IBD patients show higher fecal microplastic levels, hinting at a link between plastics and gut…
Browsing: Microplastics
Microplastics are tiny plastic particles less than five millimeters in diameter, originating from a variety of sources, including the breakdown of larger plastic debris, synthetic textiles, and industrial processes. These minuscule pollutants have become a pervasive environmental issue, infiltrating marine and freshwater systems worldwide. Microplastics pose significant ecological risks as they are readily ingested by aquatic and terrestrial organisms, potentially leading to physical and chemical harm. Moreover, they can absorb and transport toxic chemicals, acting as carriers of pollutants across ecosystems. The widespread presence and persistence of microplastics have prompted increasing scientific research and regulatory scrutiny to assess their impact on the environment and human health.
360 million metric tonnes of new plastic was produced in 2018. Here’s where it all…
Every year, more than 1,000 tons of plastic rain down onto national parks and wilderness…
New findings show that rivers contribute far less plastic to oceans than previously thought, but…
Microplastics from land and sea now cycle through Earth’s atmosphere, traveling across continents and contaminating distant…
NASA satellite data now helps scientists detect ocean microplastics by identifying unusually smooth sea surfaces,…
Satellites reveal ocean microplastic fluctuation in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and releases from the…
Light-powered microrobots made of bismuth vanadate and iron oxide can swim toward and degrade microplastics,…
Lost printer cartridges became global microplastic pollutants, exposing flaws in ocean waste laws. A ship’s…
Scientists have found microplastics in Iceland’s Vatnajökull glacier, raising alarms about their role in glacier…
Plastics are infiltrating deep-sea sediments. Geoscientists aim to trace their origins and impacts to aid…
Microbiologists have found a way to use bacteria to trap microplastics, removing them from the…
Polymer-eating enzymes embedded in plastic allow programmed degradation. Biodegradable plastics have been advertised as one…
NJIT researchers found that microplastics in wastewater can host biofilms rich in antibiotic-resistant bacteria and…
Princeton researchers discovered that microplastics can move much farther through soil than expected. This new…
Emerging environmental contaminants, both chemicals, and particulates, have been a concern for risk scientists for…
Scientists have identified the highest recorded microplastics ever found on Earth — at an altitude…
Scientists in Delft have developed a technique for selectively separating microparticles in a liquid on…