microplastics

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    Water Hyacinths Show Promise for Microplastics Removal, Despite Being an Invasive Species

    Water Hyacinths Show Promise for Microplastics Removal, Despite Being an Invasive Species

    In a recent study, scientists have found that the species Eichhornia crassipes, also known as the common water hyacinth, has strong potential as a remediator for microplastics in the environment. In the study, published in the journal Environmental Science and Ecotechnology, researchers collected water hyacinths from a river in Shanghai, China and relocated the plants […]

    Chewing Gum Could Release Microplastics Into Saliva, Study Finds

    Chewing Gum Could Release Microplastics Into Saliva, Study Finds

    According to a new study currently undergoing peer review, chewing gum could be a source of ingested microplastics. Researchers found that chewing gum could release thousands of microplastic particles into saliva over time, increasing the chance of ingestion. “Our goal is not to alarm anybody,” Sanjay Mohanty, principal investigator of the study and an engineering […]

    Microplastics Found in Birds’ Lungs in New Study

    Microplastics Found in Birds’ Lungs in New Study

    While previous research has revealed the presence of microplastics in human lungs, a new study confirms that microplastics are making their way into birds’ lungs as well. The study, published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials, is the first to confirm microplastic presence in birds’ lungs. The researchers focused on analyzing potential microplastics in birds, […]

    Antioxidants in Fruits, Veggies and Nuts May Counteract Harmful Reproductive Impacts of Microplastics, Scientists Find

    Antioxidants in Fruits, Veggies and Nuts May Counteract Harmful Reproductive Impacts of Microplastics, Scientists Find

    The antioxidants that make fruits and vegetables so colorful have been found to potentially counteract some of the worst effects of microplastics on the reproductive system. The powerful antioxidants could even be used to develop future treatments, according to new research. “The accumulation of [microplastics/nanoplastics] contaminants across ecosystems raises significant concerns for human health due […]

    Vehicle Tires Are the Largest Source of Nanoplastics Pollution in the High Alps, Study Finds

    Vehicle Tires Are the Largest Source of Nanoplastics Pollution in the High Alps, Study Finds

    New survey results have revealed that vehicle tires are the biggest source of nanoparticle pollution in the remote Alps. In the Alpine survey, trained mountaineer citizen scientists collected samples of high-altitude glaciers, and scientists used a method called thermal desorption-proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometry (TD-PTR-MS) to analyze the samples for nanoplastics. Mountaineers collected samples from 14 […]

    Microplastics in Human Placentas Linked to Premature Births

    Microplastics in Human Placentas Linked to Premature Births

    A new study presented as part of the annual Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine meeting has revealed a link between microplastic bioaccumulation in the human placenta to preterm, or premature, births. In the study, researchers analyzed 175 placentas collected at both term and preterm, or under 37 weeks of pregnancy, and measured the amounts of 12 […]