Microplastics ingestion under the microscope in invertebrates
A study led by Griffith University researchers has exposed two generations of a sediment-dwelling invertebrate to microplastic and found that while the 'parent' generation experienced negative impacts, the 'child' generation did not, possibly suggest.....»»
An eight-phase methodology for analyzing microplastics in soil ecosystem
In today's world, plastics are used extensively due to their favorable properties and affordable costs. The widespread use of these non-biodegradable materials, however, makes them a waste management nuisance and global environmental concern. It is e.....»»
When nanoplastics are not what they seem: Release of oligomers from polyester textiles
Plastic household items and clothing made of synthetic fibers release microplastics, particles less than five millimeters in size that can enter the environment unnoticed. A small proportion of these particles are so small that they are measured in n.....»»
Structural isomerization of individual molecules using a scanning tunneling microscope probe
An international research team has succeeded for the first time in controlling the chirality of individual molecules through structural isomerization. The team, led by NIMS, the Osaka University Graduate School of Science and the Kanazawa University.....»»
Microplastics found in Nile River"s tilapia fish
The Nile is one of the world's most famous rivers. It's also Africa's most important freshwater system. About 300 million people live in the 11 countries it flows through. Many rely on its waters for agriculture and fishing to make a living......»»
Positive associations revealed as key driver in maintaining soil biodiversity and ecological networks
In a study published in PNAS, researchers analyzed 151 ecosystems across six continents, delved into the intricate coexistence network among diverse species including bacteria, fungi, protists, and invertebrates, and for the first time, linked biotic.....»»
Cosmic building blocks of life discovered through the electron microscope
A team of researchers has examined the Winchcombe meteorite and demonstrated the existence in it of nitrogen compounds such as amino acids and heterocyclic hydrocarbons—without applying any chemical treatment and by using a new type of detector des.....»»
Galápagos penguin is exposed to and may accumulate microplastics at high rate within its food web, modeling suggests
Modeling shows how microplastics may bioaccumulate in the Galápagos Islands' food web, with Galápagos penguins most affected, according to a study published in PLOS ONE by Karly McMullen from the University of British Columbia, Canada, under the su.....»»
Using An Old Blu-Ray Player To Make A Scanning Laser Microscope
Of all the various and ever changing genres of making things, one that will always be near and dear to my heart will be the folks who take depreciated or broken items and make something new with it. I really found this project interesting. Blu-Ray p.....»»
Tiny water-walking bugs provide scientists with insights on how microplastics are pushed underwater
Microplastics are tiny plastic particles that can cause big problems when they enter the water supply. One way my fluid dynamics lab explores microplastic movement is by studying how tiny water-walking insects are pushed underwater by raindrops......»»
Small-scale study finds microplastics from natural fertilizers are blowing in the wind more often than once thought
Though natural fertilizers made from treated sewage sludge are used to reintroduce nutrients onto agricultural fields, they bring along microplastic pollutants too. And according to a small-scale study published in Environmental Science & Technology.....»»
Laundry is a top source of microplastic pollution—here"s how to clean your clothes more sustainably
Microplastics are turning up everywhere, from remote mountain tops to deep ocean trenches. They also are in many animals, including humans......»»
Image: Micro-world within an atomic clock
What looks like an aerial shot of an alien landscape is actually a scanning electron microscope view of a test glass surface, acquired as part of a project to improve the lifetime of spaceborne atomic clocks, found at the heart of navigation satellit.....»»
Researchers explore the impact of microplastics and toxin exposure on goldfish
The presence of plastics in our oceans and waterbodies is one of the most significant threats to marine ecosystems. In 2022, plastic production exceeded 400 million tons globally, which continues to rise. The presence of microplastics, ranging in siz.....»»
Plastic is everywhere, including in our food and bottled water
Microplastics in our steak and tofu are washed down with nanoplastics from bottled water. Enlarge (credit: RunPhoto via Getty) If we are what we eat, there’s growing evidence to help explain how nanoplastics and microp.....»»
Shape matters: Study finds microplastic fibers may travel as far as the stratosphere
How far microplastics travel in the atmosphere depends crucially on particle shape, according to a recent study by scientists at the University of Vienna and the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization in Göttingen. Although spherica.....»»
Bottled water can contain hundreds of thousands of previously uncounted tiny plastic bits, study finds
In recent years, there has been rising concern that tiny particles known as microplastics are showing up basically everywhere on Earth, from polar ice to soil, drinking water and food. Formed when plastics break down into progressively smaller bits,.....»»
Experimental antibiotic kills deadly superbug, opens whole new class of drugs
The relatively large molecule clogs a transport system, leading to lethal toxicity. Enlarge / This Scanning Electron Microscope image depicts several clusters of aerobic Gram-negative, non-motile Acinetobacter baumannii bacteria.....»»
AI predicts the influence of microplastics on soil properties
Plastic waste and its buildup in nature has become a major environmental concern in recent times. While plastic pollution in the oceans is undoubtedly a problem, the presence of plastics in soils around the world is also known to cause severe environ.....»»
Microplastic-associated pathogens in aquatic environments: A hidden health risk
Microplastics, which are minute plastic particles under 5mm in size, are becoming ever more ubiquitous in marine and freshwater ecosystems around the globe. These particles, derived from primary and secondary sources, such as industrial raw material.....»»
Hurricane Larry dumped 100,000 microplastics per sq. meter on Newfoundland each day
It's another sign of how plasticized our environment has become. Enlarge (credit: J Marshall/NASA/ESA/T. Pesquet/Alamy) As Hurricane Larry curved north in the Atlantic in 2021, sparing the eastern seaboard of the United.....»»