Search Results (1,337)

This perspective examines the interactions among microplastics (MPs), emerging contaminants (ECs), climate change, and extreme hydrological events. Droughts, water scarcity, heatwaves, intense rainfall, and floods can alter the occurrence, mobilisation, transport, fate, and risks of MPs and associated ECs across water, soil, and groundwater systems. The analysis focuses on the context-dependent potential of MPs to act as vectors of ECs, soil–water interactions, and the potential influence of MPs on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. When these stressors co-occur, their combined effects may be additive, synergistic, or antagonistic. Accordingly, the “perfect storm” framing is used here to describe the potential for mutually reinforcing and cascading risks rather than to imply that synergy occurs universally. An integrated perspective therefore helps anticipate worst-case scenarios and move beyond the fragmented assessment of individual stressors. This paper discusses sustainable mitigation and adaptation strategies, including advanced wastewater treatment, water reuse, climate-resilient water management, infrastructure adapted to increasing hydrological variability, climate-smart agriculture, and safer alternatives to conventional plastics and chemicals. Effective implementation combines technological innovation with monitoring, governance, policy action, and public awareness. By framing the microplastics–contaminants–water–soil–climate nexus as an interconnected sustainability challenge, this work aims to support environmental resilience and progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals. Full article

Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous marine pollutants that pose increasing ecological risks, yet their effects on intestinal physiology and gut microbial homeostasis during the juvenile developmental stages of Tachypleus tridentatus remain unclear. In this study, fifth- and sixth-instar juveniles of T. tridentatus were exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of 6.0 μm polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs; 0, 10², and 10⁴ particles/L) for 7 and 21 days to investigate intestinal physiological responses and potential mechanisms associated with PS-MP exposure. Intestinal retention, oxidative stress, innate immune responses, and gut microbiota were comprehensively evaluated. PS-MP exposure induced concentration-dependent and time-dependent alterations in superoxide dismutase, catalase, malondialdehyde, and lysozyme, suggesting oxidative imbalance and modulation of innate immune responses. Fifth-instar juveniles displayed more pronounced oxidative-stress alterations and divergent innate-immune profiles relative to sixth-instar conspecifics, pointing to greater physiological susceptibility at earlier developmental stages. Gut microbiota analysis revealed pronounced dysbiosis, characterized by a reduced relative abundance of Bacillota, enrichment of Pseudomonadota, depletion of beneficial taxa (e.g., Lactococcus), and increased abundance of opportunistic bacteria, including Pseudomonas and members of Enterobacteriaceae. These physiological and microbial alterations collectively suggest that environmentally relevant PS-MPs impair intestinal homeostasis in juvenile T. tridentatus by inducing oxidative imbalance, modifying innate immune responses, and reshaping gut microbial communities, with clear instar- and exposure time-dependent effects. These findings highlight the importance of considering developmental stages in ecological risk assessment for benthic arthropods. Full article

The widespread presence of microplastics (MPs) has emerged as a major One Health concern due to their increasing detection in human tissues and biological fluids. Within an integrated One Health research program, analytical workflows were developed to detect MPs across biological matrices. Kidney stones represent an unexplored pathological biomineral that may preserve evidence of long-term exposure. This pilot study evaluated the application of a Fourier-transform infrared microspectroscopy (µ-FTIR) workflow for detecting MPs in human kidney stones. Sixty kidney stone samples were examined for MPs. Suspected particles identified by stereomicroscopy were chemically characterized by µ-FTIR. Particles were detected in 8 of 60 kidney stone samples. µ-FTIR analysis identified confirmed polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polyurethane (PU) particles. Additional particles showed absorption bands compatible with polyvinyl chloride (PVC). This study demonstrates the applicability of a µ-FTIR workflow for detecting MPs in pathological biominerals and provides preliminary evidence of their presence in kidney stones. These findings support the use of kidney stones as a novel matrix for One Health biomonitoring and provide a methodological basis for future studies integrating urine, organoids, and multi-omics approaches to investigate the biological significance of microplastic exposure. Full article

