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Much attention has been paid to the prevalence of microplastics (MPs) in terrestrial systems. MPs have been shown to affect the physio-biochemical properties of plants. Different MPs may have distinctive behaviors and diverse effects on plant growth. In the present study, the effects of polystyrene (PS), polyethylene (PE), and polypropylene (PP) MPs on physio-biochemical properties, root exudates, and metabolomics of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) under hydroponic conditions were investigated. Our results show that MPs exposure has adverse effects on tomato growth. MPs exposure had a significant type-dependent effect (p0.001) on photosynthetic gas parameters, chlorophyll content, and antioxidant enzyme activities. After exposure to MPs, the content of low molecular weight organic acids in tomato root exudates was significantly increased, which was considered as a strategy to alleviate the toxicity of MPs. In addition, MPs treatment significantly changed the metabolites of tomato root and leaf. Metabolic pathway analysis showed that MPs treatment had a great effect on amino acid metabolism. We also found that plants exposed to PS and PP MPs produced more significant metabolic reprogramming than those exposed to PE MPs. This study provides important implications for the mechanism studies on the toxic effect of various MPs on crops and their future risk assessment.

Fragments of microplastics (, Financial support to EGO and the instrument was given by CSIC through Intramural Research program 2018 under grant number 201830I081. MS wishes to acknowledge her contract Juan de la Cierva Incorporación (IJC2020-043162-I) funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and European Union NextGenerationEU/PRTR. DGF was supported by the European Union (H2020-MSCA–IF–2018 846843 - LitRivus) and this work has been co-financed by the 2014–2020 ERDF Operational Programme and the Department of Economy, Knowledge, Business and University of the Regional Government of Andalusia: Project reference FEDER-UCA18-107247.

Microplastics, which are usually recognized as artificial polymer particles with a particle size5 mm, have attracted much attention as new pollutants in recent years. Urban areas are a major contributor of microplastics to the environment, but their microplastic emission intensity and characteristics are not clear. In this paper, the microplastic abundances and characteristics in the Southern Jiangsu Canal were studied to reveal the effect of riverside cities on microplastics in river water. The results show that the microplastic abundance in the water body of the South Jiangsu Canal ranges from 3.41 to 19.07 particles L

Plastics, and more specifically, microplastics (MPs,5 mm) are considered a marine contaminant of emerging concern. To accurately assess the ecological risk of MPs, it is critical to first understand the relationship between MP contamination in organisms with that in their surrounding environment. The goal of this study was to examine the ecological risk of MPs in coral reef ecosystems by assessing the MP contamination found within a simple food web against contamination in the surrounding environment. Taxa representing three trophic levels (zooplankton, benthic crustaceans, and reef fish), as well as the distinct environmental matrices which they inhabit (i.e., mid-column water and sediment) were collected from two mid-shelf reefs in the central Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Microplastics were isolated using validated clarification techniques, visually characterised (i.e., shape, colour, size) by microscopy, chemically confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and recorded in all three trophic levels and all abiotic samples. MPs were found to bioconcentrate, with similar concentrations, polymer types, sizes, shapes, and colours at each trophic level compared to their surrounding environment. However, MP contamination varied across the three trophic levels, with no evidence of bioaccumulation. Further, MP concentrations did not increase up the food web, discounting MP biomagnification. Regardless, given the heterogeneity of MPs found in the marine environment, and the complexity of marine food webs, trophic transfer represents a prominent pathway of exposure from lower to higher trophic levels.

Bio-based plastics (BP) produced from renewable biomass resources, such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polylactic acid (PLA) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV), is currently increasing in terms of both products and applications. However, their biodegradability and environmental fate are not yet fully understood, especially in freshwaters. Here, we present the results of an in-situ study in a freshwater reservoir, where we submerged HDPE, PLA and PHBV microscale BP (mBP) in dialysis bags to enable exchange of small organic and inorganic molecules, including nutrients, with the surrounding water. After one and two months, the bacterial biofilm that formed on each mBP was characterised by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. After two-months, Oxalobacteraceae, Pedosphaeraceae, Flavobacteriaceae (Flavobacterium) and Chitinophagaceae (Ferruginibacter) had increased by up to four times. Both these and other common members (≥1 % relative total biomass) of the microbial community were similarly abundant on all mBP. Low-abundance (0.3-1 %) bacterial taxa, however, were significantly more diverse and differed on each mBP. Notably, some low-abundance families and genera increased on specific materials, e.g. Sphingomonadaceae on HDPE, Sphingobacteriaceae on PHBV, Gemmatimonas and Crenothrix on PLA. Overall, abundant bacteria were regarded as a pioneering community, while low-abundance bacteria were more diverse and preferred mBP types in the early stages of biofilm formation on mBP. It could be influenced by the environmental conditions, where nutrient levels and low temperatures might shape the low-abundance of attached bacterial communities than the plastic material itself.

It is desirable to recycle the urban waste products human urine, composted household waste and sewage sludge as fertilizers to agricultural fields. This could minimize the use of NPK fertilizer, improve soil structure and store carbon. However, waste products may contain heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants (POP) and plastics, and there are concerns that long-term build-up of these substances will cause unwanted effects on soil health. Nematodes are ubiquitous and numerous in soil ecosystems. Abundance and community structure of soil nematodes can be used as indicators of soil health, as some species are vulnerable to pollution. There are well-developed methods for detecting environmental changes based on nematode community structure. At the long-term CRUCIAL field experiment, where alternative fertilizer products have been applied since 2003, we measured effects of long-term fertilization with human urine, composted household waste and sewage sludge on soil properties (pH, soil organic matter and nitrogen availability), abundance of soil microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, small protozoa and ciliates) and nematode trophic groups compared to plots with unfertilized, NPK and cattle manure treatment. Sampling and assessments were done three times during a growth season. Further, we assessed the composition of nematode communities using metabarcoding. Treatments with a high input of organic matter (cattle manure, composted household waste and sewage sludge) had high abundances of bacteria and thus bacterial grazers (small protozoa, ciliates, and bacterial feeding nematodes). We found a significant correlation between nematode community structure and pH and organic matter. We calculated the nematode Maturity Index 2–5 (pollution indicator) based on metabarcoding data, which did not differ significantly between the treatments. We conclude that long-term fertilization with different types of contemporary Danish urban waste products affects both soil properties and abundance of soil organisms, the latter largely reflecting the organic matter input of the fertilizer treatments. We found no adverse effect on nematode communities that could indicate pollution-induced stress on nematofauna or decreased soil fertility.

