microplastics

New research has discovered another way that microplastic pollution might harm human health.  The study, published in Environmental Pollution, is the first to prove that certain viruses can stay infectious by attaching themselves to plastics in a freshwater environment.  “We found that viruses can attach to microplastics, which allows them to survive in the water […]

One of the dangers posed by microplastic pollution in the oceans is that fish and other marine life might eat it by mistake. But could a solution to the problem involve a robot designed to consume it on purpose? Researchers at Sichuan University in China have developed a proof-of-concept for a robotic fish that can […]

It is possible to breathe in microplastics.  A study accepted for publication in Science of the Total Environment last month detected microplastics in the lung tissue of living people for the first time, and much deeper than the researchers expected.  “We did not expect to find the highest number of particles in the lower regions […]

Scientists have a new weapon in the fight against microplastics, and it’s something you probably wouldn’t expect: okra goo. Turns out, what makes the insides of okra slimy also cause it to bind to tiny plastic particles. If commercialized and added to existing water treatment procedures, use of the plant extract could result in wide-ranging […]

There may be microscopic pieces of plastic water bottles or shopping bags floating around in your bloodstream. A study published in Environment International Thursday found microplastics in human blood for the first time. Furthermore, the tiny pieces of plastic were found in nearly 80 percent of the people tested.  “Our study is the first indication […]

Tiny particles that rub off of tires are likely harming freshwater and coastal estuary ecosystems, a pair of recent studies from Oregon State University (OSU) found.  The first study, published in Chemosphere last month, found that exposure to tire particles had harmful effects on organisms from coastal estuaries, while the second, published in the Journal […]

Microplastics are everywhere, from Mount Everest to the Arctic, from dinner plates to baby diapers. But is this ubiquitous pollution actually a danger for human health? A new study from the University of Tel Aviv presents solid evidence that it is. The researchers found that ocean microplastics act as a “magnet”

Microplastics — small pieces of plastic less than five millimeters long — are the most common type of debris found in the ocean, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Ocean Service. But before they make it into the ocean, a new study has found that they can become stuck in riverbeds for […]