Microplastics are increasingly recognized as emerging contaminants with potential toxicological effects on aquatic organisms. Among widely used industrial polymers, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) has been detected in environmental matrices, raising concerns regarding its biological impacts. This study evaluated the developmental toxicity of 40 µm spherical PMMA microplastics in zebrafish (Danio rerio) using a standardized early-life stage exposure (3 hpf–6 dpf). Before exposure, particles were physicochemically characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), and micro-Raman spectroscopy (µRaman). Embryos were exposed to nominal concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 20 mg/L, and endpoints including survival, hatching rate, spontaneous movements, heart rate, morphology, and locomotor activity were assessed. PMMA exposure did not induce significant mortality or morphological abnormalities at any tested concentration. However, significant sublethal effects were observed, including accelerated hatching at 20 mg/L and increased heart rate across exposure groups, further supported by a positive concentration–response trend across vessel-level values, indicating altered developmental timing and cardiovascular function. These findings demonstrate that PMMA microplastics, despite low acute toxicity, can induce early physiological disturbances in a vertebrate model. The results highlight the importance of incorporating sensitive functional endpoints into hazard assessment frameworks and contribute to a more comprehensive evaluation of the environmental risks associated with microplastics traditionally considered to have low intrinsic reactivity. Full article

Microplastics (MPs) widely distribute in marine environments and generate severe hazards to marine biota, yet little is known regarding the toxic impacts of aged MPs on benthic invertebrates and their surrounding sediment microbiota. This work aimed to fill this research gap by exploring the comprehensive toxicity of aged polymethylmethacrylate microplastics (PMMA-MPs) toward Urechis unicinctus and its sediment habitat. A 21-day laboratory exposure trial was performed with two PMMA-MP treatments: environmentally realistic low concentration (10 μg/L) and extreme high concentration (1000 μg/L). Aged PMMA-MPs accumulated in the body wall and intestine of U. unicinctus, with markedly higher body wall MPs loads in the high-dose group (p < 0.05). High-concentration PMMA-MPs significantly raised intestinal total protein and triggered intense oxidative stress (p < 0.01), and the Integrated Biomarker Response value rose dose-dependently. Sediment microbial β-diversity was obviously reshaped (p < 0.05), with enriched pathogens including Klebsiella and Enterobacteriaceae under high MP exposure, while the worm’s intestinal α-diversity and core microbiome remained stable, showing host adaptability. This study reveals multi-level toxic outcomes of aged PMMA-MPs on benthic worms and their sediment microhabitat, offering fundamental data to evaluate the ecological risks of weathered MPs in marine benthic systems. Full article

The widespread presence of microplastics (MPs) and associated plastic-derived compounds, bisphenols (BPs), in the environment—originating from plastic production or adsorption of environmental pollutants—results in unavoidable human exposure. Therefore, assessing their occurrence in human biological samples is essential for understanding potential health risks. In this study, pyrolysis gas chromatography–mass spectrometry was used to analyse human intraocular fluids—aqueous humour (AH) and vitreous humour (VH)—to identify 11 microplastic polymer clusters. A method based on dansyl chloride derivatisation combined with ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry was employed to screen for five bisphenols (BPs) in blood serum collected from the same patients. Potential MPs isolated from ocular samples were qualitatively assessed by stereomicroscopy. The number of particles ranged from 14 to 69 per gram in AH and from 21 to 34 per gram in VH. Among AH samples, the most frequently detected polymer clusters were C-PVC, C-PMMA, C-PET, and C-PP, with average levels ranging from 0.41 to 0.84 µg/g. The three VH samples contained only C-PMMA, with an average concentration of 0.55 ± 0.12 µg/g. Polymers such as C-PA66 (0.30 ± 0.21 µg/g) and C-PA6 (0.15 ± 0.44 µg/g) were occasionally observed in AH. Analysis of 13 human serum samples demonstrated exposure to bisphenol A (BPA; 4.05–5.18 ng/mL) and bisphenol AF (BPAF; 2.13–4.54 ng/mL), but no clear correlation was observed between serum BP levels and intraocular MPs within the limitations of the present dataset. These findings suggest the presence of MPs and BPs in human biological samples; however, the results should be interpreted with caution owing to potential background contamination and the pilot nature of the study. Full article