Microplastics (MPs) represent an emergent contamination marker. For this reason, we analyzed the vertical distribution of MPs in six sediment cores retrieved from the Patos-Mirim System, the world's largest coastal lagoonal system. The sediment cores span from mid Holocene to present times according to both radiocarbon and lead dating and are located close to both urban/industrial and agricultural regions. We identified a basal pre-disturbance MP-free zone in all cores and an uppermost contaminated 70-cm-zone, where a general increasing trend in MPs content resembling the human anthropization process was recorded. The predominant format of MPs was fiber, followed by fragments. The most commonly identified polymers were rayon, PVC, acrylate, polycarbonate and cellophane. Urban/industrial and agricultural activities were shown as clear sources of MPs, leading to comparable MPs concentration values in the sediment cores. Thus, MPs are collectively a reliable indicator of the Anthropocene onset, and in the Patos-Mirim System the most appropriate chronology can be assigned to the beginning of 1970s, matching the intensification of anthropogenic activities in the area.

This study investigates microplastic (MPs) dynamics of a recently established surface flow 2100 population equivalent polishing constructed wetland (CW) receiving 1.4 ML per day of secondary treated wastewater. MPs type, size ranges and concentrations were measured along the CW at a 2-months sampling campaign. The CW received an average of 5·10

Microplastics are ubiquitous in the environment, including in food and drinking water. Consequently, there is growing concern about the human health risks associated with microplastic exposure through diet. However, the occurrence of microplastics in the human body, particularly in mothers and fetuses, is incompletely understood because of the limited amount of data on their presence in the body and the human placenta. This study evaluated the presence and characteristics of microplastics in 17 placentas using laser direct infrared (LD-IR) spectroscopy. Microplastics were detected in all placenta samples, with an average abundance of 2.70 ± 2.65 particles/g and a range of 0.28 to 9.55 particles/g. Among these microplastics, 11 polymer types were identified. The microplastics were mainly composed of polyvinyl chloride (PVC, 43.27 %), polypropylene (PP, 14.55 %), and polybutylene succinate (PBS, 10.90 %). The sizes of these microplastics ranged from 20.34 to 307.29 μm, and most (80.29 %) were smaller than 100 μm. Most of the smaller microplastics were fragments, but fibers dominated the larger microplastics (200-307.29 μm). Interestingly, the majority of PVC and PP were smaller than 200 μm. This study provides a clearer understanding of the shape, size, and nature of microplastics in the human placenta. Importantly, these data also provide crucial information for performing risk assessments of the exposure of fetuses to microplastics in the future.

The water bodies in Bangladesh thrive from plastic pollution. Estuaries are pools of environmental contaminants, and the world's largest mangrove forest, Sundarbans' estuary, is no exception. Thus, for the first time, we investigate MPs abundance in the muscle and gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of twenty estuarine species of fish and shellfish of the Sundarbans, as well as the human health risk. MPs abundance was evident in all the samples ranging from 5.37 ± 1.07 to 54.30 ± 16.53 MP items/g wet body weight (dw) in muscle samples and 7.33 ± 1.89 to 205.61 ± 136.88 MP items/g (dw) in GIT samples. The estimated health risk from MPs is substantial, where the average human intake will be 85,710.08 items of MPs per year per capita for the population of Bangladesh. The dominant polymer types observed using ATR-FTIR are PP and PE (17.5 %), PA (17.5 %) in the muscle tissues, and PP and PE (11.11 %), and EVA (11.11 %) in the GITs. Bottom-feeding species, such as demersal and benthic species, are more contaminated. However, the level of MPs in the species shows a negative correlation with the length and weight of the species. This study reveals that MP pollution is widespread and concerning in Bangladesh's Sundarban mangrove estuarine zone.

Emerging contaminant microplastics (MPs) are getting worldwide attention for their ubiquitous occurrence and potential risk to the environment. However, the seasonal influence on freshwater MP pollution remains poorly understood. To better understand and evaluate the riverine MPs in different seasons, this study conducted the risk assessment of MPs in an urban river, Houjin River, during the different seasons. The present study found that the MPs (0.1-5 mm, mostly 0.1-2 mm) were more abundant in the dry season (183.33 ± 128.95 items/m

Microplastics have been proven to be one of the critical environmental pollution issues. Moreover, microfibers, the most prominent form of microplastics in the environment, have likewise attracted the attention of various countries. With the increase in global population and industrialization, the production and use of fibers continue to increase yearly. As a result, a large number of microfibers are formed. If fiber products are not used or handled correctly, it will cause direct/indirect severe microfiber environmental pollution. Microfibers will be further broken into smaller fiber fragments when they enter the natural environment. Presently, researchers have conducted extensive research in the identification of microfibers, laying the foundation for further resourcefulness research. This work used bibliometric analysis to review the microfiber contamination researches systematically. First, the primary sources of microfibers and the influencing factors are analyzed. We aim to summarize the influence of the clothing fiber preparation and care processes on microfiber formation. Then, this work elaborated on the migration in/between water, atmosphere, and terrestrial environments. We also discussed the effects of microfiber on ecosystems. Finally, microfibers' current and foreseeable effective treatment, disposal, and resource utilization methods were explained. This paper will provide a structured reference for future microfiber research.

Plastic waste has gained remarkable research attention due to its accumulation, associated environmental issues, and impact on living organisms. In order to overcome this challenge, there is an urgent need for its removal from the environment. Under this menace, finding appropriate treatment methods like biodegradation instead of typical treatment methods is of supreme importance. However, there is a limited review on bio-decomposition of plastics, existing microbial species, their degradation efficacy, and mechanism. From this point of view, this study focused on a brief overview of biodegradation such as influencing factors on biodegradation, existing species for macro- and micro-plastics, and present research gap. Degradation percentage, limitations of existing species, and future recommendations are proposed. Microbial species such as bacteria, algae, and fungi have the ability to decompose plastics but they are unable to completely mineralize the plastics. Meanwhile, there is limited knowledge about the involved enzymes in plastics degradation, especially in the case of algae. Bio-decomposition of plastics requires more stringent conditions which are usually feasible for field application. This work will be a reference for new researchers to use this effective strategy for plastic pollution removal.

