What microplastics might be doing to our intestines
Plastics are among the most ubiquitous manmade materials—we wear them, build with them, play with them, ship goods in them, and then we throw them into the waste stream. Ultimately, they can break down into tiny particles that get into our food sup.....»»
Feces and algorithms: Artificial Intelligence to map our intestinal bacteria
Both past and present-day scientists have suspected the intestines of playing a role in various diseases. Present-day studies focus on the intestinal flora's role in physical diseases such as diabetes and overweight, while others seek to establish a.....»»
Scientists study salmonella swimming behavior as clues to infection
Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium bacteria (S. Typhimurium) commonly cause human gastroenteritis, inflammation of the lining of the intestines. The bacteria live inside the gut and can infect the epithelial cells that line its surface. Many stu.....»»
Washing your clothes can create Arctic microplastic pollution
Households in Europe and North America are flooding the oceans with plastic pollution simply by washing their clothes, scientists said Tuesday after research found the majority of microplastics in Arctic seawater were polyester fibres......»»
Simple bioreactor makes "gut check" more practical
Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine researchers have found a way to mimic conditions in intestines, giving them a mechanical model for the real-time growth of bacterial infections......»»
Novel method reveals small microplastics throughout Japan"s subtropical ocean
Research conducted in the Light-Matter Interactions for Quantum Technologies Unit at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) has revealed the presence of small microplastics in the ocean surrounding Okinawa. The stu.....»»
Plastic is blowing in the wind
As the plastic in our oceans breaks up into smaller and smaller bits without breaking down chemically, the resulting microplastics are becoming a serious ecological problem. A new study at the Weizmann Institute of Science reveals a troubling aspect.....»»
Microplastics Revealed in the Placentas of Unborn Babies
Microplastic particles have been revealed in the placentas of unborn babies for the first time, which the researchers said was "a matter of great concern." From a report: The health impact of microplastics in the body is as yet unknown. But the scien.....»»
Highest levels of microplastics found in molluscs, new study says
Mussels, oysters and scallops have the highest levels of microplastic contamination among seafood, a new study reveals......»»
Kuril-Kamchatka Trench in the Pacific Ocean is a trap for microplastics
Together with colleagues from the Alfred Wegener Institute and the Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute, Senckenberg scientists Serena Abel and Angelika Brandt examined sediment samples from the Kuril-Kamchatka Trench for the presence of microplasti.....»»
The most consumed species of mussels contain microplastics all around the world
"If you eat mussels, you eat microplastics." This was already known to a limited extent about mussels from individual ocean regions. A new study by the University of Bayreuth, led by Prof. Dr. Christian Laforsch, reveals that this claim holds true gl.....»»
Marine pollution: How do plastic additives dilute in water and how risky are they?
Plastic pollution has been at the center of environmental debate for decades. While it is well known that plastic in the environment can break down into microplastics, be ingested by humans and other organisms, transfer up the food chain and cause ha.....»»