Microplastics (MPs) represent one of the main threats that ecosystems currently have to face. The effects of MPs on ecosystems are not fully understood also because the lack of standardized and harmonized procedures and protocols that allow us to accurately detect and quantify levels of contamination and exposure. Inconsistencies in MP amounts occur because procedural, analytical, and reporting discrepancies notably undermine the comparability of results. This paper summarizes the sources of variability in MP data, appealing to the necessity of standardization and/or harmonization of procedural and analytical methods to avoid misleading comparisons and interpretations. Full article

Direct comparisons of microplastic (MP) contamination between semi-enclosed and open Mediterranean coasts remain scarce. We quantified MP concentration and morphotype composition at ten sandy beaches in Thessaly, Greece (five in the semi-enclosed Pagasitikos Gulf and five on the open NW Aegean coast), sampling supralittoral and active-swash sediments (n = 100): (~800 g composite per 1 m² quadrat). Particles were extracted by NaCl density separation and screened using Nile Red fluorescence. We recorded 10,506 Nile Red-positive putative MPs (1–1297 items m⁻²; mean 105.1 ± 175.1; median 53.5 items m⁻²). Pellets/beads dominated (51.7%), followed by fragments (37.2%) and fibres (10.6%). Mean concentration was higher in the gulf than on the open coast (147.6 ± 226.0 vs. 62.5 ± 73.6 items m⁻²), but the area effect was non-significant (GLMM, p = 0.110), while among-beach heterogeneity was high (CV = 91.4%). A localized pellet hotspot occurred in the Kala Nera active swash (525.8 pellets m⁻²), producing a significant pellet-specific Area × Zone interaction (p = 0.033). Pellets contributed 42.9% of between-area dissimilarity (SIMPER, p = 0.013). These results indicate that localized, source-specific inputs may outweigh broad hydrodynamic differences in shaping regional contamination patterns. Full article

Constructed wetlands are promising nature-based solutions for mitigating environmental pollution, able to retain suspended solids as microplastic (MP) particles. This study aims (i) to identify potential sources and transport pathways of MPs in the Tancat de la Pipa constructed wetland (Spain), using a conceptual source-attribution approach based on spatial distribution, particle characteristics, catchment characteristics, hydrological connections, and the available literature and official information, as well as (ii) to evaluate the effectiveness of the wetland in retaining MPs within the investigated size range. Sampling was conducted at six locations representing two inlet canals, two internal sites, and two outlet points of the wetland towards Albufera Lake. Higher MP abundances were recorded at the inlet, while lower concentrations at internal and outlet sites indicated partial retention, with apparent removal efficiencies ranging from 24% to 50%, depending on the sampling campaign. Blue and transparent MPs predominated, while polyethylene (47%) and polyester (18%) were the dominant polymers, followed by polymethyl methacrylate (10%), polystyrene (8%), and polypropylene (7%). The spatial distribution and particle characteristics, together with catchment land use and hydrological connections, indicated potential contributions from mixed sources, including packaging, agricultural activities, wastewater, traffic runoff, fisheries, and industrial activities. These findings provide an initial assessment of potential MP sources and transport pathways in a Mediterranean wetland and indicate partial retention of MPs within the investigated size range, supporting the need for longer-term and source-specific monitoring to improve source attribution and evaluate seasonal variability. Full article

