Papers

61,005 results
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Review Tier 2

Advanced biotechnological tools towards achieving United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) for mitigation of microplastics from environments: a review

This review examines how advanced biotechnological tools—including synthetic biology, enzyme engineering, and omics approaches—can contribute to achieving UN Sustainable Development Goals related to clean water, reduced pollution, and sustainable production and consumption.

2025 Discover Sustainability 4 citations
Article Tier 2

The power of synthetic biology for bioproduction, remediation and pollution control

Researchers review how synthetic biology — engineering living organisms to perform new tasks — can help meet UN sustainability goals by creating eco-friendly products and cleaner production processes, offering new tools to tackle pollution and reduce industrial waste.

2018 EMBO Reports 112 citations
Review Tier 2

Circular economy, bioeconomy, and sustainable development goals: a systematic literature review

Researchers conducted a systematic review of 649 studies examining how circular economy and bioeconomy concepts contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. They found that while these approaches show promise for addressing environmental challenges including plastic waste, most research has focused on a limited set of goals and lacks empirical data. The study identifies key research gaps, including the need for more studies on economic and social impacts in developing countries.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 74 citations
Article Tier 2

Emerging threat of microplastics across environmental matrices encompassing sources ecotoxicological effects and management strategies within the framework of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This review synthesizes current knowledge on microplastic sources, environmental distribution, and ecotoxicological impacts across various environmental matrices, framed within the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The study highlights how microplastics accumulate across ecosystems and affect organisms at all trophic levels through ingestion and chemical exposure, while identifying management strategies aligned with global sustainability targets.

2026 Discover Sustainability
Article Tier 2

Digital Nano-Plastic Science (DNPS) Paradigm: Computational Intelligence and Proteostasis Disruptions.

This paper proposes a new interdisciplinary framework called Digital Nano-Plastic Science that uses computational intelligence and predictive modeling to study how nanoplastics disrupt biological systems. The framework introduces concepts for simulating nanoplastic interactions with biological communication pathways and proposes risk scoring systems for policy use. The work aims to bridge computational science and environmental policy by aligning research with UN Sustainable Development Goals.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Challenges with microplastic pollution in the regime of UN sustainable development goals

Researchers reviewed the global challenge of microplastic pollution through the lens of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, highlighting how microplastics enter aquatic, terrestrial, and human health systems and how current international frameworks fall short of managing them. The review emphasizes that microplastics can carry and concentrate harmful chemicals like persistent organic pollutants, amplifying their risks throughout the food chain.

2025 World Development Sustainability 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Sustainable Development Goals and microplastics in seafood: a theoretical-reflective study

This theoretical review examined the relationship between microplastic contamination of seafood and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, arguing that strengthening water pollution policies and educating health professionals about microplastic risks are necessary to achieve SDG targets.

2025 Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem
Article Tier 2

Integrating STEM Curriculum Across the Schools' Learning Environment to Reflect & Impact Life Practices

This paper is not about microplastics. It discusses integrating STEM curriculum across school environments to promote sustainability education and critical thinking, referencing UN Sustainable Development Goals. While it mentions environmental challenges broadly, the paper focuses on educational pedagogy rather than microplastic pollution or environmental contamination research.

2023 KnE Social Sciences 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Microbiota: the Vital Role in Supporting Sustainable Development Goals 2030 from a Microscopic Scale

This paper is not relevant to microplastics research — it discusses the role of microbial biodiversity (microbiota and microphytes) in freshwater ecosystems in supporting the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, with a case study from Indonesia.

2023 IJMS Indonesian Journal of Mathematics and Natural Science
Systematic Review Tier 1

Sustainable Development Issues in Chemistry Learning as Educational for Sustainable Development Implementation: A Systematic Literature Review

This systematic literature review synthesized research on integrating sustainable development issues into chemistry education. While not directly about microplastics, it identified microplastic pollution as one of the sustainability topics being incorporated into chemistry curricula to help students understand real-world environmental challenges.

2026 Jurnal Pendidikan Matematika dan Sains
Article Tier 2

Advancement of Materials to Sustainable & Green World

Not relevant to microplastics — this is an editorial commentary from the International Association for Advanced Materials on sustainable materials science and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.

2023 Advanced Materials Letters 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Convergence of tissue engineering and sustainable development goals

This review explores how tissue engineering is aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, covering biomaterials and technologies like bioprinting and electrospinning. While not focused on microplastics, the review discusses the use of synthetic polymers in medical implants and devices, which raises questions about whether these materials could release micro or nanoplastics inside the body over time. The push for more sustainable, biodegradable biomaterials could help reduce this potential source of internal microplastic exposure.