The aquatic ecosystems of the world are highly burdened with microplastics (MPs; particles5 mm). There is a great need for better understanding of patterns of MP pollution across catchments and rivers of different sizes, anthropogenic pressures and hydrogeomorphological features. In this study, we investigated the MP concentrations including their characteristics (polymer type, shape, size and colour), and MP distribution in water and sediments of two hydrogeomorphologically different small-scale catchments (800 km

We conducted one of the first studies to integrate the quantification and characterization of microplastics (MPs), including fibers, in different habitats (sea surface, seafloor and beach sediments) of a coastal Mediterranean marine protected area, analyzing their ingestion in several marine species. The objectives of the study were to evaluate the distribution of MPs according to shape and polymer, to assess the contribution of fibers to local plastic pollution and to evaluate their ingestion in fish and invertebrates species that inhabit the study area (Pagrus pagrus, Serranus scriba, Spondyliosoma cantharus, Diplodus vulgaris, Oblada melanura, Holothuria forskalii, Holothuria tubularis, Holothuria polis, Arbacia lixula, Paracentrotus lividus, Modiolus barbatus, Mytilus galloprovincialis and Arca noae). A total of 111 environmental samples were analyzed. The mean abundance of MPs (excluding fibers) quantified in beach sediments (13,418.86 ± 28,787.99 MPs/m2) was two orders of magnitude higher than that found in seafloor sediments (76.92 ± 108.84 MPs/m2), which in turn was two orders of magnitude higher than sea surface samples (0.17 ± 0.39 MPs/m2). The fibers were the most abundant shape of MPs identified in all habitats. Variability in MPs ingestion was detected between species, with ingestion rates ranging from 43 % to 100 % for general MPs and ranging from 7 % to 100 % for fibers. The highest ingestion was observed in Holoturians, representing suitable bioindicators for plastic pollution. The composition of the polymer varies weakly depending on habitats and biota, but the result is strongly correlated with the morphology of the plastic. Fibers were mainly composed of cellulose acetate (29 %), styrofoam of polystyrene (18 %), and filaments, films and fragments of polyethylene and polypropylene. The results highlighted the need to expand integrated approaches to effectively study marine plastic pollution and to undertake efficient actions to limit the input of plastics, particularly fibers, into the marine environment., This study was founded by the INTERREG project: Plastic Busters MPAs: preserving biodiversity from plastics in Mediterranean Marine Protected Areas, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (grant agreement No 4MED17_3.2_M123_027). Acknowledgement to the Servicios Científico técnicos of the University of Balearic Islands, and to Dr. Gabriel Martorell Crespi. Valentina Fagiano is supported with a pre-doctoral fellowship (FPI-CAIB) co-financed by the Government of the Balearic Islands and the European Social Fund. Montserrat Compa is the recipient of a postdoctoral fellowship within the Margalida Comas program financed from the Direcció General de Política Universitària i Recerca of the Government of the Balearic Islands.

The abundance of micro(nano)plastics in natural ecosystems is a crucial global challenge, as these small-sized plastic particles originate from land-based and marine-based activities and are widely present in marine, freshwater, and terrestrial ecosystems. Micro(nano)plastics can significantly be reduced through various methods, such as biological, chemical, and physical techniques. Biochar is a low-cost adsorbent and is considered an efficient material and its application is ecologically effective carbon-negative for remediation of organic and inorganic pollutants. Therefore, this review critically discusses the fate and transport of micro(nano)plastics and their interactions with different biochar in aqueous and column porous media. This review outlines the implications of biochar with the co-existence of micro(nano)plastics in efforts to understand their coupled effects on soil physicochemical properties, microbial communities, and plant growth, along with the removal of heavy metals and other toxic contaminants. In batch experiments, biochar synthesized from various biomasses such as corn straw, hardwood, pine and spruce bark, corncob, and Prosopis juliflora had shown high level of removal efficiency (90 %) for microplastic adsorption under varying environmental conditions viz., pH, temperature, ionic strength, particle size, and dose due to chemical bonding and electrostatic attractions. Increased temperature of the aqueous solutions encouraged higher adsorption, while higher pH and dissolved organic matter and nutrients may show decreased adsorption capacities for micro(nano)plastics using biochar. Compared to other available physical, chemical, and biological methods, biochar-amended sand filters in column experiments have been very efficient in removing micro(nano)plastics. In saturated column porous media, various microplastics could be inhibited using biochar due to decreased electrostatic repulsion, steric hindrance, and competitive sorption due to humic acid, ionic strength, and cations. Finally, this review provides in-depth insights on further investigations and recommendations for overall micro(nano)plastics removal using biochar-based materials.

Microplastics (MPs) pollution in sediments brings a huge challenge to the sustainable development of society. China is one of the countries with the largest production and application of plastic products in the world. The sustainable management of MPs pollution in sediments from China has important implications for achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. There is a lack of targeted management measures for the sustainable management of MPs pollution in sediments from China. In this study, 74 study areas were collected to analyze the pollution status of MPs in sediments from China. The results showed that the study on MPs pollution in sediments from China was concentrated in the Bohai Rim Economic Circle (n = 12), the Yangtze River Delta Economic Circle (n = 16) and the Pearl River Delta Economic Circle (n = 13). And the average abundance of MPs in sediments from China showed a decreasing trend from coastal to inland. Fiber had the highest centrality degree in the correlation network of MPs types. The reduction of fiber in sediments can reduce the diversity of MPs in sediments from China. Population density, economic level, urbanization level and industrial structure were significantly correlated with MPs types in sediments from China. The targeted management measures can be formulated based on the contribution of different human activities to MPs types. Managing pollution sources and cutting off transmission pathways are effective means for the targeted management of MPs in sediments. In addition, legislation can effectively restrict the application of plastic products. Promulgating relevant laws and implementing targeted management are conducive to the sustainable management of MPs pollution in sediments from China. In future studies, a big data platform for MPs pollution should be established to obtain a comprehensive understanding in the pollution status of MPs in sediments from China.

Municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are a central point of collection of plastic particles from households and industry and for their re-distribution into the environment. Existing studies evaluating levels of plastics in WWTPs, and their removal rates have reported and used data on polymer type, size, shape, colour, and number of plastic particles, while the total mass concentration of plastic particles (especially1 μm) remains unclear and unknown. To address this knowledge gap, raw influent, effluent, and reference water samples from three WWTPs in Australia were collected to analyse the mass concentrations and removal rates of seven common plastics (1 μm in size) across the treatment schemes. Quantitative analysis was performed by pressurized liquid extraction followed by pyrolysis coupled to gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Results showed that the total plastic content in the WWTPs raw influent samples was between 840 and 3116 μg/L, resulting in an inflow of between about 2.1 and 196.4 kg/day of the total measured plastics. Overall,99 % by mass of the plastics entering the three WWTPs from the raw influent was removed during the pre-treatment stages, presumably ending up in the sewage sludge, which means emissions (via treated effluent) from the treatment plants are low. Compared with the raw influent, the plastic mass concentrations in the treated effluents (i.e., Class C, A, and final effluent) from the three WWTPs, as well as the reference water samples within their catchments were below the limits of reporting. Of the five quantified plastic types, polyethylene (PE, 76.4 %), and polyvinylchloride (PVC, 21 %) dominated by mass, while polyethylene terephthalate (PET, 1.9 %), polypropylene (PP, 0.4 %) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA, 0.3 %) accounted for a small proportion of the total. Overall, this study investigated the mass concentrations of plastic particles above 1 μm in wastewater and their removal, which provided valuable information regarding the pollution level and distribution characteristics of plastic polymers in Australian WWTPs.