Microplastics and heavy metals are widely present in the soil, and their combined contamination affects plant growth and physiological characteristics. Currently, research on the growth, physiology, and quality of Panax notoginseng under combined microplastic-heavy metal contamination with biochar amendment is limited. Pine needle biochar was used as the experimental material, and the adsorption mechanism of pine needle biochar for microplastics and cadmium (Cd) was explored through adsorption experiments. Pot experiments were conducted under the combined stress of 0.1% (w/w) microplastics and 6 mg·kg⁻¹ Cd (MP–Cd), with exogenous application of 0.5%, 1%, and 3% biochar. The biomass, Cd content, photosynthetic characteristics, antioxidant system (superoxide anion, O₂⁻; hydrogen peroxide, H₂O₂; malondialdehyde, MDA; superoxide dismutase, SOD; peroxidase, POD; and catalase, CAT), saponin synthase activities (dammarenediol-II synthase, DS; squalene epoxidase, SE; glycosyltransferase, GT; and squalene synthase, SQS), and saponin content (notoginsenoside R₁, ginsenoside Rg₁, and ginsenoside Rb₁) of P. notoginseng were analyzed. The results showed that under the 1% biochar application, the Cd²⁺ adsorption capacity was 1.31 mg·g⁻¹, with a removal rate of 99.91%. Under biochar application, Cd content in all parts of P. notoginseng was significantly decreased, and the magnitude of the decrease increased with increases in the biochar application rate. Under the 3% biochar application, the plant height and biomass were increased by 18.92% and 29.72%, and the net photosynthetic rate (P_n) and stomatal conductance (G_s) were increased by 1.18-fold and 1.5-fold, respectively. Under the 1% biochar application, chlorophyll a and b contents were highest at 0.077 mg·g⁻¹ and 0.052 mg·g⁻¹, respectively, the activity of SE in rhizomes was increased by 20.24%, and the content of notoginsenoside R₁ was significantly increased by 1.01-fold. Under the 3% biochar application, the activity of SQS in rhizomes was significantly increased by 10.38%, and the activities of GT and DS in fibrous roots were increased by 20.29% and 14.82%, respectively. The content of ginsenoside Rb₁ in rhizomes was significantly increased by 69.64%, while the contents of ginsenoside Rg₁ and total saponin in the main root were increased by 1.41-fold and 0.72-fold, respectively. The activities of saponin synthase in various parts of P. notoginseng were GT (717.167 U·L⁻¹) > DS (472.752 IU·L⁻¹) > SE (378.949 U·L⁻¹) > SQS (144.918 U·L⁻¹). In summary, the growth of P. notoginseng and saponin content were increased under combined MP–Cd contamination, with the 3% pine needle biochar application, with Cd content decreased to ensure the safe production of P. notoginseng. Full article

The plastisphere critically modulates interactions among microplastics (MPs), biofilms, and trace metals under environmentally realistic conditions, governing the interfacial reactivity of plastisphere-coated microplastics. Here, we investigated cobalt (Co) adsorption onto large polypropylene (PP) primary microplastics (~4 mm) exposed for 28 days in a flow-through riverine mesocosm across a gradient of Co concentrations (0–60 µg·L⁻¹). A multi-technique analytical approach was employed, combining inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), laser ablation ICP-MS (LA-ICP-MS), quantitative PCR (qPCR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Cobalt accumulation increased linearly with time, consistent with apparent first-order dependence on aqueous Co concentration under constant exposure, reaching 38 ± 3 mg·kg⁻¹ after 28 days at 60 µg·L⁻¹, with no saturation observed. The concentration-dependent Co accumulation was well described by an empirical power-law model (Q = KC₀ⁿ), with the empirical coefficient K increasing linearly over time, reflecting the progressive increase in Co accumulation at a given aqueous concentration. Microbial colonization developed rapidly on MPs, with 16S and 18S rRNA gene copy numbers stabilizing after 14 days, while surface-normalized Co signals increased sharply after day 21, indicating a time-dependent modification of biofilm properties influencing Co retention. SEM confirmed complex microbial structures, including diatom-like cells. No cobalt adsorption was observed under sterile conditions, confirming the key role of biofilm presence. These findings highlight the dynamic role of the plastisphere as a chemically and biologically active interface under environmentally realistic riverine conditions, with implications for contaminant fate, bioavailability, and risk assessment in freshwater systems affected by plastic pollution. Full article

