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62 Results Found

  • Article
  • Open Access
18 Citations
2,692 Views
15 Pages

Metal Release from Microplastics to Soil: Effects on Soil Enzymatic Activities and Spinach Production

  • Giorgia Santini,
  • Valeria Memoli,
  • Ermenegilda Vitale,
  • Gabriella Di Natale,
  • Marco Trifuoggi,
  • Giulia Maisto and
  • Lucia Santorufo

Microplastics (MPs) represent emergent pollutants in terrestrial ecosystems. Microplastics can cause the release of metal and damage to crop quality. The present research aimed to evaluate the effects of Mater-bi (Bio-MPs) and polyethylene (PE-MPs) M...

  • Article
  • Open Access
16 Citations
10,916 Views
20 Pages

Effective Removal of Microplastic Particles from Wastewater Using Hydrophobic Bio-Substrates

  • Kalyani Prasad Bhagwat,
  • Denis Rodrigue and
  • Laura Romero-Zerón

The rapid increase in soil and water pollution is primarily attributed to anthropogenic factors, notably the mismanagement of post-consumer plastics on a global scale. This exploratory research design evaluated the effectiveness of natural hydrophobi...

  • Article
  • Open Access
31 Citations
7,929 Views
16 Pages

UV Light Causes Structural Changes in Microplastics Exposed in Bio-Solids

  • Somayye Sadat Alavian Petroody,
  • Seyed Hossein Hashemi,
  • Luka Škrlep,
  • Branka Mušič,
  • Cornelis A. M. van Gestel and
  • Andrijana Sever Škapin

4 November 2023

Bio-solids (biological sludge) from wastewater treatment plants are a significant source of the emission of microplastics (MPs) into the environment. Weakening the structure of MPs before they enter the environment may accelerate their degradation an...

  • Article
  • Open Access
15 Citations
4,128 Views
11 Pages

Microplastics Release from Conventional Plastics during Real Open Windrow Composting

  • Anastasiia Sholokhova,
  • Gintaras Denafas,
  • Justinas Ceponkus and
  • Rita Kriukiene

31 December 2022

The recycling of bio-waste plays an important role in a circular economy as it transforms bio-waste into a valuable resource (organic fertilizer). However, even separately collected bio-waste can contain some plastic waste, which is usually separated...

  • Article
  • Open Access
1 Citations
1,068 Views
15 Pages

22 August 2025

Toxicological effects of microplastics (MPs) have been confirmed in a variety of microorganisms in aquatic environments, and they are closely correlated with the physicochemical properties of the MPs. In a natural environment, different aging treatme...

  • Article
  • Open Access
10 Citations
5,527 Views
15 Pages

31 October 2024

In this paper, we examine how traditional life-cycle assessment (LCA) for bio-based and compostable plastics overlooks issues surrounding carbon sequestration and microplastic persistence. To outline biased comparisons drawn from these omitted enviro...

  • Review
  • Open Access
263 Views
23 Pages

Advances and Prospects of Modified Activated Carbon-Based Slow Sand Filtration for Microplastic Removal

  • Zhuangzhuang Qu,
  • Ulan Zhantikeyev,
  • Ulan Kakimov,
  • Kainaubek Toshtay,
  • Kanay Rysbekov,
  • Nur Nabihah Binti Yusof,
  • Ronny Berndtsson and
  • Seitkhan Azat

15 January 2026

With the increasing prevalence of microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) in global aquatic environments, their potential ecotoxicological and health impacts have become a major concern in environmental science. Slow sand filtration (SSF) is widel...

  • Article
  • Open Access
17 Citations
5,493 Views
18 Pages

10 August 2024

Biodegradable polymers and their blends have been advised as an eco-sustainable solution; however, the generation of microplastics (MPs) from their degradation in aquatic environments is still not fully grasped. In this study, we investigated the for...

  • Review
  • Open Access
72 Citations
15,803 Views
19 Pages

Microplastics in Ecosystems: From Current Trends to Bio-Based Removal Strategies

  • Solange Magalhães,
  • Luís Alves,
  • Bruno Medronho,
  • Anabela Romano and
  • Maria da Graça Rasteiro

30 August 2020

Plastics are widely used due to their excellent properties, inexpensiveness and versatility leading to an exponential consumption growth during the last decades. However, most plastic does not biodegrade in any meaningful sense; it can exist for hund...

