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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Ominous trends in nature recreation
ClearAn Examination of Microplastic Pollution in Protected Areas from Outdoor Recreation
Microplastics were found in soils from protected natural areas frequently visited by outdoor recreationists, suggesting that even conservation lands and wilderness parks are not insulated from plastic pollution carried in by human visitors.
Plastics on the rocks: the invisible but harmful footprint of shoe soles
This study found that shoe soles worn on a short mountain hiking trail shed significant quantities of microplastic particles, contaminating the path and surrounding vegetation. The finding reveals that recreational outdoor activities are an overlooked source of microplastic pollution even in protected natural areas.
Examining sampling protocols for microplastics on recreational trails
This study developed and tested sampling protocols for detecting microplastics on hiking and trail running routes in nature reserves. Microplastics were found on trail surfaces, likely shed from synthetic clothing, footwear, and equipment used by outdoor recreationists. The findings highlight recreational trails as an underappreciated source of microplastic contamination in natural areas.
Emerging microplastic contamination in ecosystem: An urge for environmental sustainability
This review summarized the sources, environmental distribution, and ecological effects of microplastics, emphasizing the exponential increase in plastic production and waste mismanagement driving MP accumulation across terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The authors called for urgent policy measures to reduce single-use plastic production and improve waste infrastructure globally.
Waste Management in Selected National Parks: A Review
This review examines waste management practices in protected natural areas globally, highlighting the challenge of managing visitor waste in parks and reserves. Proper waste management in natural areas is critical to preventing plastic litter from breaking down into microplastics that contaminate pristine habitats.
Microplastics present pollution puzzle
This commentary in PNAS frames microplastics as a complex environmental pollution puzzle, noting that while their presence in the ocean is well-documented, their long-term ecological effects are still poorly understood. It calls for more research to determine the true scale of risk that microplastics pose to marine ecosystems and human health.
Parks and Recreational Areas as Sinks of Plastic Debris in Urban Sites: The Case of Light-Density Microplastics in the City of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Researchers found that parks and recreational areas in Amsterdam act as significant sinks for light-density microplastics, with artificial turf infill, tire rubber, and film fragments as dominant types, suggesting urban green spaces accumulate substantial plastic pollution from recreational and maintenance activities.
Microplastic pollution in water environment of typical nature reserves and scenery districts in southern China
Researchers measured microplastic abundance and polymer composition in water from 11 nature reserves and scenic districts in southern China, detecting microplastics in all samples with variation related to proximity to human activities. The findings fill a knowledge gap on microplastic contamination in protected natural areas and reveal that even remote reserves are not free from plastic pollution.
Worldwide distribution and abundance of microplastic: How dire is the situation?
This review examines the global distribution and abundance of microplastics across marine and freshwater ecosystems. Researchers found that microplastic accumulation varies significantly based on geographic location, water movement patterns, and proximity to human activity. The study emphasizes that without proper regulations to curb plastic pollution, microplastics will continue to threaten aquatic environments and, ultimately, human well-being.
Mikroplastik w środowisku naturalnym
This Polish-language review covers microplastic pollution in natural environments, explaining the sources, spread, and risks of microplastics to ecosystems and human health. The paper highlights microplastics as a serious emerging environmental hazard.
Microplastics in Environment and Effects on Biota
This review summarizes how microplastics form from plastic breakdown in nature or are manufactured at small sizes, spread across ecosystems, and harm organisms from microbes to larger animals. It emphasizes that poor plastic waste management is driving a growing global pollution crisis with broad ecological consequences.
Microplastics: Not a Micro Issue
This article presents an overview of microplastic pollution in oceans and lakes, reviewing sources, distribution, ecological impacts, and current research priorities. It emphasizes that microplastic contamination is no longer a minor issue but a serious threat to aquatic ecosystems and potentially to human health.
