Microplastic contamination refers to the presence and distribution of synthetic polymer particles typically <5 mm in environmental matrices, including marine, freshwater, terrestrial, atmospheric, and biological systems. As a research topic, it encompasses sources (primary and secondary microplastics), transport pathways (e.g., hydrodynamic and atmospheric dispersion), physicochemical properties (size, shape, polymer type, surface chemistry), and interactions with co-contaminants such as persistent organic pollutants and metals. Studies investigate bioavailability, trophic transfer, organismal and cellular responses, and potential human exposure via inhalation and ingestion, as well as methodological challenges in sampling, analytical detection, quantification, and risk assessment frameworks.
Microplastic contamination has been a much-discussed topic over the last several years, but contamination from even smaller plastic particles represents another pressing issue. Nanoplastics—defined as being under a micrometer ...
When colleagues and I found microplastics in hedgehog droppings, we wanted to know where they were coming from. One answer was surprisingly close to home: pet food.
Plants & Animals
Jun 23, 2026
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Micro- and nanoplastics are now popping up everywhere: in seawater, snow, food and even in our bodies. The very smallest particles, in particular, are difficult to measure, meaning we still know too little about their spread ...
Environment
Jun 18, 2026
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A study led by researchers from the Smithsonian Institution and the UB reveals that reducing single-use plastic is essential for protecting coastal ecosystems. Floating litter has also invaded Chesapeake Bay, the largest ...
Environment
Jun 17, 2026
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44
Globally, humanity now produces a staggering 450 million tonnes of plastic every year. From food and drink containers to cosmetics packaging, sewage pipes, window frames and polyester clothing, we use plastics in almost every ...
Environment
Jun 13, 2026
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44
Monitoring the eggs of wild birds like the bearded vulture and the imperial eagle over a decade reveals the accumulation and persistence of environmental pollutants in ecosystems. At first glance, a wild bird's egg represents ...
Ecology
Jun 9, 2026
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6
Microplastics (MPs), defined as plastic fragments smaller than 5 mm, have become so pervasive that they are detectable in nearly every environment studied—from remote ocean trenches to urban air, tap water, and human blood. ...
Environment
Jun 8, 2026
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8
Nearly a billion pounds of plastic film mulch is used in American agriculture each year, and most of it is dumped into landfills. New research from Washington State University shows that recycling could be a feasible alternative, ...
Environment
Jun 1, 2026
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Ahead of World No Tobacco Day May 31, the American Thoracic Society and our Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) partners reiterate the need for countries to urgently implement decisions made at the 11th Conference ...
Environment
Jun 1, 2026
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8
Smaller plastic particles have more effects on neurons, the key information processing cells of the brain, new research from the University of Eastern Finland shows. In the study, neuronal cells were exposed to polystyrene ...
Bio & Medicine
May 27, 2026
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