  • Article
  • Open Access
792 Views
16 Pages

Dynamic Accumulation and Bio-Mediated Fragmentation of Microplastics in the Digestive System of Red Swamp Crayfish (Procambarus clarkii)

  • Yueyue Huang,
  • Qiqi Li,
  • Xinyu Xiang,
  • Jingyu Jiang,
  • Jiong Li,
  • Huili Chen,
  • Ming Zhang and
  • Binsong Jin

8 October 2025

The dynamic behavior and biologically mediated transformation of microplastics (MPs) in crustaceans remain insufficiently explored in aquatic ecotoxicology. In this study, we employed the red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) as a model organism t...

  • Article
  • Open Access
890 Views
16 Pages

Differential Effects of the Human Digestive Process on Petroleum- and Bio-Based Microplastics Following an In Vitro Approach to Determine Polymer Integrity and Seafood Digestibility

  • Daniel Bolotas,
  • Rita V. C. Gomes,
  • Ana C. Ambrosino,
  • Clara Lopes,
  • Joana Raimundo,
  • Mónica V. Loureiro,
  • Alda S. Pereira,
  • Pedro Santana,
  • António Marques and
  • Ana Luísa Maulvault
  • + 1 author

Plastic pollution is a major environmental concern. In humans, ingestion through contaminated seafood is a recognized exposure route to microplastics, which may impact gut health. However, the extent to which microplastics interfere with digestion an...

  • Article
  • Open Access
4 Citations
4,904 Views
29 Pages

18 February 2025

This study explores the interactions between biodegradable (BIO) microplastics and plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB), assessing their effects on soil health and crop productivity. Five bacterial strains, Bacillus, Enterobacter, Kosakonia, Rhizob...

  • Article
  • Open Access
12 Citations
3,506 Views
14 Pages

Screening for Microplastic Uptake in an Urbanized Freshwater Ecosystem: Chondrostoma nasus (Linnaeus, 1758) Case Study

  • Angela Curtean-Bănăduc,
  • Claudia Mihuţ,
  • Alexandru Burcea,
  • Grant S. McCall,
  • Claudiu Matei and
  • Doru Bănăduc

18 April 2023

The feeding characteristics of the nase, based on its mouth morphology and feeding behavior related to aquatic habitat substrata sediments make this fish a biological uptake vector for microplastics in freshwater ecosystems. Fibers may have limited a...

  • Review
  • Open Access
39 Citations
11,289 Views
56 Pages

A Review on Melt-Spun Biodegradable Fibers

  • Mohammadreza Naeimirad,
  • Bas Krins and
  • Gert-Jan M. Gruter

4 October 2023

The growing awareness of environmental issues and the pursuit of sustainable materials have sparked a substantial surge in research focused on biodegradable materials, including fibers. Within a spectrum of fabrication techniques, melt-spinning has e...

  • Article
  • Open Access
26 Citations
5,400 Views
22 Pages

Marine plastic pollution is currently an issue of mounting concern around the world. Stomach content of marine fish has been increasingly used as a valid proxy for detecting the presence of such a pollutant in marine biota, both for coastal and deep-...

  • Article
  • Open Access
12 Citations
5,247 Views
16 Pages

Microplastics (MPs; <5 mm) are present throughout the marine environment and are recognized as an emerging threat to aquatic ecosystems. Filter feeding organisms, such as mussels, are considered as bioindicators of MP pollution and are useful to e...

  • Article
  • Open Access
3 Citations
2,335 Views
15 Pages

20 September 2024

Biodegradable microplastics (Bio-MPs) are a hot topic in soil research due to their potential to replace conventional microplastics. Biofertilizers are viewed as an alternative to inorganic fertilizers in agriculture due to their potential to enhance...

  • Review
  • Open Access
2 Citations
3,192 Views
19 Pages

The growth in the production and use of biodegradable plastics, positioned as an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional polymers, has led to an increase in their distribution in the environment. However, in conditions other than industri...

