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.
Walk across a mudflat at low tide and you might notice small, neat mounds of sediment scattered across the surface.
Environment
Apr 15, 2026
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11
Researchers have identified more than 600,000 microbial proteins capable of breaking down natural and synthetic plastics, revealing a far broader biodegradation potential across microbes than previously known.
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 15, 2026
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102
Microplastics and nanoplastics are tiny plastic particles that result from the breakdown of larger plastic products due to sunlight, waves, and other environmental conditions. In recent years, these particles have been increasingly ...
Environment
Apr 14, 2026
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168
After months of relentlessly miserable weather for most of the UK, spring brings renewed enthusiasm for spending time outdoors hiking, wild swimming, paddling, or on walks.
Environment
Apr 10, 2026
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17
Plastic pollution is a global problem. It damages ecosystems, endangers animals, and in the form of nanoplastic particles, can also have consequences for human health. A global agreement to regulate plastic pollution is therefore ...
Environment
Apr 7, 2026
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88
U.S. officials are taking a closer look at what's in America's drinking water, including microplastics and leftover medications.
Environment
Apr 6, 2026
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14
The Environmental Protection Agency proposed Thursday to include microplastics and pharmaceuticals on a list of contaminants in drinking water for the first time, a step that could lead to new limits on those substances for ...
Environment
Apr 2, 2026
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13
A new international study offers insights into the health risks posed by crops' absorption of "contaminants of emerging concern" (CECs) and flags knowledge gaps the authors say must be addressed. CECs include pharmaceuticals, ...
Agriculture
Apr 1, 2026
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10
It seems like every day a new study finds tiny plastic particles called microplastics where they should not be: in our bodies and our food, water and air.
Environment
Mar 26, 2026
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31
Prolonged exposure to microplastics can disrupt vital physiological processes in gorgonians, such as respiration. Although these pollutants do not cause visible damage to tissues and cells, their effects could have an ecological ...
Ecology
Mar 23, 2026
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