Papers

61,005 results
|
Article Tier 2

Seeking Philosophical Foundations for Ecological Civilization: Natural Theology East and West

This philosophical paper explores the ecological and spiritual foundations needed to support sustainable civilization, arguing that environmental crises stem partly from a breakdown in humanity's relationship with nature. It contextualizes pollution challenges like microplastics within a broader ethical framework.

2019 Annals of Bioethics & Clinical Applications 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Orthodox Christian Teaching on Eco-theology, Psychological and Legal Facets, and the Crisis of Microplastic Pollution in the World’s Oceans

This paper examines microplastic pollution in the world's oceans through an unusual interdisciplinary lens, combining environmental science with Orthodox Christian eco-theology and legal perspectives. Researchers discuss how microplastics accumulate throughout marine food webs and threaten biodiversity and food security, while arguing that ethical and spiritual frameworks can motivate stronger environmental action. The study calls for integrating religious, psychological, and legal approaches with scientific evidence to address ocean plastic pollution more effectively.

2026 Pharos Journal of Theology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Rethinking Ubuntu Philosophy in Nigeria's Environmental Law: A Pathway to Sustainable Plastic Pollution Regulation

This research paper proposes using Ubuntu philosophy—an African concept emphasizing community cooperation and interconnectedness—to create better plastic pollution laws in Nigeria. The authors argue that incorporating these traditional values into environmental regulations could lead to more effective community-based waste management and cleaner environments. Reducing plastic pollution matters for human health because plastic waste can break down into tiny particles that contaminate food and water supplies.

2026 eYLS (Yale Law School)
Article Tier 2

Theological reflections in the age of climate change: a reflection on the jellyfish metaphor

Not directly relevant to microplastics — this is a theological and philosophical essay using the jellyfish as a metaphor to explore humanity's moral responsibilities regarding climate change and ecological conservation.

2023 Pharos Journal of Theology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Meaning in Anthropocene Life

This is a conference proceedings summary featuring presentations on finding meaning in life during the Anthropocene, including perspectives from psychology, theology, and philosophy addressing climate change, environmental guilt, and existential responses to ecological crisis; it does not present original empirical research on microplastics.

2025 Dialog
Article Tier 2

Microplastics pollution in terrestrial ecosystems of Africa: current knowledge, challenges, and building collaborative research networks

Despite microplastic contamination of soils being a growing global concern, very few studies have examined terrestrial ecosystems in Africa, leaving a significant gap in our understanding of the problem across the continent. This review maps what little is known, identifies research gaps, and proposes a framework for building collaborative research networks between African scientists and established international research groups. Closing these knowledge gaps is essential for developing appropriate pollution responses and policies across African nations.

2025 Microplastics and Nanoplastics 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in African ecosystems: Current knowledge, abundance, associated contaminants, techniques, and research needs

This review synthesized current knowledge on microplastic abundance, associated contaminants, and ecological effects in African ecosystems, a region that ranks among the highest in mismanaged plastic waste. Despite the scale of the problem, the review found insufficient environmental monitoring data from Africa, calling for continent-specific research to support accurate global risk assessments.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 189 citations
Article Tier 2

The importance of microplastics pollution studies in water and soil of Nigeria ecosystems

This review highlights the lack of microplastic pollution research in Nigeria, despite the country's growing plastic production and consumption. The author calls for more local studies to generate data needed for science-based policy on plastic waste management in African ecosystems.

2019 Analytical Methods in Environmental Chemistry Journal 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and Climate Change in Africa

This review examines microplastic pollution and climate change interactions across African contexts, highlighting how plastic waste mismanagement compounds climate vulnerability in African ecosystems and discussing region-specific mitigation strategies.

2025 International Journal of Big Data Mining for Global Warming
Article Tier 2

From the Ecological Crisis of the Anthropocene to the Ecological Transition

This philosophical and scientific paper frames the current environmental crisis as an Anthropocene crisis involving not just climate change but the destabilization of the entire Earth system, including plastic pollution and biodiversity loss. The author argues that ecological transition requires systemic change in human-nature relationships.

2024
Article Tier 2

Ecological consequences of microplastic pollution in sub-Saharan Africa aquatic ecosystems: An implication to environmental health

This review examines the ecological consequences of microplastic pollution in aquatic ecosystems across sub-Saharan Africa, where research on the topic remains limited. Researchers summarized evidence that microplastics have been found in water, sediment, and aquatic organisms throughout the region, with potential effects on food chains and human health. The study highlights the urgent need for more comprehensive monitoring and policy responses in African countries.

2023 HydroResearch 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Consideration of emerging environmental contaminants in africa: Review of occurrence, formation, fate, and toxicity of plastic particles

This review examined the occurrence of micro- and nanoplastics in African environments, covering contamination across aquatic, terrestrial, and atmospheric matrices. It highlighted that despite Africa's significant contribution to global plastic pollution, monitoring data from the continent remain sparse relative to Europe and North America.

