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Food & Water
6,743 resultsOn the Construction and Comparison of Difference Schemes
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This classic numerical methods paper by Gilbert Strang analyzed the construction and comparison of finite difference schemes for solving differential equations — a foundational computational mathematics reference unrelated to microplastics research that appears to have been included in this dataset in error.
Human Consumption of Microplastics
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Researchers evaluated the American diet and estimated that the average person consumes between 39,000 and 52,000 microplastic particles per year through food alone, with the number rising significantly when inhalation and bottled water consumption are included. The study analyzed data from 26 prior studies covering common food categories. The findings highlight that microplastic exposure through everyday eating and drinking is widespread and substantial.
Microplastics in freshwaters and drinking water: Critical review and assessment of data quality
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Researchers critically reviewed fifty studies on microplastics in freshwater and drinking water and found significant quality issues, including inconsistent sampling methods and inadequate contamination controls. Many studies lacked proper quality assurance, making it difficult to draw reliable conclusions about actual contamination levels. The study emphasizes that standardized methods are urgently needed before the true extent of microplastic contamination in drinking water can be assessed.
Microplastics in Seafood and the Implications for Human Health
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This review examines how humans are exposed to microplastics through seafood consumption and discusses the potential health implications. Researchers note that shellfish and small fish eaten whole pose the greatest concern because the entire digestive tract, where microplastics accumulate, is consumed. The evidence suggests that any toxicity depends on factors like particle size, polymer type, and the chemicals attached to the plastic surfaces.
Plastic waste in the marine environment: A review of sources, occurrence and effects
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This review covered the sources, occurrence, and ecological effects of plastic waste in the marine environment, synthesizing evidence on how plastic pollution enters the ocean, where it accumulates, and what harm it causes to marine life.
Marine microplastic debris: An emerging issue for food security, food safety and human health
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This review examines the evidence for microplastic contamination in seafood and discusses what it means for food security and human health. Researchers found that microplastics have been detected in commercially important fish and shellfish species worldwide, but the actual health risks to humans from consuming contaminated seafood remain poorly understood. The study identifies critical knowledge gaps and calls for standardized methods to better assess the dietary exposure and potential toxicity of microplastics.
Anthropogenic debris in seafood: Plastic debris and fibers from textiles in fish and bivalves sold for human consumption
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Researchers examined fish and shellfish sold for human consumption in markets in Indonesia and California and found anthropogenic debris, including microplastic fibers and fragments, in every species tested. Fish tended to contain debris in their gastrointestinal tracts, while shellfish, which are eaten whole, contained it in their edible tissues. The findings raise direct concerns about human exposure to microplastics and textile fibers through everyday seafood consumption.
Wear and Tear of Tyres: A Stealthy Source of Microplastics in the Environment
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This paper compiles existing knowledge on tire wear as a major but often overlooked source of microplastics, estimating global per-person emissions at about 0.8 kilograms per year. Tire particles enter waterways, air, and soil, with an estimated 5-10% of ocean plastic pollution originating from tire wear. The study calls for increased awareness and creative solutions to address this stealthy yet substantial contributor to microplastic contamination.
Evidence of microplastic accumulation in agricultural soils from sewage sludge disposal
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Agricultural soils from 31 fields with different sludge application histories were analyzed for microplastics, finding significant accumulation in fields with repeated sludge applications and a positive correlation between application frequency and plastic particle counts. The study provides direct field evidence that sewage sludge fertilization is a major pathway for microplastic accumulation in agricultural soil.
A Global Perspective on Microplastics
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This review provides a global overview of microplastic pollution, tracing its origins from land-based disposal, textile washing, tire wear, and at-sea losses to its distribution across ocean compartments. Researchers note that microplastic abundance increases as particle size decreases, expanding the range of organisms that can ingest them, with particles smaller than 20 micrometers potentially able to penetrate cell membranes. The study highlights that while evidence of harm is growing, more research is needed to draw definitive conclusions about health risks to humans and wildlife.
Occurrence, Fate, Behavior and Ecotoxicological State of Phthalates in Different Environmental Matrices
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This review examines the widespread presence of phthalates, chemicals commonly added to plastics to increase flexibility, across air, water, soil, and food. Researchers found that phthalates are detected virtually everywhere in the environment and have been linked to reproductive, developmental, and hormonal effects in laboratory studies. The study highlights that indoor air represents a particularly significant source of human exposure since people spend the majority of their time indoors surrounded by plastic-containing products.
Anthropogenic contamination of tap water, beer, and sea salt
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Researchers tested tap water from 14 countries, beer from the Great Lakes region, and commercial sea salt for microplastic contamination and found anthropogenic particles in the majority of all samples. Tap water was contaminated in 81% of samples tested, with fibers being the most common particle type. The study highlights that microplastics are present in everyday foods and beverages, contributing to routine human exposure through multiple dietary sources.