Microplastics (MPs) are a heterogeneous group of solid polymers with dimensions5 mm, which are a widespread contaminant of the environment. Their ubiquitous presence grabbed researchers' attention in the last decade, and the problem of MPs detection and quantification is currently a topic of utmost importance. Most identification and quantification protocols are still based on the visual count, which is an extremely time-consuming and error-prone task due to operator subjectivity. To address such an issue, different software analysis procedures are available, but they mainly rely either on the use of optical microscopy, covering a minimal area for each sample (mm

Microplastics have been identified as an emerging pollutant due to their irrefutable prevalence in air, soil, and particularly, the aquatic ecosystem. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are seen as the last line of defense which creates a barrier between microplastics and the environment. These microplastics are discharged in large quantities into aquatic bodies due to their insufficient containment during water treatment. As a result, WWTPs are regarded as point sources of microplastics release into the environment. Assessing the prevalence and behavior of microplastics in WWTPs is therefore critical for their control. The removal efficiency of microplastics was 65 %, 0.2-14 %, and 0.2-2 % after the successful primary, secondary and tertiary treatment phases in WWTPs. In this review, other than conventional treatment methods, advanced treatment methods have also been discussed. For the removal of microplastics in the size range 20-190 μm, advanced treatment methods like membrane bioreactors, rapid sand filtration, electrocoagulation and photocatalytic degradation was found to be effective and these methods helps in increasing the removal efficiency to99 %. Bioremediation based approaches has found that sea grasses, lugworm and blue mussels has the ability to mitigate microplastics by acting as a natural trap to the microplastics pollutants and could act as candidate species for possible incorporation in WWTPs. Also, there is a need for controlling the use and unchecked release of microplastics into the environment through laws and regulations.

Although microplastics are emerging marine pollutants that have recently attracted increasing attention, it is still difficult to identify their sources. This study reviewed 6487 articles to determine current research trends and found 237 effective concentration points after sorting, which were distributed in four regions and related to freshwater ecosystems. Results found that 15 environmental variables represented natural and anthropogenic environmental characteristics, of which seven environmental variables were selected for experimental modelling. Random forest models fitted sample data, thus facilitating the identification of regional microplastics distribution. The global random forest model had random forest importance scores (RFISs) for gross domestic product, population, and the proportion of agricultural land use were 15.76 %, 15.64 %, and 14.74 %, respectively; these indicate that human activities significantly affected the global distribution of microplastics. In Asia, agriculture and urban activities are the main sources of microplastics, with an RFIS of 11.58 % and 12.24 % for the proportion of agricultural and urban land use, respectively. Activities in urban areas were determined to be the main influencing factors in North America, with an RFIS of 13.92 % for the proportion of urban land use. Agricultural activities were the main influencing factors in Europe, with RFISs for the proportion of agricultural land use of 16.90 %. Our results indicate that region-specific policies are required to control microplastics in different regions, with soil composition being a latency factor that affects microplastics' distribution.

Microplastics are substrates for microbial activity and can influence biomass production. This has potentially important implications in the sea-surface microlayer, the marine boundary layer that controls gas exchange with the atmosphere and where biologically produced organic compounds can accumulate. In the present study, we used six large scale mesocosms to simulate future ocean scenarios of high plastic concentration. Each mesocosm was filled with 3 m

The presence and accumulation of microplastics (MPs) in water and wastewater is a growing concern. When released to the water bodies, microplastics can be subject to surface weathering due to ultraviolet (UV) exposure. In this study, the effects of UV aging of six MP polymers from three groups (e.g., polyamide, polyester, and polyolefin) on their chlorine reactivity, chemical transformation, and formation of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) were studied. Polyamide (e.g., polyamide 6) in both virgin and UV-aged forms showed significantly higher chlorine demands than other MP polymers (915.5-947.9 versus 7.0-21.1 μmol/g MP in 24 h), and polyolefins were relatively inert to chlorine. UV aging enhanced the destructions of functional groups of polyamide and polyester upon chlorination, promoting the chlorine demands and leaching of organics by up to 1.7- and 2.4-fold, respectively. Polymer monomer and oligomers of polyamide 6 and toxic or endocrine disrupting additives (e.g., dimethyl phthalate and butyl octyl phthalate) were identified in leachates from chlorinated MP polymers by mass spectrometry. Meanwhile, up to10-fold increases in the yields of trihalomethane, haloacetic acid, haloacetaldehyde, haloacetonitrile, and haloacetamide were observed from 30-day UV-aged MP polymers as compared to their virgin counterparts. Overall, this study reveals that UV aging can promote the reactivity and chemical transformation of MP polymers during chlorination, especially for polyamide and polyester, increase the release of polymer monomers, oligomers, and additives, and aggravate the role of MP polymers as DBP precursors.

While versatile application of plastics has generated huge benefits in our life, the 'plastic end-of-life' comes with downsides of emerging concern is plastic particles within all parts of environments. Plastics are highly resistant to degradation and sustain in the environment for a prolonged period resulting in easy access of microplastics into human food chain. Microplastic exposure to humans is caused by foods of both animal and plant origin, food additives, drinks, and plastic food packaging. Living organisms can accumulate microplastics in cells and tissues which results in threats of chronic biological effects and potential health hazards for humans including body gastrointestinal disorders, immunity, respiratory problem, cancer, infertility, and alteration in chromosomes. Because of the threat of microplastics on human health, it is essential to ensure food safety as well as control plastic use with strict regulation of proper management. This study aims to enlighten future research into the core component of microplastics, their exposure to human food, prevention to human food chain, and biological reactions in human body. Finally, it is recommended to consider the presence of microplastics in different foods, as most of the existing research mainly focused on sea foods. And it is important to study the mechanism of toxicity with pathways in the human body based on the different types, shapes, and sizes of plastic particles.