  • Review
  • Open Access
1 Citations
2,447 Views
27 Pages

Innovative Approaches to Mitigating Microplastic Pollution in Effluents and Soils

  • Solange Magalhães,
  • Luís Alves,
  • Bruno Medronho,
  • Ida Svanedal,
  • Magnus Norgren and
  • Maria Graça Rasteiro

11 October 2025

Microplastic pollution represents a significant environmental challenge, as microplastics accumulate in effluents and soils, causing serious risks to ecosystems and human health. Efficient removal of these contaminants is essential to mitigate their...

  • Article
  • Open Access
6 Citations
3,255 Views
16 Pages

Bio-Degradable Wax to Modify Asphalt Binder for Warm Mix Asphalt

  • Tess Sigwarth,
  • Johannes Büchner and
  • Michael P. Wistuba

17 August 2022

In order to reduce production and compaction temperatures, as well as to increase the resistance to permanent deformation, synthetically refined waxes are commonly used as additives in asphalt pavements. This study focuses on the capability of replac...

  • Review
  • Open Access
45 Citations
6,954 Views
26 Pages

Understanding the Impact of Biodegradable Microplastics on Living Organisms Entering the Food Chain: A Review

  • Konstantin V. Malafeev,
  • Annalisa Apicella,
  • Loredana Incarnato and
  • Paola Scarfato

6 September 2023

Microplastics (MPs) pollution has emerged as one of the world’s most serious environmental issues, with harmful consequences for ecosystems and human health. One proposed solution to their accumulation in the environment is the replacement of n...

  • Article
  • Open Access
18 Citations
4,199 Views
13 Pages

Investigation of Microplastics (≥10 μm) in Meconium by Fourier Transform Infrared Microspectroscopy

  • Zhiming Li,
  • Jiamin Wang,
  • Xia Gao,
  • Jiaxin Du,
  • Haixia Sui,
  • Jieling Wu,
  • Yizhou Zhong,
  • Boxuan Liang,
  • Yuji Huang and
  • Zhenlie Huang
  • + 3 authors

27 March 2023

Microplastics are prevalent emerging pollutants with widespread distribution in air, land and water. They have been detected in human stool, blood, lungs, and placentas. However, human fetal microplastic exposure remains largely under-studied. To ass...

  • Review
  • Open Access
66 Citations
20,135 Views
26 Pages

Microplastics: A Review of Policies and Responses

  • Davi R. Munhoz,
  • Paula Harkes,
  • Nicolas Beriot,
  • Joana Larreta and
  • Oihane C. Basurko

Although (micro)plastic contamination is a worldwide concern, most scientific literature only restates that issue rather than presenting strategies to cope with it. This critical review assembles the current knowledge on policies and responses to tac...

  • Article
  • Open Access
8 Citations
4,639 Views
20 Pages

Quantifying the Sustainability of Football (Soccer) Pitches: A Comparison of Artificial and Natural Turf Pitches with a Focus on Microplastics and Their Environmental Impacts

  • Lukas Zeilerbauer,
  • Johannes Lindorfer,
  • Pauline Fuchs,
  • Melanie Knöbl,
  • Asle Ravnås,
  • Trygve Maldal,
  • Eimund Gilje,
  • Christian Paulik and
  • Jörg Fischer

22 April 2024

Recently, the European Commission announced their intention to restrict intentionally added microplastics to reduce the amount emitted by 0.5 million tons per year. Findings on microplastics indicate toxic behavior for biota, yet many mechanisms rema...

  • Article
  • Open Access
30 Citations
3,639 Views
16 Pages

The Degradability of Microplastics May Not Necessarily Equate to Environmental Friendliness: A Case Study of Cucumber Seedlings with Disturbed Photosynthesis

  • Yi-Fan Zhang,
  • Zhi-Yun Huang,
  • Yi-Fan Li,
  • Xin-Lei Lu,
  • Gen-Rui Li,
  • Shan-Shan Qi,
  • Irfan Ullah Khan,
  • Guan-Lin Li,
  • Zhi-Cong Dai and
  • Dao-Lin Du

In the environment, degradable plastics are decomposed into biodegradable microplastics (Bio-MPs), but there is limited study on the impact on plant growth and development. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate biodegradable polylactic acid micr...