Source, migration and toxicology of microplastics in soil
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This review compiles research on the sources, movement, and toxic effects of microplastics in soil ecosystems, an area that has received less attention than aquatic pollution. Researchers describe how microplastics enter soil through agricultural practices, wastewater, and atmospheric deposition, then transfer through food chains to affect organisms at multiple levels. The study identifies major knowledge gaps and proposes management strategies to mitigate the ecological and human health risks of soil microplastic contamination.
Rethinking microplastics as a diverse contaminant suite
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Researchers argue that the term microplastics oversimplifies what is actually a hugely diverse class of contaminants varying in size, shape, polymer type, and chemical additives. Treating all microplastics as a single pollutant leads to studies and regulations that may miss critical differences in how various particles behave and affect organisms. The study calls for a more nuanced approach that treats microplastics as a contaminant suite, similar to how pesticides or pharmaceuticals are categorized.
Microplastics affect sedimentary microbial communities and nitrogen cycling
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A microcosm experiment showed that microplastics added to salt marsh sediment altered microbial community composition and disrupted nitrogen cycling, including reduced denitrification rates, suggesting that microplastic contamination could impair important biogeochemical functions.
Occurrence of microplastics in raw and treated drinking water
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Researchers analyzed raw and treated water from three water treatment plants and found microplastics in all samples, though treatment reduced particle counts by roughly 70 to 80 percent. The vast majority of detected particles were smaller than 10 micrometers, a size range often missed by other studies. The findings highlight that while water treatment removes most microplastics, very small particles can still pass through conventional filtration systems.
Microplastic Pollution in Table Salts from China
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Researchers analyzed table salts produced in China and found microplastics contaminating samples from multiple salt types, suggesting that salt production processes and source water quality influence the extent of microplastic contamination in a common food ingredient.
Plastic Teabags Release Billions of Microparticles and Nanoparticles into Tea
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Researchers discovered that steeping a single plastic teabag at brewing temperature releases approximately 11.6 billion microplastics and 3.1 billion nanoplastics into a cup of tea. These particle levels are several orders of magnitude higher than those previously reported in other foods. Toxicity testing on water fleas showed that exposure to these released particles caused dose-dependent behavioral and developmental effects.
Synthetic Polymer Contamination in Bottled Water
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Researchers tested 259 bottles of water from 11 major brands purchased across nine countries and found microplastic contamination in 93% of samples. The most common particles were fragments, with polypropylene from bottle caps being the dominant polymer type identified. The study suggests that bottled water is a widespread source of human microplastic exposure, with contamination likely occurring during the packaging process.
A Review of Microplastics in Table Salt, Drinking Water, and Air: Direct Human Exposure
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This review examined 46 studies on microplastics found in table salt, drinking water, and air to estimate total human exposure. Researchers found that inhalation, particularly of indoor air, is the largest source of microplastic exposure, with estimates reaching up to 30 million particles per person per year. The study calls for urgent research into the potential health effects of this lifetime inevitable exposure to microplastics.
Low numbers of microplastics detected in drinking water from ground water sources
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Researchers analyzed groundwater and drinking water samples in Germany for microplastics using advanced infrared imaging and found very low concentrations, averaging less than one particle per cubic meter. The particles detected were common polymer types like polyethylene and polyamide, likely from the water supply infrastructure itself. The study provides reassuring evidence that ground-sourced drinking water contains far fewer microplastics than surface water or bottled water.
Chemical Analysis of Microplastics and Nanoplastics: Challenges, Advanced Methods, and Perspectives
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This review covers the latest laboratory methods for detecting and measuring microplastics and nanoplastics in environmental samples like water, food, and air. Identifying these tiny particles is extremely challenging because they vary enormously in size, shape, and plastic type, and concentrations can differ by billions of times between samples. Better standardized detection methods are essential for accurately understanding how much microplastic humans are actually exposed to.
Presence of microplastics and nanoplastics in food, with particular focus on seafood
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This assessment by the European Food Safety Authority reviews what is known about microplastics and nanoplastics in food, with a focus on seafood. Researchers found that while microplastics are present in many commercially important fish and shellfish species, most particles concentrate in the gut, which is typically removed before consumption. The study notes that nanoplastics remain poorly understood and highlights the need for better detection methods and exposure data to evaluate potential risks to human health.
Field evidence for transfer of plastic debris along a terrestrial food chain
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Researchers provided the first field evidence of micro- and macroplastic transfer through a terrestrial food chain, studying soil, earthworms, and free-range chickens in Mayan home gardens in Mexico. Microplastic concentrations increased dramatically from soil to earthworm casts to chicken feces, demonstrating accumulation up the food chain. The findings show that plastic debris enters terrestrial food webs relevant to human consumption, particularly in areas with poor waste management.