Currently, although the cumulative effects of microplastics (MPs) and organic pollutants (OPs) in the environment and within organisms are being investigated, whether and how MPs participate in bioaccumulation of OPs based on a carrier effect is still unclear. In the present study, water and aquatic organisms were collected from the Pearl River. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and MPs were separated by solid phase extraction and were measured by gas chromatography mass spectrometry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, respectively. Higher PAH concentrations at the river outlet and higher MPs abundance in the inner river were observed, indicating a mismatched distribution between PAHs and MPs. No correlation between MP abundance and PAH concentration in fishes was detected, implying that MPs exerted limited influence on PAH concentrations. Interestingly, bioconcentration factors of one major low-ring PAH (phenanthrene) in fishes showed a significant correlation with MPs abundance, implying that although MPs did not affect the variation in PAH concentrations, they potentially participated in selective bioaccumulation of PAHs. Moreover, significant correlations between MPs abundance and PAHs in fishes with different feeding and living habits were found, indicating that MPs' participation in PAH bioaccumulation was dependent on fish biology and life history. Furthermore, the health risk posed by PAHs in fishes at the river outlet surpassed the line of potential high risk, while the ecological risk posed by MPs at the inner river was in the danger category, indicating the ecological risks posed by PAHs and MPs are uneven along the Pearl River. These findings deepen our understanding of the underlying mechanism of MPs participating in selective bioaccumulation of low-ring PAHs in fishes based on fish biology and point out the present risks posed by these two pollutants in the Pearl River and its estuary, which contribute to aquatic environmental protection and fishery production in this region.

Microplastics have appeared as emerging pollutants due to the diverse applications of plastics in today's world. Growing evidence points to the negative impacts that airborne microplastics have on human health, as they can enter the human body through respiration. Our aim was to quantify polystyrene airborne microplastics in smaller fractions, thoracic (PM

Microplastics (5 mm) are a ubiquitous marine pollutant which are highly bioavailable to marine organisms across all trophic levels. Marine predators are especially vulnerable to microplastic pollution through direct and indirect ingestion (e.g., trophic transfer) due to their high trophic position. In particular, oceanic islands are more susceptible to plastic accumulation, increasing the relative number of microplastics in the environment that are available for consumption. The dynamics of microplastic accumulation in marine predators inhabiting remote islands, however, is sparsely documented. Here we describe microplastic exposure in the Critically Endangered Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) from the Madeira archipelago (Northeast Atlantic) using scat-based analysis. Microplastics were recovered from 18 scat samples collected between 2014-2021 and were characterized to the polymer level using Fourier-Transform Infrared (u-FTIR) spectroscopy. A total of 390 microplastic particles were recovered, ranging between 0.2-8.6 particles g

Microplastic pollution in various ecosystems has gained significant attention across the globe. Due to ubiquitous abundance, terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems at regional scales are polluted via uncontrolled anthropogenic actions. Therefore, this study investigates microplastic pollution and distribution in sediments and surface water of the Moheshkhali channel of Bangladesh, Bay of Bengal, along with their shape, size, color, and polymeric analysis. It has been observed that both sediments and surface water are significantly contaminated with microplastics at 14 sediments and 12 surface water sampling sites. 291 particles of microplastic were observed in two quadrants, separated 10-m away from each other, across 14 sediment sampling sites, with average concentrations registered in the range of 6.66 to 138.33 particles/m

Nature-based solutions such as constructed wetlands (CW) are considered as a sustainable, green technology for greywater treatment. However, their efficiency to remove microplastics is not well-known even though greywater is considered as a significant source of microfiber pollution. In this study, the removal of fiber microplastics from greywater using a vertical flow constructed wetland (VFCW) was investigated. For the purposes of this study, an experimental wetland was constructed, planted with the flowering plant Zantedeschia aethiopica and filled with a substrate made of sand/gravel of several sizes. The system's performance was monitored for five months during which it received real laundry wastewater. Promising results were obtained showing the significant removal of microfibers from the influent (95 %). Moreover, the ability of the system to remove microfibers from laundry wastewater was not significantly affected from the hydraulic loading rate (HLR) applied. The average microfibers concentration decreased from 71 ± 25 microparticles/L in the influent to 1 ± 1 microparticles/L in the effluent of VFCW when an HLR of 63.7 mm/d was applied. High removal efficiencies were also observed for COD and turbidity (93 % and 94 %, respectively). Thus, the results indicate a significant improvement in the overall quality of laundry wastewater due to the use of the VFCW.

Current work focus on microplastic (MPs) occurrence in the water, sediment, and aquatic species (fish, crab, and snail) of the Buriganga River, Bangladesh, with an ecological risk assessment perspective. It also includes the distribution of MPs in different river ecosystem segments and the presence of heavy metal (loid)s (HMs) in water, sediments, and MPs surface. The MPs were inspected by stereomicroscope to identify the shapes, color, and size, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to characterize polymer types. The samples concentration of four HMs viz., As, Cd, Cr, and Pb were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). The possible MPs content in water, sediment, fish, crab, and snail were varied from 0.250 to 0.117 MPs/mL, 3.5-8.17 MPs/g, 0.65-3.82 MPs/g, 3.75-4.28 MPs/g, and 0.84-1.12 MPs/g, respectively. Fibers and fragments were the most dominant shape, less than 0.5 mm was dominant in size, and blue was the dominant color. In the evaluation of the chemical composition of MPs in water, sediment, fish, snail, and crab samples, Polyethylene terephthalate (PETE), Ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), High-density polyethylene (HDPE), Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), Cellulose acetate (CA), and Nylon were identified. Regarding HMs load, the river demonstrated a highly polluted environment following the abundance pattern CrPbAsCd. SEM-EDAX of MPs was conducted to investigate the surface MP's surface and elemental composition. It reveals that the MPs surface has characteristic flakes, cracks, and adhering particles along with Si, K, Au, C, and O on the surface studied MPs. There is no significant relationship found among the ecosystem segments. However, Ompok bimaculatus species show a negative relationship of MPs distribution with water and sediment. Moreover, according to the ecological risk of MPs pollution in the Buriganga River, it was in category-I, indicating considerable pollution load due to the presence of MPs.