  • Article
  • Open Access
29 Citations
5,709 Views
11 Pages

Toxic Impact of Soil Microplastics (PVC) on Two Weeds: Changes in Growth, Phenology and Photosynthesis Efficiency

  • Rodolfo Gentili,
  • Lara Quaglini,
  • Elisa Cardarelli,
  • Sarah Caronni,
  • Chiara Montagnani and
  • Sandra Citterio

19 May 2022

Experimental evidence on the bio-ecological effects of microplastics on terrestrial plants is still lacking. In this study, we hypothesized that soil polluted with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microparticles can negatively influence plant traits, photosy...

  • Article
  • Open Access
14 Citations
6,989 Views
14 Pages

11 March 2021

Bio-based polymers have been suggested as one possible opportunity to counteract the progressive accumulation of microplastics in the environments. The gradual substitution of conventional plastics by bio-based polymers bears a variety of novel mater...

  • Article
  • Open Access
32 Citations
5,230 Views
13 Pages

Peptide Specific Nanoplastic Detection Based on Sandwich Typed Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance

  • Seungju Oh,
  • Hyeyeon Hur,
  • Yoonjae Kim,
  • Seongcheol Shin,
  • Hyunjeong Woo,
  • Jonghoon Choi and
  • Hyun Ho Lee

28 October 2021

Recently, various waste microplastics sensors have been introduced in response to environmental and biological hazards posed by waste microplastics. In particular, the detrimental effects of nano-sized plastics or nanoplastics have been reported to b...

  • Article
  • Open Access
1,407 Views
18 Pages

Luminous Upconverted Nanoparticles as High-Sensitivity Optical Probes for Visualizing Nano- and Microplastics in Caenorhabditis elegans

  • Bushra Maryam,
  • Yi Wang,
  • Xiaoran Li,
  • Muhammad Asim,
  • Hamna Qayyum,
  • Pingping Zhang and
  • Xianhua Liu

24 May 2025

With the increasing prevalence of plastic pollution, understanding its impact on soil nematodes is crucial for environmental sustainability and food security. Traditional fluorescence-based probes have the limitations of high background noise and int...

  • Article
  • Open Access
240 Citations
21,421 Views
18 Pages

Low-Cost Biochar Adsorbents for Water Purification Including Microplastics Removal

  • Virpi Siipola,
  • Stephan Pflugmacher,
  • Henrik Romar,
  • Laura Wendling and
  • Pertti Koukkari

22 January 2020

The applicability of steam activated pine and spruce bark biochar for storm water and wastewater purification has been investigated. Biochar samples produced from the bark of scots pine (Pinus sylvestrus) and spruce (Picea spp.) by conventional slow...

  • Article
  • Open Access
1,397 Views
16 Pages

Biodegradable mulch films (BDMs) are considered a promising solution for mitigating plastic residue pollution in agroecosystems. However, the degradation behavior and ecological impacts of their residues on soil–plant systems remain unclear. He...

  • Article
  • Open Access
35 Citations
6,279 Views
27 Pages

Synthesis, Thermal Properties and Decomposition Mechanism of Poly(Ethylene Vanillate) Polyester

  • Alexandra Zamboulis,
  • Lazaros Papadopoulos,
  • Zoi Terzopoulou,
  • Dimitrios N. Bikiaris,
  • Dimitra Patsiaoura,
  • Konstantinos Chrissafis,
  • Massimo Gazzano,
  • Nadia Lotti and
  • George Z. Papageorgiou

14 October 2019

Plastics are perceived as modern and versatile materials, but their use is linked to numerous environmental issues as their production is based on finite raw materials (petroleum or natural gas). Additionally, their low biodegradability results in th...

  • Review
  • Open Access
40 Citations
10,640 Views
26 Pages

Recent Developments in Synthesis, Properties, Applications and Recycling of Bio-Based Elastomers

  • Manuel Burelo,
  • Araceli Martínez,
  • Josué David Hernández-Varela,
  • Thomas Stringer,
  • Monserrat Ramírez-Melgarejo,
  • Alice Y. Yau,
  • Gabriel Luna-Bárcenas and
  • Cecilia D. Treviño-Quintanilla

12 January 2024

In 2021, global plastics production was 390.7 Mt; in 2022, it was 400.3 Mt, showing an increase of 2.4%, and this rising tendency will increase yearly. Of this data, less than 2% correspond to bio-based plastics. Currently, polymers, including elasto...

