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.....»»
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.....»»
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......»»
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,.....»»
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.....»»
Study shows how hurricane acted as a highway to transport microplastics to remote part of Newfoundland
When a hurricane approaches and crosses land, severe damage can occur—often leaving an obvious trail of physical destruction. What's less obvious to the naked eye is how these storms can carry harmful microplastics across the world......»»
Saturday Citations: Lead, microplastics and coal on our filthy planet—plus, faster-charging lithium-ion batteries
This week, we reported on new developments in lithium-ion batteries, and a real industrial pollution hat trick with stories on coal, lead and microplastics......»»
Researchers describe a more sustainable process to recycle biobased polycarbonates
A month ago, the European Union banned glitter. This action was part of an effort that aims to reduce the presence of microplastics in our environment by 30%. Waste plastics are a serious problem for our ecosystems, and the push for recycling plastic.....»»
Research reveals molecular mechanism of asymmetric calcium-sensitive receptor activation
Calcium-sensing receptors (CaSRs), widely distributed in tissues and organs such as parathyroid glands, intestines, bones and kidneys, sense the concentration of calcium ions in the blood and maintain the calcium balance in the human body. CaSR is so.....»»
A not so silver lining: Microplastics found in clouds could affect the weather
From the depths of the seas to snow on mountains and even the air above cities, microplastics are turning up increasingly often. Now, in Environmental Science & Technology Letters, researchers have analyzed microplastics in clouds above mountains. Th.....»»
Microplastics come from everywhere—yes, that includes sex toys
As more research reveals how many microplastic particles humans are ingesting and absorbing in their bloodstreams, Duke and Appalachian State researchers led by Joana Sipe and Christine Hendren have examined a source for microplastic absorption many.....»»
Scientists test new method for identifying small microplastics
Microplastics, from the beads that were once commonplace in cosmetics to the weathered and broken-down remnants of trash, are now ubiquitous in marine and inland waters around the world. To date, though, scientists have struggled to identify which pl.....»»
Zooplankton in ocean and freshwater are rapidly escalating the global environmental threat of plastics, finds study
A collaborative research team lead by the University of Massachusetts Amherst has recently revealed that rotifers, a kind of microscopic zooplankton common in both fresh and ocean water around the world, are able to chew apart microplastics, breaking.....»»
Scientists create artificial protein capable of degrading microplastics in bottles
Every year, around 400 million tons of plastics are produced worldwide, a number that increases by around 4% annually. The emissions resulting from their manufacture are one of the elements contributing to climate change, and their ubiquitous presenc.....»»