Plastics contamination in the environment is a major concern. Risk assessment of micro- and nanoplastics (MPL and NPL) poses significant challenges due to MPL and NPL heterogeneity regarding compositional polymers, particle sizes and morphologies in the environment. Yet, there exists considerable toxicological literature on commercial polystyrene (PS) micro- and nanospheres. Although such particles do not directly represent the environmental MPL and NPL, their toxicity data should be used to advance the hazard assessment of plastics. Here, toxicity data of PS micro- and nanospheres for microorganisms, aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates, fish, and higher plants was collected and analyzed. The evaluation of 294 papers revealed that aquatic invertebrates were the most studied organisms, nanosized PS was studied more often than microsized PS, acute exposures prevailed over chronic exposures, the toxicity of PS suspension additives was rarely addressed, and ∼40 % of data indicated no organismal effects of PS. Toxicity mechanisms were mainly studied in fish and nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, providing guidance for relevant studies in higher organisms. Future studies should focus on environmentally relevant plastics concentrations, wide range of organisms, co-exposures with other pollutants, and method development for plastics identification and quantification to fill the gap of bioaccumulation assessment of plastics.

Urban areas play a key role in the production of microplastics (MPs) and their entry into water bodies. This article reviews the literature on the sources, transport, and control of MPs in urban environments with the aim of clarifying the mechanisms underlying these processes. Major MP sources include atmospheric deposition, micro-litter, and tire and road wear particles (TRWPs). MPs deposited from the atmosphere are mostly fibers and may be particularly important in catchments without traffic. Littering and attrition of textiles and plastic products is another important MP source. However, the quantities of MPs originating from this source may be hard to estimate. TRWPs are a significant source of MPs in urban areas and are arguably the best quantified source. The mobilization of MPs in urban catchments is poorly understood but it appears that dry unconsolidated sediments and MP deposits are most readily mobilized. Sequestration of MPs occurs in green areas and is poorly understood. Consequently, some authors consider green/pervious parts of urban catchments to be MP sinks. Field studies have shown that appreciable MP removal occurs in stormwater quality control facilities. Street cleaning and snow removal also remove MPs (particularly TRWPs), but the efficacy of these measures is unknown. Among stormwater management facilities, biofiltration/retention units seem to remove MPs more effectively than facilities relying on stormwater settling. However, knowledge of MP removal in stormwater facilities remains incomplete. Finally, although 13 research papers reported MP concentrations in stormwater, the total number of field samples examined in these studies was only 189. Moreover, the results of these studies are not necessarily comparable because they are based on relatively small numbers of samples and differ widely in terms of their objectives, sites, analytical methods, size fractions, examined polymers, and even terminology. This area of research can thus be considered "data-poor" and offers great opportunities for further research in many areas.

Very little is known about the occurrence of microplastics in the soils of various land uses, especially their distributional characteristics in the soils of arid areas. In this study, 24 sampling sites across three soil layers were investigated for three different farmland-use types (greenhouses, crop fields and vegetable fields) in the main agricultural and pastoral areas around Urumqi, China. The results demonstrated that the dominant sizes of soil microplastics were 0.2-0.5 and 0.5-1.0 mm, the main shape was film (85.93 %), the main color was white, and the main polymer was polyethylene (93.1 %), indicating that most microplastics derive from the damage to residual mulches. The microplastics abundance was highest in the greenhouse plots (7763 ± 2773 items/kg), followed by the vegetable plots (4128 ± 2235 items/kg) and then the crop fields (3178 ± 3172 items/kg). No significant differences were observed among the abundances of microplastics in the 0-10 cm (1822 ± 1345 items/kg), 10-20 cm (1566 ± 1139 items/kg) and 20-30 cm (1309 ± 1028 items/kg) layers, suggesting that microplastics can migrate to the deeper soil layer and are strongly influenced by tillage disturbance. The abundance of microplastics in the north of Urumqi was found to be higher than in the south, which is closely related to the division of agricultural functional zones and the intensity of agricultural management practices. It was found that different cropping characteristics and modes of agricultural use affect the abundance and migration of microplastics in various farmland-use types, and thus their distribution. This study provides important data for follow-up research on microplastics in arid terrestrial ecosystems, and corresponding policy-making on the management of these materials.

Large amounts of discarded plastics in the environment can be aged into microplastics and nanoplastics, which are not easily removed, posing potential nonnegligible risks to the ecosystem and human health. Although previous studies have revealed that nanoplastics have detrimental impacts on microorganisms, the potential molecular mechanisms of nanoplastic particles' effect on microbial growth and metabolism are still lacking. Here, multiple responses of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 (PAO1) to different levels of polystyrene nanoplastics (PS NPs) exposure were investigated by physiological experiments, live/dead staining, redox status, and genome-wide RNA sequencing. The results showed that PS NPs had dual effects on PAO1, and different concentrations of PS NPs demonstrated different effects on the growth and metabolism of PAO1. All levels of PS NPs had no obvious biocidal effect on PAO1. The production and consumption of ROS were in dynamic equilibrium and could be regulated genetically to ensure that the ROS level was in the biotolerable range. 20 and 50 mg/L of PS NPs severely inhibited the nitrate reduction, while 0.1 mg/L of PS NPs promoted the denitrification and TCA cycle. Meanwhile, 20 and 50 mg/L of PS NPs resulted in intense down-regulation of genes involved in denitrification. In contrast, the expression of genes involved in respiration is promoted with generated energy to withstand stress from high-level PS NPs, coinciding with the physiological results. In addition, our results showed that PS NPs concentrations of 20 and 50 mg/L exposure substantially up-regulated the expression of genes encoding for flagellar biosynthesis and biofilm formation to tackle the stress. Our findings would provide new insights into the interactions between environmental bacteria and PS NPs at the transcriptional level, thereby enhancing our understanding of the potential risks of PS NPs to microbial ecosystems and public health.

Microplastics are ubiquitous in the natural environment and have the potential to endanger the natural environment, ecology and even human health. A series of microfluidic experiments by using soft lithography technology were carried out to investigate the effect of flow rate, particle volume fraction, particle size and pore/throat ratio on microplastics migration and deposition at the pore scale. We discovered a range of deposition patterns of the spherical microplastics from no particle deposition, to discontinuous particle layer, and to continuous particle layers in the retained liquid in the pores, depending on the particle size and volume fraction. Several metrics, including air saturation, probability of particle detainment, expansion ratio and thickness of residual liquid, were quantified to examine the role of various parameters on particle migration and retention of microplastics. At low flow rate (Q = 0.05 μL/min), microplastics migration and deposition were sensitive to changes in particle volume fraction, particle size and pore/throat ratio. In contrast, at high flow rates (Q5 μL/min), the migration and retention of particles were mainly controlled by strongly channelized air invasion pattern, while the particle volume fraction, particle size and pore/throat size ratio have only secondary influence. At intermediate range of flow rates, microplastics migration and deposition were dramatically impacted by flow rate, particle volume fraction, particle size and pore/throat ratio. This work improves the understanding of the mechanisms of particle migration and retention in porous media and can provide a reference for more accurate assessment of the exposure levels and times of microplastics in soil and groundwater systems.

