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.
A team of McGill University researchers has developed a cost-effective, high-throughput technology for detecting nanoplastics and microplastics in the environment.
Environment
May 1, 2025
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63
A new lifecycle study published in Sustainability Science and Technology has discovered a promising alternative to plastic sanitary products, potentially leading to far reduced sanitary waste. Sanitary pads made with cornstarch ...
Environment
May 1, 2025
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43
Marine plastic pollution is a global crisis, with 9 to 14 million metric tons of plastic entering the ocean every year. Tiny fragments called microplastics—ranging from 1 micron to 5 millimeters—make up the vast majority ...
Environment
Apr 30, 2025
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135
As plastic pollution in the world's oceans reaches critical levels, recently published research reveals how artificial intelligence-driven algorithms can dramatically accelerate plastic waste removal, boosting efficiency ...
Environment
Apr 23, 2025
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128
From microscopic robots that can carry and deliver drugs inside the human body to tiny particles that can detect and break down microplastics, an emerging field called active matter is looking toward the microscale to solve ...
Nanophysics
Apr 22, 2025
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61
Microplastics, tiny plastic particles found in everyday products from face wash to toothpaste, are an emerging threat to health and ecology, prompting a research team to identify what keeps them trapped in stream ecosystems.
Earth Sciences
Apr 21, 2025
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77
Despite advances in wastewater treatment, tiny plastic particles called microplastics are still slipping through, posing potential health and environmental hazards, according to new research from The University of Texas at ...
Environment
Apr 21, 2025
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53
A team of biologists working at the Naturalis Biodiversity Center, a research museum in the Netherlands, has found evidence of caddisfly larvae using microplastics to build their casings as far back as the 1970s.
Nankai University researchers have found that plant leaves can directly absorb microplastics (MPs) from the atmosphere, leading to a widespread presence of plastic polymers in vegetation. Concentrations of polyethylene terephthalate ...
Microplastics and much smaller nanoplastics enter the human body in various ways, for example through food or the air we breathe. A large proportion is excreted, but a certain amount remains in organs, blood, and other body ...
Bio & Medicine
Apr 14, 2025
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45