  • Perspective
  • Open Access
20 Citations
5,317 Views
13 Pages

According to the World Health Organization, the two major public health threats in the twenty-first century are antibiotic-resistant bacteria and antibiotic-resistant genes. The reason for the global prevalence and the constant increase of antibiotic...

  • Review
  • Open Access
96 Citations
6,371 Views
16 Pages

Exploring the Impact of Contaminants of Emerging Concern on Fish and Invertebrates Physiology in the Mediterranean Sea

  • Federica Impellitteri,
  • Cristiana Roberta Multisanti,
  • Polina Rusanova,
  • Giuseppe Piccione,
  • Francesca Falco and
  • Caterina Faggio

24 May 2023

In this historical context, the Mediterranean Sea faces an increasing threat from emerging pollutants such as pharmaceuticals, personal care products, heavy metals, pesticides and microplastics, which pose a serious risk to the environment and human...

  • Review
  • Open Access
10 Citations
6,954 Views
17 Pages

27 May 2025

Microplastics (MPs), particularly fibrous MPs, have emerged as a significant environmental concern due to their pervasive presence in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. The textile industry is a significant contributor to MP pollution, particularly...

  • Review
  • Open Access
5 Citations
3,833 Views
29 Pages

Role of Humic Substances in the (Bio)Degradation of Synthetic Polymers under Environmental Conditions

  • Olga Senko,
  • Olga Maslova,
  • Nikolay Stepanov,
  • Aysel Aslanli,
  • Ilya Lyagin and
  • Elena Efremenko

Information on the detection of the presence and potential for degradation of synthetic polymers (SPs) under various environmental conditions is of increasing interest and concern to a wide range of specialists. At this stage, there is a need to unde...

  • Review
  • Open Access
69 Citations
11,355 Views
18 Pages

Strategies of Recovery and Organic Recycling Used in Textile Waste Management

  • Irena Wojnowska-Baryła,
  • Katarzyna Bernat and
  • Magdalena Zaborowska

Post-consumer bio-based textile wastes are any type of garment or household article made from manufactured bio-based textiles that the owner no longer needs and decides to discard. According to the hierarchy of waste management, post-consumer textile...

  • Review
  • Open Access
44 Citations
11,567 Views
16 Pages

Plastics and Microplastic in the Cosmetic Industry: Aggregating Sustainable Actions Aimed at Alignment and Interaction with UN Sustainable Development Goals

  • Anelise Leal Vieira Cubas,
  • Ritanara Tayane Bianchet,
  • Izamara Mariana Aparecida Souza dos Reis and
  • Isabel C. Gouveia

28 October 2022

Excessive use of petroleum derivatives in cosmetics, whether in compositions or packaging, predominating the use of plastics, parabens, microplastics and other polymers, has had negative environmental impacts. The cosmetics market has gained prominen...

  • Review
  • Open Access
36 Citations
5,004 Views
21 Pages

Bio-Based Waste’ Substrates for Degraded Soil Improvement—Advantages and Challenges in European Context

  • Malgorzata Kacprzak,
  • Iwona Kupich,
  • Anna Jasinska and
  • Krzysztof Fijalkowski

5 January 2022

The area of degraded sites in the world is constantly expanding and has been a serious environmental problem for years. Such terrains are not only polluted, but also due to erosion, devoid of plant cover and organic matter. The degradation trends can...

  • Article
  • Open Access
833 Views
17 Pages

6 November 2025

One of the current and serious environmental problems is the pollution due to microplastics. There is an urgent need for biodegradable and bio-based materials for numerous applications, including food packaging. In this work we examine the bio-based...