Microplastics (MPs), an emerging pollutant, are of global concern due to their wide distribution and large quantities. In addition to MPs themselves, various additives within MPs (such as plasticizers, flame retardants, antioxidants and heavy metals) may also have harmful effects on the environment. Most of these additives are physically bound to plastics and can therefore be leached from the plastic and released into the environment. Aging of MPs in the actual environment can affect the migration and release of additives, further increasing the ecotoxicological risk of additives to organisms. This work reviews the functions of several commonly used additives in MPs, and summarizes the representative characterization methods. Furthermore, the migration and leaching of additives in the human environment and marine environment are outlined. As aging promotes the internal chain breaking of MPs and the increase of specific surface area, it in turn stimulates the release of additives. The hazards of additive exposure have been elucidated, and various studies from the laboratory have shown that more toxic additives such as phthalates and brominated flame retardants can disrupt a variety of biological processes in organisms, including metabolism, skeletal development and so on. Increase of MPs ecological risk caused by the leaching of toxic additives is discussed, especially under the effect of aging. This study presents a systematic summary of various functional and environmental behaviors of additives in plastics, using weathering forces as the main factor, which helps to better assess the environmental impact and potential risks of MPs.

Microplastics, tiny plastic fragments from 1 μm to 5 mm, are widespread globally, even in remote environments. Due to their small sizes, they are easily ingested by organisms and contaminate the food chain. Recently, the biodegradation of some recalcitrant plastics by larva of Tenebrio molitor L. (mealworm) has been reported. However, the effects of microplastic feeding on them are limited. In our study, we selected rigid micro-polystyrene (MPS) as the model plastic to investigate the influences of particle size and larval age on plastic consumption and degradation, and the effects of microplastic feeding on the survival and development of mealworms at different larval ages. The smaller the microplastic fragment was, the more plastics the mealworms consumed, though there was a limit on particle size. Mealworms of three-month-old had the highest consumption rate. Both depolymerization and modification on the functional groups were only observed in frass excreted by three-month old mealworms. Additionally, mealworms cofed with wheat bran and MPS of this age had comparable mortality, larval growing curve and pupation distribution as the control group with wheat bran. Our results demonstrated that mealworms in this larval stage had the greatest resistance to high doses of microplastic feeding. We suggested that microplastic waste could be provided to three-month old mealworms as half replacement of bran diet to result in the greatest plastic consumption and degradation.

Plastic pollution in our oceans is of growing concern particularly due to the presence of toxic additives, such as plasticisers. Therefore, this work aims to develop a comprehensive understanding of the leaching properties of plasticisers from microplastics. This work investigates the leaching of phthalate acid ester (dioctyl terephthalate (DEHT) and diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP)) and diphenol (bisphenol A (BPA) and bisphenol S (BPS)) plasticisers from polystyrene (PS) microplastics (mean diameter = 136 μm to 1.4 mm) under controlled aqueous conditions (temperature, agitation, pH and salinity). The leaching behaviours of plasticised polymers were quantified using gel permeation chromatography, high performance liquid chromatography and thermal gravimetric analysis, and the particle's plasticisation characterised using differential scanning calorimetry. Leaching rates of phthalate acid ester and diphenol plasticisers were modelled using a diffusion and boundary layer model, whereby these behaviours varied depending on their plasticisation efficiency of PS, the size of the microplastic particle and the surrounding abiotic conditions. Leaching behaviours of DEHT and DEHP were strongly influenced by the microplastic-surface water boundary layer properties, thus wave action (i.e., water agitation) increased the leaching rate of these plasticiser up to 66 % over 21-days, whereas BPA and BPS plasticisers displayed temperature- and size-dependent leaching and were limited by molecular diffusion throughout the bulk polymer (i.e., the microplastic). This information will improve predictions of plasticiser concentration (both that remain in the plastic and released into the surrounding water) at specific time points during the lifetime of a plastic, ultimately ensuring greater accuracy in the assessment of toxicity responses and environmental water quality.

Wastewater treatment plants act as microplastic (MPs) sinks and secondary MP pollution sources. Little is known about the effect of MPs on biomass and the efficiency of biological wastewater treatment. This study assessed the impact of polyethylene (PE) MPs concentrations (1, 10, 50 mg/L) in wastewater on biological conversions and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) production (including alginate) in aerobic granular sludge (AGS). PE MPs did not worsen the efficiency of biological treatment but stimulated the production of EPS and alginate in AGS. The alginate content increased from 238.7 ± 4.4 mg/g MLSS in control to 441.6 ± 13.8 mg/g MLSS at the highest PE load in wastewater. The presence of MP changed AGS morphology and worsened the settling properties of biomass, causing biomass washout from the reactors. At the highest PE load in wastewater, the biomass concentration in the reactor effluent was over 2.8 times higher than in the control.

Magnetically modified biochar, with a rougher surface and more positive surface charge, may interact with microplastics (MPs) after being applied to soil, potentially altering the fate and transport of MPs in porous media. In this study, the transport and retention behavior of polystyrene microplastics (PSMPs) in a sandy porous media mixed with biochar/Fe

Microplastics are widely distributed in terrestrial environments and have been known to adversely affect earthworms. Based on 65 publications, we summarized the effects of microplastics on the growth, behavior, oxidative responses, gene expression, and gut microbiota of earthworms. Since microplastics are often present simultaneously with other pollutants, especially heavy metals and hydrophobic organic chemicals (HOCs), the interactions and combined effects of microplastics and these pollutants on earthworms have also been discussed. It has been shown that earthworms can selectively ingest microplastics, preferring to those with smaller particle size (especially smaller than 50 μm) and biodegradable compositions. Generally, microplastics with higher concentrations (especially those0.5%, w/w) and smaller sizes (e.g., 100 nm) have greater adverse effects on earthworms. Additionally, microplastics can facilitate the accumulation of heavy metals and organic pollutants by earthworms and pose severer damages. Current knowledge gaps and perspectives for future work are pointed out.

