All microplastics articles
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NewsProlonged exposure to microplastics disrupts the metabolism of Mediterranean octocorals
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 impact on these organisms that structure the seabed.
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NewsHidden viral networks in soil microplastics may shape the future of sustainable agriculture
A new scientific review highlights the complex interactions between soil microbes and viruses that occur on the surface of microplastic particles. The study reveals that these microscopic relationships may influence soil health, ecosystem recovery, and the long term sustainability of agriculture.
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NewsTiny plastics, green solutions: How algae could help clean polluted waters
A new review examines how algae interact with microplastics in aquatic systems. Importantly, it highlights how their biological interactions could be harnessed to mitigate microplastic pollution, offering new perspectives for sustainable aquatic environmental management.
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NewsMicroplastics in soil may reshape microbial genes and threaten ecosystem stability
A new review highlights how microscopic plastic particles accumulating in soils can alter microbial genes that control essential ecosystem functions, potentially affecting food production, climate processes, and environmental health.
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NewsLab-grown algae removes microplastics from water
Scientists have applied a revolutionary strain of algae toward capturing and removing harmful microplastics from polluted water. The aim is to repurpose the collected microplastics into safe, bioplastic products such as composite plastic films.
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NewsPlastic particles can increase intestinal inflammation
Researchers investigating a possible link between the rising number of people with chronic inflammatory bowel disease and the increasing exposure to micro- and nanoplastics show that plastic particles influence the immune cells and the intestinal microbiome and can thus increase inflammation.
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NewsHow do biodegradable plastic films affect microplastics and soil microorganisms in paddy fields?
A study shows that biodegradable plastic films not only have the yield-preserving advantages of traditional plastic films, but also reduce the environmental risks of long-term accumulation of microplastics through synergistic effect with soil microorganisms.
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NewsBlack carbon from wheat straw burning shown to curb antibiotic resistance spread in farmlands with plastic mulch residues
A new study reveals that black carbon formed during wheat straw burning can significantly reduce the spread of antibiotic resistance genes in soil and soybean crops, offering a promising strategy for safer and more sustainable farming in regions burdened by plastic mulch debris.
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NewsMicroplastics disrupt gut microbiome and fermentation in farm animals
Microplastics, tiny plastic particles pervasive in agricultural environments, interact with and disrupt the microbial ecosystem in the rumen – the first stomach chamber of cattle, reveals an international study.
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NewsMicroplastics pose a human health risk in more ways than one
A new study shows that microplastics in the natural environment are colonised by pathogenic and antimicrobial resistant bacteria. The study team calls for urgent action for waste management and strongly recommends wearing gloves when taking part in beach cleans.
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NewsEmerging pollutants threaten efficiency of wastewater treatment: New review highlights urgent research needs
A new scientific review has shed light on how emerging pollutants commonly found in wastewater are disrupting biological phosphorus removal processes, posing risks to water quality and ecological health. The study examines how pharmaceuticals, microplastics, and industrial chemicals interfere with the key microorganisms responsible for phosphorus removal in wastewater treatment plants.
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NewsStudy unveils effects of microplastics on the Nu River sediment microbial community and greenhouse gas emissions:
Microplastics (MPs) in river ecosystems significantly affect sediment microbial communities and biogeochemical cycling. This study compared the effects of conventional polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) on sediment microbial communities and GHG emissions.
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NewsMicroplastics found to change gut microbiome in first human-sample study
New research presented today at UEG Week 2025 shows that microplastics can alter the human gut microbiome, with some changes resembling patterns linked to depression and colorectal cancer.
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NewsBacteria that ‘shine a light’ on microplastic pollution
Researchers have developed a living sensor that attaches to plastic and produces green fluorescence. In an initial test on real-world water samples, the biosensor could easily detect environmentally relevant levels of microplastics.
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NewsStudy reveals the microbial battlegrounds within estuaries - and the part played by microplastics
Estuaries are known hotspots for biodiversity and are turbulent mixing zones where freshwater and seawater microbes confront one another. Source: Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this true-color image of the Baltic Sea ...
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NewsStudy uncovers how the plastisphere can influence growth of harmful algal blooms
A new study published in Sustainable Microbiology delves into how the age and size of microplastics affects the growth of harmful algal blooms.
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OpinionThe problem of microplastics in the oceans: it’s time for effective solutions
Francielly Bruna Neto Francisco and Ricardo Henrique Krüger, from the University of Brasília (UNB), warn that we urgently need technologies that will effectively eliminate partially or nonbiodegradable polymers from the marine environment.
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NewsHidden threats to soil revealed in sewage sludge research
Hidden threats from the agricultural use of contaminated sewage sludge could be contributing to already diminished poor soil health, according to a new report.
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NewsPlastic-eating enzyme identified in wastewater microbes
Plastic pollution is everywhere, and a good amount of it is composed of polyethylene terephthalate (PET, ♳). This polymer is used to make bottles, containers and even clothing. Now, researchers report in ACS’s Environmental Science & Technology that they have discovered an enzyme that breaks apart PET ...
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NewsBacterial contamination and microplastics threaten Colombia’s largest and most productive coastal lagoon
A study warns of the presence of potentially pathogenic bacteria in microplastics extracted from water, sediments and the digestive tract of fish in the Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta, the largest and most productive coastal lagoon system in the Colombian Caribbean.