2020 Scientific African 38 citations
Review Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in African countries’ water systems: a review on findings, applied methods, characteristics, impacts, and managements

This review synthesizes findings on microplastic pollution in water systems across African countries, highlighting methodological approaches, particle characteristics, sources, and impacts, while noting the limited but growing body of African microplastic research.

2021 SN Applied Sciences 75 citations
Article Tier 2

Macro problems from microplastics: Toward a sustainable policy framework for managing microplastic waste in Africa

Researchers critically reviewed regulatory and policy approaches to managing microplastic pollution across African countries. They found that while environmental monitoring studies demonstrate an urgent need for action, the effectiveness of existing plastic waste policies in Africa remains poorly understood. The study proposes a sustainable policy framework tailored to the unique challenges African nations face in reducing microplastic waste generation and environmental contamination.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 119 citations
Article Tier 2

Ecolexicon of Flora and Fauna in Makassarese Proverbs: An Ecolinguistic Study

Researchers examined flora and fauna terminology in Makassarese proverbs through an ecolinguistic lens, identifying 20 plant and 20 animal terms used metaphorically by the community. The study analyzed how these ecological terms reflect the relationship between language, culture, and the natural environment. While not directly related to microplastic research, the study contributes to understanding how communities conceptualize their ecological surroundings.

2025 Journal of Language Teaching and Research 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Ekologija u svjetlu Capetownskog iskaza o predanju

This is the Croatian-language version of a theological essay discussing ecology in the context of the 2010 Cape Town evangelical commitment. It is not a scientific study and is not related to microplastics research.

2020 Kairos
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in aquatic environments in Africa: status and research opportunities

This review examines the status of microplastic pollution research in African aquatic environments, noting that Africa's high rate of plastic waste mismanagement has resulted in widespread contamination of freshwater and marine ecosystems. Researchers found significant research gaps in the region despite its outsized contribution to global plastic pollution, and identified opportunities for expanded monitoring given microplastics' capacity to adsorb persistent organic pollutants.

2022 Journal of Environmental Engineering and Science 2 citations
Article Tier 2

When Gods Drown in Plastic

This anthropological article examines Vietnamese coastal fishing communities' ritual whale worship and asks whether animist belief systems can drive meaningful environmental action in the face of crises like plastic pollution. While plastic pollution is invoked as context for the broader ecological crisis, the paper is primarily a study of religion and environmental ethics rather than a microplastics research study.

2023 Environmental Humanities 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Eco-Sattva: a Buddhist response to the plastic waste crisis in Thailand

Researchers examined how eco-sattva Buddhist principles have been applied to plastic waste management at Wat Chak Daeng temple in Thailand, using interviews with 15 priests, community leaders, and volunteers. The temple's integration of Buddhist teachings with waste collection and recycling programs demonstrated how spiritual and cultural values can successfully motivate community-level plastic pollution reduction.

2025 Frontiers in Psychology 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Défragmenter notre personnalité par le dialogue art-science : pour une co-énonciation écologique, transformative et une éthique joyeuse, allant de soi

This paper is not about microplastics; it is a French-language philosophical essay on personal ecological ethics, proposing that individuals can develop a spontaneous, joyful environmental ethic through inner harmony achieved by integrating scientific and artistic sensibilities.

2023 Interfaces numériques
Article Tier 2

Exploring the toxicology, socio-ecological impacts and biodegradation of microplastics in Africa: Potentials for resource conservation

This review examines the production, toxicology, and socio-ecological impacts of microplastic pollution across Africa, where limited waste management infrastructure and weak policy enforcement intensify the problem. Researchers found that microplastics threaten aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, reduce fertility in organisms, and disrupt economic activities. The study calls for expanded recycling, upcycling, and biodegradation strategies tailored to the African context to mitigate plastic pollution.

2024 Toxicology Reports 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Socio-ecologies of Plastic Bottle Waste (PBW) and the Development of Ecoprenuerial Initiatives in Contemporary Nigerian Society

This study is not directly about microplastics — it examines plastic bottle waste recycling economies and entrepreneurship in Nigeria, focusing on socioeconomic factors rather than microplastic contamination or health effects.

2023 Labor & Engenho 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution, human and ecological risks of microplastics in the African environment

This review summarizes the current state of microplastic pollution across the African continent, covering water, soil, and air environments. Researchers found that rapid industrialization and urbanization are increasing the rate of microplastic contamination, but significant knowledge gaps remain about the extent and impacts of this pollution in African countries. The study highlights the need for more research on the ecological and health risks of microplastics in the region.

2024 International Journal of Environment and Waste Management 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Emergence of microplastics in African environmental drinking water sources: A review on sources, analysis and treatment strategies

This review examines microplastic contamination of drinking water sources across Africa, identifying entry pathways linked to uncontrolled plastic imports, poor waste management, and limited water treatment infrastructure. The authors highlight the need for more African-specific research on microplastic fate in water systems and call for improved treatment strategies appropriate for resource-limited settings.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 8 citations