  • Article
  • Open Access
1 Citations
5,939 Views
18 Pages

Preliminary Research on Moss-Based Biocomposites as an Alternative Substrate in Moss Walls

  • Rafael Alvarez Gutiérrez,
  • Johan Blom,
  • Bert Belmans,
  • Anouk De Bock,
  • Lars Van den Bergh and
  • Amaryllis Audenaert

2 December 2023

Addressing urban air pollution is a pressing challenge, prompting the exploration of mitigation strategies such as urban greening. However, certain innovative greening approaches, while promising, may inadvertently incorporate unsustainable elements...

  • Article
  • Open Access
4 Citations
3,273 Views
12 Pages

Microplastics in Urban Bird Feces: A Methodological Approach and Case Study in Mexico City

  • Victoria Amellalli Vazquez-Cruz,
  • Alethia Vázquez-Morillas,
  • Arely Areanely Cruz-Salas,
  • Ana Isabel Hernández-Soriano,
  • Getsemaní Cervantes-Cabrera,
  • Mariana Elizabeth Ballesteros-López and
  • Juan Carlos Alvarez-Zeferino

Microplastics (MP) are ubiquitous contaminants in diverse environmental matrices, including biota. Urban birds, such as pigeons (Columba livia), are particularly vulnerable to MP exposure due to their scavenging habits and proximity to human activiti...

  • Article
  • Open Access
14 Citations
5,398 Views
14 Pages

End-of-Life Management of Biodegradable Plastic Dog Poop Bags through Composting of Green Waste

  • Danuta Dróżdż,
  • Krystyna Malińska,
  • Przemysław Postawa,
  • Tomasz Stachowiak and
  • Dorota Nowak

14 April 2022

Plastic waste derived from plastic dog poop bags (DPBs) could be considered a negligible source of plastic waste. However, it is estimated that this kind of waste contributes to 0.6% of the total plastic waste generated worldwide, and it is expected...

  • Article
  • Open Access
2 Citations
3,072 Views
14 Pages

Impact of Microplastics on Growth and Lipid Accumulation in Scenedesmus quadricauda

  • Yanrui Wang,
  • Fei Xie,
  • Wenwen Li,
  • Li Ji,
  • Guoqing Guan,
  • Abuliti Abudula,
  • Zhihong Yang and
  • Feng Gao

Microplastics (MPs), as frequent pollutants, persist in aquatic environments and have an impact on the growth and biomass production of microalgae. This study employed MPs of polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), and polypropylene (PP) at concentratio...

  • Article
  • Open Access
8 Citations
3,316 Views
17 Pages

A phthalic acid ester’s (PAEs) comprehensive biodegradability three-dimensional structure-activity relationship (3D-QSAR) model was established, to design environmentally friendly PAE derivatives, which could be simultaneously degraded by plast...

  • Review
  • Open Access
43 Citations
12,352 Views
26 Pages

13 December 2023

Today, plastic materials are mostly made from fossil resources, and they are characterized by their long lifetime and pronounced persistence in the open environment. These attributes of plastics are one cause of the ubiquitous pollution we see in our...

  • Article
  • Open Access
7 Citations
2,544 Views
19 Pages

Insights on Microplastic Contamination from Municipal and Textile Industry Effluents and Their Removal Using a Cellulose-Based Approach

  • Solange Magalhães,
  • Daniel Paciência,
  • João M. M. Rodrigues,
  • Björn Lindman,
  • Luís Alves,
  • Bruno Medronho and
  • Maria da Graça Rasteiro

3 October 2024

The rampant use of plastics, with the potential to degrade into insidious microplastics (MPs), poses a significant threat by contaminating aquatic environments. In the present study, we delved into the analysis of effluents from textile industries, a...

  • Article
  • Open Access
638 Views
12 Pages

The Exploitation of Single-Chambered Microbial Fuel Cells for PET Removal in Water

  • Andre Hadji-Thomas,
  • Shuyao Wang,
  • Yvan Gariepy and
  • Vijaya Raghavan

This work investigated the use of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) for the degradation of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and the simultaneous generation of electricity. The study implemented two separate single-chamber MFCs, one with a co-culture of Ide...

  • Article
  • Open Access
189 Citations
12,868 Views
16 Pages

Research on the uptake and effects of bioplastics by aquatic organisms is still in its infancy. Here, we aim to advance the field by comparing uptake and effects of microplastic particles (MPP) of a biodegradable bioMPP (polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB)) an...

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