Microplastic pollution is one of the leading global conservation issues. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of microplastics in the gastrointestinal tracts of Common Blackbirds Turdus merula (N = 16) and Song Thrushes Turdus philomelos (N = 18), songbirds with exceptionally terrestrial lifestyles and a wide distribution range. We searched for microplastics of over 100 μm in size and assessed whether their contamination differed regarding the age of the birds and the time of year. We used birds that had died as a result of collision with anthropogenic infrastructure, which were sampled during wildlife monitoring of anthropogenic infrastructures and citizen science projects in north-eastern Poland. We found that all the analysed individuals contained microplastic in their gastrointestinal tracts, which were classified as fibers, fragments, films and pellets. A total number of 1073 microplastics were observed, mostly consisting of fibers (84 %) and films (10 %) below 1 mm in size. The dominant colours of microplastics were transparent (75 %) and brown (14 %). The species average microplastic concentration was higher in Song Thrushes (40.1) than Common Blackbirds (21.9), however the difference was not statistically significant. Moreover, we found no seasonal or age-related differences in microplastic ingestion in either species. While our results show a ubiquity of microplastics in terrestrial environments, they also indicate that thrushes have the potential to be used as indicators of microplastic pollution in terrestrial ecosystems.

Nanoplastics has become a growing environmental concern because these tiny particles can easily penetrate biological tissues and have possible toxic effects. FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy methods are currently used to analyze microplastics (5 mm or less), but they encounter difficulty when the particles are below 1 μm. On the other hand, thermoanalysis of nanoplastics does not provide the size information. Therefore, herein, we proposed the colorimetric detection method with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) to measure the concentration of polystyrene nanoplastics (PSNPs, size = 350 and 880 nm) through a color change that is obvious to the naked eye. A mixed dispersion of PSNPs and AuNPs was added with acetone, a good solvent for polystyrene. In this colorimetric detection, acetone acted as a key component to enhance or hinder the aggregation of AuNPs around PSNPs. Namely, acetone itself promoted AuNPs aggregation, but it was dissolved partially PS chains from PSNSs to act as inhibitor of aggregation of AuNPs. These two contradictory feature of acetone to AuNPs and PSNPs affect the aggregation and color of AuNPs (dispersed = red, aggregated = blue). Finally, the heat-map between PSNSs and acetone was prepared to use for estimation of concentration of PSNPs in the aqueous solution with naked eye. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt to measure nanoplastics by colorimetry.

Humans may be exposed to microplastics (MPs) through food, drink, and air. Although several studies have examined indoor environmental MPs, none have yet compared atmospheric MP and bacterial deposition characteristics among rooms in homes. We investigated indoor airborne MPs and bacteria in five room types (bedroom, dining room, living room, bathroom, and study) based on the duration of usage of each room. We identified synthetic polymers (23,889 MP particles of 21 types) and bacterial communities (383 genera belong to 24 phyla) collected through atmospheric deposition in various rooms of 20 homes. The abundance and composition of MPs are related to the duration of usage, human activities, goods, cleanliness, and the composition of occupants (family members) in households. In addition, the homes of elderly families (age 68-81 years) showed higher bacterial concentrations than those of young families (age 28-35 years), indicating that age markedly affects the structure of household microbiota. Furthermore, a significant correlation between MP concentration and bacterial community structure was observed. The abundances of polyamide (PA), polyurethane (PU), and polyethylene (PE) showed positive correlations with the relative abundances of major bacterial phyla. Taken together, our results suggest that various rooms in the home exhibit distinct MP abundances and bacterial structures that may be affected by age, cleanliness, and human activities.

Traditionally, toxicity of microplastics is ascribed to the chemicals adsorbed on them. However, microplastics can also interact with biomolecules, such as secretory proteins from aquatic organisms, and form protein-coated microplastics corona complex with unknown toxic effects. Here, we investigated the toxic effects of polystyrene microplastics (PS) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) coated PS corona complex (PS + BSA) on adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) intestines. The food intake ratio, accumulation and distribution of microplastics, histopathological changes, and molecular effects related to the antioxidant system in the intestine were studied. For the first time, we observed that PS + BSA aggregated on the inner surface of the zebrafish intestine, whereas PS dispersed. The aggregation of PS + BSA resulted in increased microplastics accumulation and longer residence time in the zebrafish intestine, which inhibited food intake and generated reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the intestine. Furthermore, the functions of the Keap1-Nrf2-ARE antioxidant signaling pathway and the activation of antioxidant enzymes were significantly affected by PS + BSA after a 21-day exposure. Ultimately, a higher accumulation of ROS and stronger inhibition of antioxidants led to more severe intestinal injury. These results suggest that the increased toxicity of protein-coated microplastics corona complex may be affected by oxidative damage and can result in the inhibition of digestion due to their aggregation and longer residence time in the intestine. Therefore, the ecological risk of microplastics may be underestimated owing to the interactive mechanisms of microplastics and protein coronas.

Microplastics have been investigated over the last decade as potential transport vectors for other pollutants. However, the specific role of plastic aging, in which plastics change their characteristics over time when exposed to environmental agents, has been overlooked. Therefore, sorption experiments were herein conducted using virgin and aged (by ozone treatment or rooftop weathering) microplastic particles of LDPE - low-density polyethylene, PET - poly(ethylene terephthalate), or uPVC - unplasticized poly(vinyl chloride). The organic micropollutants (OMPs) selected as sorbates comprise a diversified group of priority substances and contaminants of emerging concern, including pharmaceutical substances (florfenicol, trimethoprim, diclofenac, tramadol, citalopram, venlafaxine) and pesticides (alachlor, clofibric acid, diuron, pentachlorophenol), analyzed at trace concentrations (each ≤100 μg L

The terrestrial environment is both a critical source and sink for microplastics (MPs). However, further efforts into the risk assessment, management, and mitigation activities of MPs in the terrestrial environment were limited by the scant data on their occurrence. In this study, we investigated the co-occurrence and correlations of light MPs and phthalate esters (PAEs) in the soils of China's hotspots and non-hotspot regions. Light MPs and PAEs were detected in all agricultural and urban soils (n = 125). In soils from hotspots (Shihezi, Xinjiang) where intense plastic mulching was used, the concentrations of MPs and phthalate diesters (di-PAEs) were 650-36,450 pcs kg

The mobility of microplastics (MPs) in aqueous media is closely related to their environmental risk. The naturally occurring silica substrate surface in the aquatic environment is easily colonized by microorganisms and forms a biofilm, which may affect the migration and distribution of MPs. Herein, a typical MP, polystyrene (PS), and Pseudomonas fluorescens (P. fluorescens) biofilms were selected to study the deposition and release of pristine or ultraviolet (UV)-aged PS MPs on silica and biofilms under different ionic strengths using a quartz crystal microbalance dissipation (QCM-D) system. Statistical analyses of the deposition experiments revealed a significant impact of P. fluorescens biofilms on deposition (p = 0.0042). The deposition rate of weathered MPs on the biofilms was 4.0 ± 0.1 to 16.3 ± 0.6 times that on silica. A release experiment revealed that the biofilm reduced the release fraction (f