Microplastics (MPs) are emerging pollutants widespread in aquatic environments; however, their effects across the different life stages of aquatic organisms remain poorly understood. This systematic review integrates recent experimental results on the developmental, physiological, and neurobehavioral effects of MP exposure on zebrafish (Danio rerio), a popular model organism for ecotoxicology research. A PRISMA-guided search using Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus as databases generated 581 articles, which were screened to 60 eligible articles. The collated results showed that MP toxicity at various life stages of zebrafish was strongly related to the physicochemical properties of MPs and exposure conditions. In terms of developmental toxicity, peer-reviewed publications assessing specific MP physicochemical properties—polymer type, size, concentration, shape, and degree of aging—reported concentration-dependent effects, with increasing MP concentrations generally associated with growth inhibition, cardiac dysfunction, increased malformations, and lower hatching rate, particularly at ≥10 mg/L to ≥100 mg/L. However, several studies noted that under particle-based exposure scenarios, MP toxicity exhibited threshold-like or non-monotonic responses, attributed to aggregation, bioavailability, and uptake dynamics. Weathered and artificially aged MPs exhibited higher embryotoxicity and neurodevelopmental toxicity, including changes in gene expression of neurons, decreased integrity of motor neurons, and impaired retinal development, compared with “virgin” MPs. In terms of physiological endpoints, oxidative imbalance like changes in the activity of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx)), lipid peroxidation, inflammation, and disruption of tight junctions have been reported as key toxicity pathways. Chronic MP exposure in zebrafish also caused changes in the gut microbiota, hepatic metabolism, endocrine disruption, reproductive damage, thyroid function disruption, and genotoxicity in zebrafish. In terms of neurobehavioral effects, changes in locomotor activity, anxiety response, neurotransmitter homeostasis, and acetylcholinesterase function, have been observed, in both larvae and adults, with a potentiation effect in aged MP exposure. Finally, this systematic review found major limitations for inter-study comparisons because of inconsistencies and differences in methodology applied related to MP concentration, simulation of natural MP aging, and MP dose measurements. Full article

Background/Objectives: Microplastics (MPs) are increasingly reported in human reproductive tissues and fluids, but detection alone does not establish tissue injury or disease. Recent reviews have synthesised occurrence, reproductive toxicity, placental transfer, fertility, and pregnancy outcomes. The unresolved problem is that occurrence, model-response, lesion-comparison, clinical-association, and causal evidence are not interchangeable. This review asks what minimum evidence is required for an MP finding in the female genital tract (FGT) or fetoplacental continuum to become lesion-relevant and where inference must stop. Methods: We performed a critical narrative search of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar from database inception through 10 July 2026. The final synthesis comprised 59 sources: 28 primary studies, 24 reviews or systematic syntheses, and 7 regulatory, consensus, or professional-guidance documents.. Methodological recommendations were graded as claim-essential, context-dependent, or exploratory and as routine, specialised, or research-intensive. Results: The distinct contribution is an FGT-specific mechanistic and claim-to-evidence architecture rather than another environmental or reproductive-toxicity catalogue. We propose an ordered, claim-calibrated evidence ladder linking external exposure, internal dose, reproductive-fluid burden, spatial localisation, lesion response, and clinically annotated phenotype. The framework specifies the minimum evidence for occurrence, localisation, lesion, clinical, and causal claims and provides explicit stopping and downgrading rules rather than treating all desirable measurements as mandatory. The FGT Lesion Atlas is a compartment-by-compartment map of prioritised, non-exhaustive endpoints and sampling requirements. The FGT Lesionome is a cross-compartment synthesis of recurring barrier-receptivity, stromal-fibrotic, vascular-perfusion, immune-microbiome, endocrine-steroidogenic, and particle-cargo axes. An integrated hypothesis-generating pathway links systemic or local exposure, internal and target-compartment burden, physicochemical conditioning in reproductive-fluid microenvironments, particle or particle-associated-constituent interaction with compartment-specific cells and matrices, the six response axes, physiological dysfunction, and clinically annotated outcomes. A reproductive-fluid model, an assisted-reproductive-technology sentinel sequence, and an FGT Microplastic Pathology Reporting Checklist rank study elements by evidentiary necessity, feasibility, and interpretive consequence. Conclusions: The framework is hypothesis-generating, not a validated causal map or a universal core outcome set. It separates essential validity safeguards from context-dependent best practices and exploratory endpoints. Human reproductive and fetoplacental disease causation remains unproven without contamination-controlled sampling, polymer confirmation, spatial co-localisation with lesions, temporality, exposure-response assessment, confounder control, replication, and appropriately powered, temporally informative clinical outcomes. Full article