Microplastics pollution and risk assessment in water bodies of two nature reserves in Jilin Province: Correlation analysis with the degree of human activity
Researchers surveyed microplastic pollution in the waters of two nature reserves in northeastern China and found contamination at all sampling sites, with abundances correlated to the degree of nearby human activity. Fiber-shaped microplastics were the most prevalent type, and risk assessment indicated moderate ecological concern in some areas. The study demonstrates that even protected natural areas are not immune to microplastic pollution, particularly when human activities occur nearby.
On the issue of microplastics in the environment
This paper examines the origins of microplastic pollution, arguing that its emergence is not solely attributable to polymer chemistry advances and cannot be explained simply by physicochemical degradation processes acting on plastic materials.
Microplastic: A Burning Issue of Present Era
This commentary examines microplastic pollution as a critical contemporary environmental and public health issue, outlining the sources, environmental persistence, and pathways by which microplastics enter food chains and biological systems. The piece calls attention to the urgency of coordinated research and policy responses to address microplastic contamination at scale.
Microplastics as an emerging menace to environment: Insights into their uptake, prevalence, fate, and sustainable solutions
This review provides a comprehensive look at how microplastics enter the environment, accumulate in living organisms, and move through food chains. The paper covers sources, transport mechanisms, and the health implications of microplastic exposure for both wildlife and humans. The authors also discuss emerging solutions including biodegradable alternatives and advanced filtration technologies.
Microplastics in Environmental Setting: A Review on Sources, Exposure Routes and Potential Toxicities on Human Health
This review examines microplastics in environmental settings, synthesizing current knowledge on sources, distribution across terrestrial and aquatic compartments, fate processes, and ecological consequences. The authors identify priority research areas needed to address remaining uncertainties in microplastic risk assessment.
Mechanisms of Generation and Ecological Impacts of Nano- and Microplastics from Artificial Turf Systems in Sports Facilities
This review examines how artificial turf in sports facilities generates nano- and microplastics through mechanical wear, UV radiation, and weathering of synthetic grass fibers and infill materials. These plastic particles have been detected in drainage systems and surrounding soils near sports facilities, with laboratory studies showing harmful effects on soil organisms and aquatic life. The findings highlight artificial turf as an overlooked but significant source of microplastic pollution in urban environments.
Microplastics as Emerging Environmental Contaminants: Sources, Distribution and Ecological Implications
This review examines the sources, environmental distribution, and ecological implications of microplastics, which are now found across aquatic, terrestrial, and atmospheric environments worldwide. The study discusses how these persistent plastic fragments can enter food webs and highlights priorities for future monitoring, risk assessment, and pollution mitigation efforts.
How Do Nanoplastics and Microplastics Impact Human Health?
This review examines how nanoplastics and microplastics impact human health not only through direct particle exposure but also indirectly through their degradation of ecosystem services and environmental health. The authors synthesize evidence showing MPs are omnipresent in nature, that NPs are accumulating as MP fragmentation continues, and that the combined direct and indirect pathways represent a growing and multifaceted human health concern.
Microplastics in ecosystems: their implications and mitigation pathways
This review examined the implications of microplastic pollution across terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and outlined mitigation pathways to address this emerging environmental threat.
Microplastics and the delicate balance
This commentary discusses the delicate ecological balance that microplastic pollution disrupts, examining how these particles perturb aquatic food webs, alter biogeochemical cycles, and interact with climate processes. The author calls for urgent action to prevent further destabilization of critical ecosystems.
Microplastics in Water Bodies and in the Environment
This review examines microplastics and nanoplastics as emerging pollutants of concern in water bodies and broader environments, synthesizing current knowledge on their sources, distribution, detection methods, and ecological and human health implications. It discusses the challenges of monitoring these contaminants across freshwater, marine, and terrestrial systems given the diversity of particle types, sizes, and polymer compositions involved.
Marine microplastics spell big problems for future generations
This short PNAS commentary summarizes research on the harm microplastics cause to marine ecosystems and warns about long-term consequences for future generations. It emphasizes that plastic particles act both as physical hazards and as carriers of persistent toxic chemicals for marine organisms.