymers that generate micro- and nanoplastics. The study highlights new applications for wool beyond textiles, including thermal insulation, fertilizer use, and biomedical materials, emphasizing wool's natural biodegradability as a key advantage over plastic-based fibers.

2024 Sustainability 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of microplastic pollution on the ocean and marine animals: A comprehensive review

This comprehensive review synthesized evidence on how microplastic pollution affects ocean health and marine animals, covering ingestion, entanglement, chemical toxicity, and ecosystem-level impacts. It found pervasive harm across marine food webs and called for urgent global reduction measures.

2024 Global NEST Journal 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of marine microplastic on marine life and the food webs – A detailed review

This review provides a comprehensive look at microplastic pollution in marine environments, covering sources, impacts on marine life, and risks to human health through the seafood supply chain. Microplastics cause physical harm like gut blockages in marine animals and can carry toxic chemicals that accumulate up the food chain. The authors emphasize that with global plastic production still rising, urgent policy action and better waste management are needed to protect both ocean ecosystems and human health.

2024 Marine Ecology 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics Content of Seaweeds in the Mariculture Potential Zone at The Southwest of Coastal Bawean Island

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in seaweeds from Bawean Island, Indonesia, finding that even sheltered coastal waters contained microplastics in red, green, and brown seaweed species collected from mariculture potential zones.

2023 JURNAL BIOLOGI TROPIS 7 citations
Article Tier 2

The detrimental impact of microplastics on the Marine Environment and potential remediation strategies.

This review analyzes the detrimental impacts of microplastics on marine environments, summarizing documented hazards to marine life and ecosystems from historical and recent research, and evaluates several representative remediation strategies for addressing microplastic contamination. The authors found that microplastics interfere broadly with marine organism physiology and food web dynamics, and that current treatment approaches — including filtration, photocatalysis, and biological degradation — each carry limitations requiring further development for large-scale application.

2024 Science and Technology of Engineering Chemistry and Environmental Protection
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in the marine environment: A review

This review covers the full scope of microplastic pollution in the ocean, from sources and distribution to effects on marine life and potential solutions. Microplastics have been found in marine organisms at every level of the food chain, raising concerns about human exposure through seafood. The authors emphasize that global plastic production continues to rise, making better waste management and policy action urgent.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 77 citations
Article Tier 2

Alternative Rope Materials in Towed Fishing Gear to Reduce Plastic Waste, A Comparative Study of Mechanical Properties and Tolerance Against Wear and Tear

Researchers compared the wear tolerance of 14 different rope materials in demersal fisheries, including conventional synthetic polymers and biodegradable alternatives, to identify lower-plastic options that can reduce fishing gear-derived plastic waste.

2023 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Rehashing Our Insight of Seaweeds as a Potential Source of Foods, Nutraceuticals, and Pharmaceuticals

This review summarizes research on seaweed as a source of beneficial compounds including antioxidants, anti-inflammatory agents, and other health-promoting substances. While not directly about microplastics, the research is relevant because seaweeds grow in marine environments increasingly contaminated with microplastics. Understanding the health benefits of seaweed also requires considering the potential risks of microplastic contamination in these marine food sources.

2023 Foods 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and ecological impact of microplastics in aquaculture ecosystems

This review examines microplastic contamination specifically within aquaculture systems, which are an increasingly important source of protein for human diets worldwide. Researchers found that aquaculture environments accumulate microplastics from external sources like land-based waste and shipping, as well as from the plastic gear, equipment, and feed used in farming operations. The study raises concerns about food safety, as microplastics in farmed seafood represent a direct pathway of human exposure.

2021 Chemosphere 245 citations