As emerging persistent contaminants, microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous in aquatic environments. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) act as critical sinks and sources of MPs, and their MPs removal efficiency can strongly influence aquatic ecological safety. To investigate how different process configurations affect MPs occurrence and removal performance, four municipal WWTPs equipped with diverse biological and advanced treatment processes were sampled and analyzed. MPs were extracted via density flotation combined with H₂O₂ digestion, and their morphological and polymeric features were identified using stereomicroscopy and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The results revealed that MPs removal efficiencies differed significantly across treatment processes: WWTP4 exhibited the highest comprehensive removal efficiency of 63.89% in the operational situations, followed by WWTP1 of 56.25% and WWTP3 of 51.61%, while WWTP2 exhibited the weakest elimination capacity of 28.12%. It could also be concluded that the differences were primarily governed by biological adsorption and advanced filtration units. Meanwhile, Fragmented and pellet MPs showed higher removal efficiencies than fibrous and film-shaped MPs, while Polymers including PVC, PS, PTFE and PP were more resistant to removal. Longer hydraulic retention time (HRT) and a stable and sufficiently long sludge retention time (SRT) promoted the association of MPs with activated sludge, whereas excessive aeration induced MPs fragmentation and resuspension. Optimizing operational parameters and upgrading advanced filtration facilities could facilitate the regulation and management of MPs. This study provides a theoretical basis for mitigating MPs emissions from municipal WWTPs. Full article

Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) have emerged as pervasive environmental contaminants with increasing evidence of human exposure and biological accumulation. Recent studies have confirmed their presence in multiple human reproductive tissues and fluids, including semen, testicular tissue, ovarian follicular fluid, cervicovaginal secretions, placenta, and breast milk, raising concerns regarding their potential implications for reproductive health. Beyond their widespread distribution, MPs have been shown in experimental studies to interact with cellular and molecular processes, including oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, mitochondrial dysfunction, and DNA damage, which are pathways commonly implicated in carcinogenesis. This review provides a comprehensive and critical synthesis of current evidence linking microplastic exposure to reproductive cancers, including prostate, testicular, ovarian, endometrial, cervical, and vaginal malignancies. Available mechanistic studies suggest that MPs may influence cancer-related biological processes through dysregulation of programmed cell death, genotoxicity, endocrine disruption, and modulation of signaling pathways such as PI3K/AKT and MAPK. Experimental findings also indicate that MPs may alter the tumor microenvironment and affect cellular behaviors associated with proliferation, migration, and invasion. However, the majority of current evidence is derived from in vitro studies, animal models, and indirect mechanistic observations, while direct epidemiological evidence in humans remain limited. Furthermore, methodological heterogeneity in microplastic detection and characterization complicates comparisons across studies and hinders causal inference. Overall, current evidence supports the biological plausibility of an association between microplastic exposure and reproductive cancer-related processes, while highlighting the need for standardized methodologies and well-designed longitudinal human studies to clarify potential health risks. Full article