New research measures how much plastic is lethal for marine life
Marine animals inevitably eat what we toss in the ocean, including pervasive plastics—but how much is too much?
Environment
Nov 22, 2025
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Page 10: Research news on microplastic contamination
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.
Biodegradable mulching film can protect plants without pesticides or plastics
Whether you're a home gardener or an industrial farmer, you might be familiar with mulching films—plastic sheets laid over the soil to protect seedlings and promote crop growth. But like many other plastic materials, these ...
Biotechnology
Nov 21, 2025
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Microplastics detected in 100% of donkey feces: Study links plastic pollution to animal deaths and food risks
A study by the University of Portsmouth has revealed for the first time the extent of the devastating impact of plastic pollution on livestock, humans and the wider environment on the Kenyan island of Lamu.
Environment
Nov 19, 2025
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Ecoball: How to turn picking up litter into a game for kids
Every year humanity produces nearly 300 million tons of plastic. Only a fraction ever gets recycled. Most ends up in rivers, oceans and soil, slowly breaking down into tiny, invisible microplastics that get into what we eat ...
Environment
Oct 28, 2025
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Toronto's Don River carries 36,000 kg of microplastics into Lake Ontario each year, finds study
Researchers at the University of Toronto have found that Toronto's Don River carries over 500 billion microplastic particles into Lake Ontario each year—equal to about 36,000 kilograms, or the weight of 18 cars.
Environment
Oct 24, 2025
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Plastic pollution could linger at ocean surfaces for over a century, new research finds
Scientists from the Department of Geography and Environmental Science at Queen Mary University of London have developed a simple model to show how buoyant plastic can settle through the water column and they predict it could ...
Earth Sciences
Oct 23, 2025
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EU parliament adopts curbs on plastic pellet pollution
The European Parliament on Thursday definitively adopted rules clamping down on pollution from the tiny pellets that constitute the building blocks of most plastic products.
Environment
Oct 23, 2025
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Students help drive new research on global marine debris
Undergraduate and graduate students took a lead role in a Virginia Tech study that analyzed global research on marine debris, uncovering surprising sources of ocean trash and pointing out solutions for a growing environmental ...
Environment
Oct 21, 2025
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An open-source tool to measure microplastic sinking rates in water
Microplastics have become an invisible but persistent threat in rivers, lakes, oceans, and even in the water we drink. These tiny plastic fragments can drift for miles, settle on the seafloor, or remain suspended for years, ...
Environment
Oct 21, 2025
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EU takes aim at plastic pellets to prevent their nightmare cleanup
At first glance, the tiny plastic pellets appear relatively harmless. No bigger than a lentil, these "nurdles" are destined to be melted down to make everything from car bumpers to salad bowls.
Environment
Oct 21, 2025
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