2024 Biotechnology for Sustainable Materials 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Современное состояние и тенденции в экологической биотехнологии

This review examines the current state and trends in environmental biotechnology for achieving sustainable development goals, covering biotechnological approaches for remediating soil, water, and air from persistent and hazardous pollutants, with a dedicated chapter on the utilization and remediation of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems contaminated with synthetic materials including microplastics.

2024 Biologia et Biotechnologia
Article Tier 2

Synthetic biology encompasses metagenomics, ecosystems, and biodiversity sustainability within its scope

Not relevant to microplastics — this is a synthetic biology perspective paper exploring how combining synthetic biology with metagenomics ('synthetic metagenomics') could enable engineering of complex microbial communities and ecosystems for environmental sustainability and other applications.

2023 Frontiers in Synthetic Biology 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Digital Nano-Plastic Science (DNPS) Paradigm: Computational Intelligence and Proteostasis Disruptions.

This paper presents a theoretical framework called Digital Nano-Plastic Science that applies computational modeling to understand how nanoplastics disrupt biological processes at the molecular level. The framework proposes new risk assessment tools including digital twin simulations for tracking environmental contamination and bioremediation outcomes. The work is intended as a policy-oriented white paper aligning nanoplastic research with UN Sustainable Development Goals.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Sustainability of lakes and reservoirs in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals

This review paper links the sustainability of lakes and reservoirs to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, discussing threats from climate change, biological invasions, and pollution. Microplastics are mentioned among the emerging pollutants threatening freshwater ecosystem sustainability.

2020 Ghent University Academic Bibliography (Ghent University)
Article Tier 2

Some insights on traditional and novel approaches in microbial biotechnology that contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

This editorial highlights diverse ways microbial biotechnology contributes to sustainable development goals, discussing both traditional and novel approaches in areas including pollution remediation, food security, and resource recovery.

2023 Microbial Biotechnology 4 citations
Article Tier 2

High School Sustainable and Green Chemistry: Historical–Epistemological and Pedagogical Considerations

Not relevant to microplastics — this is a chemistry education paper discussing how to better integrate sustainable and green chemistry into high school curricula, tracing the history of the Science, Technology, and Society movement and advocating for systems thinking approaches.

2023 Sustainable Chemistry 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Emerging Frontiers in Environmental Biotechnology

This chapter examines how biotechnology can address microplastic pollution generated by industrialization, reviewing bio-based degradation pathways, nanobiotechnology applications, and the role of engineered organisms in reducing plastic use and waste. The authors assess the future potential of environmental biotechnology as a sustainable tool for managing hazardous microplastic contamination across industries.

2024
Article Tier 2

Opportunities and Challenges for the Sustainability of Lakes and Reservoirs in Relation to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This review examines the opportunities and challenges for sustainable management of lakes and reservoirs in the context of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Researchers assessed how emerging threats including microplastic pollution, climate change, and biological invasions affect freshwater ecosystem sustainability. The study calls for a multidimensional approach that balances economic development with environmental protection to ensure the long-term health of these critical water resources.

2019 Water 165 citations
Article Tier 2

Microalgae–microplastics interactions at environmentally relevant concentrations: Implications toward ecology, bioeconomy, and UN SDGs

This study investigated how microalgae interact with microplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations, examining growth inhibition, aggregation, and photosynthetic effects, with implications for aquatic ecosystem function and the feasibility of microalgae-based bioremediation.

2023 Water Research 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Unlocking the potential of nanobiohybrids to combat environmental pollution

This review examines how nanobiohybrids — combinations of nanomaterials with biological components — could be used to clean up environmental pollutants, including plastics. The chapter highlights emerging nanotechnology-based bioremediation strategies as sustainable alternatives to conventional pollution management. While not focused on microplastic toxicology, it is relevant to the broader challenge of removing plastic contamination from the environment.

2023 IWA Publishing eBooks 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastics and Microplastic in the Cosmetic Industry: Aggregating Sustainable Actions Aimed at Alignment and Interaction with UN Sustainable Development Goals

This review examined how the cosmetics industry uses microplastics and petroleum-derived polymers in product formulations and packaging, and assessed industry efforts to align with UN Sustainable Development Goals. Regulatory pressure and bioeconomy policies are accelerating substitution of synthetic microplastics with bio-based alternatives.

2022 Polymers 56 citations
Article Tier 2

Science Studies teachers’ selection of content when teaching for Sustainable Development

This paper is not about microplastics; it investigates how Swedish Science Studies teachers select content when teaching for Sustainable Development, finding that most teachers struggle to take a truly holistic approach that integrates social, economic, and environmental perspectives. The study is an education research paper with no relevance to microplastic science.

2024 Nordic Studies in Science Education 2 citations