Microplastics are everywhere, but are they harming us?
Microplastics have been found in the ocean and the air, in our food and water. They have been found in a wide range of body tissues, including the heart, liver, kidneys and even testicles......»»
World"s first visual grading system developed to combat microplastic fashion pollution
More than 14 million metric tons of microplastics are estimated to be lying on the ocean floor with the fashion industry among the worst pollutants......»»
Here"s what psychiatrists plan to tell COP29 about how climate change is harming young people"s mental health
As government representatives gather at the COP29 international climate summit in Azerbaijan, the impact of climate change on young people's mental health needs to be an urgent priority......»»
Water under Threat, Wooden Satellites and a Mud Bath for Baseballs
Droughts in 48 of 50 U.S. states, evidence of microplastics mucking up wastewater recycling and the science of a baseball mud bath in this week’s news roundup......»»
Researchers call for recognition of tire particles as a distinct environmental threat
A new study led by an international team of scientists highlights tire particles (TPs) as the leading contributor to microplastics and calls for urgent, targeted research to address their unique environmental and health risks......»»
Microplastics Could Be Making the Weather Worse
Microplastics cause clouds to form in places where they wouldn't otherwise, which is likely to have knock-on effects on the weather and climate......»»
Airborne microplastics aid in cloud formation
It turns out microplastics have an effect on the weather and climate. Clouds form when water vapor—an invisible gas in the atmosphere—sticks to tiny floating particles, such.....»»
Pathogens that cling to microplastics may survive wastewater treatment
Wastewater treatment fails to kill several human pathogens when they hide out on microplastics in the water, reports a study led by Ingun Lund Witsø of the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, published November 6, 2024 in the open-access journal.....»»
Microplastics increasing in freshwater, directly related to plastic production
Microplastics have been steadily increasing in freshwater environments for decades and are directly tied to rising global plastic production since the 1950s, according to a new study by an interdisciplinary team of Penn State researchers. The finding.....»»
How harmful are microplastics to human health?
Microplastics have been found throughout the human body -- including inside lungs, blood and brains -- and while it is not yet clear how harmful they are to our health, some researchers are sounding the alarm......»»
Long COVID Is Harming Too Many Kids
Pediatric long COVID is more common than many thought, and we keep letting kids be reinfected with new variants.....»»
Researchers discover revolutionary method to rid farm soils of microplastics — here"s how it could transform food supply
Researchers discover revolutionary method to rid farm soils of microplastics — here"s how it could transform food supply.....»»
Biodegradable microplastics study helps quantify their climate change and ecotoxicity impacts
Over 20 million tons of plastic are estimated to end up in the environment every year, with much of it breaking down into microplastics that are harmful to the health of humans and wildlife. Biodegradable and bio-based plastics made from organic mate.....»»
Microplastics and PFAS: Daphnia study finds combined impact results in greater environmental harm
The combined impact of so-called "forever chemicals" is more harmful to the environment than single chemicals in isolation, a new study shows. Researchers at the University of Birmingham investigated the environmental effects of microplastics and PFA.....»»
Dolphins Are Exhaling Microplastics
New research highlights how extensive plastic pollution is—and how nonhuman species, including dolphins, are exposed......»»
Study suggests dolphins could be exposed to potentially harmful microplastics through inhalation
U.S. researchers have detected microplastic particles in air exhaled by wild bottlenose dolphins, suggesting that inhalation may be a relevant route of exposure to these potentially harmful contaminants. Miranda Dziobak of the College of Charleston i.....»»
Scientists develop novel method for strengthening PVC products
Researchers have developed a way to make one type of plastic material more durable and less likely to shed dangerous microplastics. Their study has identified a secure way to attach chemical additives to polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The work is publishe.....»»
The medicines we take to stay healthy are harming nature. Here"s what needs to change
Evidence is mounting that modern medicines present a growing threat to ecosystems around the world. The chemicals humans ingest to stay healthy are harming fish and other animals......»»
Farm waste can filter microplastics in surface runoff, prevent pollution
Using treated plant waste as a filter reduced the presence of harmful microplastics in agricultural runoff by more than 92%, according to a new study authored by a University of Mississippi research team......»»
Microplastic hotspots forming in offshore UK North Sea, researchers find
Microplastic pollution in the world's oceans is often illustrated through evocative images of wildlife caught within large items floating on the surface, or microplastics blending in among the sand on otherwise pristine beaches......»»
Breathing may introduce microplastics to the brain—new study
Small plastic particles are everywhere: in the soil where our food is grown, in the water we drink and in the air we breathe. They got there from the plastic we throw away, which ends up in landfill sites, rivers and seas. There the plastic waste slo.....»»