Microplastic (MP) pollution is becoming a global problem due to the resilience, long-term persistence, and robustness of MPs in different ecosystems. In terrestrial ecosystems, plants are exposed to MP stress, thereby affecting overall plant growth and development. This review article has critically analyzed the effects of MP stress in plants. We found that MP stress-induced reduction in plant physical growth is accompanied by two complementary effects: (i) blockage of pores in seed coat or roots to alter water and nutrient uptake, and (ii) induction of drought due to increased soil cracking effects of MPs. Nonetheless, the reduction in physiological growth under MP stress is accompanied by four complementary effects: (i) excessive production of ROS, (ii) alteration in leaf and root ionome, (iii) impaired hormonal regulation, and (iv) decline in chlorophyll and photosynthesis. Considering that, we suggested that targeting the redox regulatory mechanisms could be beneficial in improving tolerance to MPs in plants; however, antioxidant activities are highly dependent on plant species, plant tissue, MP type, and MP dose. MP stress also indirectly reduces plant growth by altering soil productivity. However, MP-induced negative effects vary due to the presence of different surface functional groups and particle sizes. In the end, we suggested the utilization of agronomic approaches, including the application of growth regulators, biochar, and replacing plastic mulch with crop residues, crop diversification, and biological degradation, to ameliorate the effects of MP stress in plants. The efficiency of these methods is also MP-type-specific and dose-dependent.

Microplastic stress in plants: effects on plant growth and their remediations

In this study, 14 packaged milk of various brands sold in the Türkiye market was examined. The microplastics were physically characterised under the microscope. Their vibrational spectra were recorded with the ATF/FT-IR technique at the range of 650–4000 cm-1. The polymer types were determined by matching the obtained spectra with the reference spectra. Daily and life time microplastic exposure by milk intake was calculated using the deterministic model. Microplastics were found in milk samples in two different shapes (fiber and fragment), five different polymers (ethylene vinyl acetate, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polyurethane and nylon-6) and six different colors (black, red, green, blue, brown, and gray). The mean number of microplastic in milk samples analysed was 6 ± 5 particles/L. The mean dietary exposure for age 15 and over were 0.21 particles/mL/day and 5289 particles/mL/70-years. A total of 64 % of milk samples analysed have a moderate level of microplastic contamination based on the microplastic contamination factor values. All milk samples have an average microplastic polymer risk index of 255 ± 733, which indicates a medium level of risk. The result of this study shows that microplastics are common in milks analysed which will be directly consumed by human. The result of this study provide evidence that milks were being contaminated by microplastics mostly during production process rather than through package and suggest that to reduce microplastic contamination in milk, every step must be improved, starting with basic production. 

Microplastics in branded milk: Dietary exposure and risk assessment

Microplastics have become omnipresent in the environment, including the air we inhale, the water we consume, and the food we eat. Despite limited research, the accumulation of microplastics within the human respiratory system has garnered considerable interest because of its potential implications for health. This review offers a comprehensive examination of the impacts stemming from the accumulation of microplastics on human lung airways and explores the computational benefits and challenges associated with studying this phenomenon. The existence of microplastics in the respiratory system can lead to a range of adverse effects. Research has indicated that microplastics can induce inflammation, oxidative stress, and impaired lung function. Furthermore, the small size of microplastics allows them to penetrate deep into the lungs, reaching the alveoli, where gas exchange takes place. This raises concerns about long-term health consequences, such as the development of respiratory diseases and the potential for translocation to other organs. Computational approaches have been instrumental in understanding the impact of microplastic deposition on human lung airways. Computational models and simulations enable the investigation of particle dynamics, deposition patterns, and interaction mechanisms at various levels of complexity. However, studying microplastics in the lung airways using computational methods presents several challenges. The complex anatomy and physiological processes of the respiratory system require accurate representation in computational models. Obtaining relevant data for model validation and parameterization remains a significant hurdle. Additionally, the diverse nature of microplastics, including variations in size, shape, and chemical composition, poses challenges in capturing their full range of behaviours and potential toxicological effects. 

Effect of microplastics deposition on human lung airways: A review with computational benefits and challenges

Celluloid, the predecessor to plastic, was synthesized in 1869, and due to technological advancements, plastic products appear to be ubiquitous in daily life. The massive production, rampant usage, and inadequate disposal of plastic products have led to severe environmental pollution. Consequently, reducing the employment of plastic has emerged as a pressing concern for governments globally. This review explores microplastics, including their origins, absorption, and harmful effects on the environment and humans. Several methods exist for breaking down plastics, including thermal, mechanical, light, catalytic, and biological processes. Despite these methods, microplastics (MPs, between 1 and 5 mm in size) continue to be produced during degradation. Acknowledging the significant threat that MPs pose to the environment and human health is imperative. This form of pollution is pervasive in the air and food and infiltrates our bodies through ingestion, inhalation, or skin contact. It is essential to assess the potential hazards that MPs can introduce. There is evidence suggesting that MPs may have negative impacts on different areas of human health. These include the respiratory, gastrointestinal, immune, nervous, and reproductive systems, the liver and organs, the skin, and even the placenta and placental barrier. It is encouraging to see that most of the countries have taken steps to regulate plastic particles. These measures aim to reduce plastic usage, which is essential today. At the same time, this review summarizes the degradation mechanism of plastics, their impact on human health, and plastic reduction policies worldwide. It provides valuable information for future research on MPs and regulatory development.

Sources, Degradation, Ingestion and Effects of Microplastics on Humans: A Review

Over the decades, interaction of microplastics with other pollutants in a dynamic environmental set up was observed to increase their toxic effects. This scenario is worse in aquatic environments due to the entry of huge loads of microplastic components into the waterbodies through direct plastic dumping and those delivered from effluents originating from various treatment plants. Although extensive research was done to understand the issue associated with microplastic contamination of various aquatic environments, a huge research gap still exists in areas like their ecotoxicology, fate, distribution, and detection methods in aquatic environments. Moreover, the combined deleterious effect of microplastics in association with other environmental pollutants is not widely studied and requires more research focus. The major scope of this review is to present a comprehensive outlook on the recent studies carried out to understand the types, origin, distribution, transport, fate, and toxicity of microplastics in aquatic environments, both fresh water and marine. The review summarizes the ecotoxicological effects of microplastic contaminants in aquatic environment like the oxidative damage, neurotoxicity and decreased reproductive potential. An in-depth discussion regarding the ability of the microplastics in combination with other pollutants to serve as potentially hazardous agents in aquatic environment is also elaborated in the review. Further a summary on various microplastic detection methods, challenges associated with microplastic detection and management is carefully reviewed and compiled in this work. The need for proper awareness programs to general public highlighting the toxicity of microplastics and strict regulations regarding their continuous assessment and management in waterbodies are essential factors in controlling their adverse effect on aquatic environment. 

Origin, ecotoxicity, and analytical methods for microplastic detection in aquatic systems

Microplastic pollution in table salt and sugar: occurrence, qualification and quantification and risk assessment

Abstract Amoxicillin (AMX) is one of the antibiotics in the penicillin category that is used in various fields. Considering the harmful effects of its remains, it is necessary to survey the ways to remove this compound. Advanced oxidation process (AOPs), specially photo-Fenton has been used for the removal of AMX. This study has been conducted based on PubMed, Google Scholar, DOAJ, Web of Science, and Scopus databases during the years 2008–2019. Some factors such as the aquatic solution, light source characteristics, iron, and H2O2 concentration, AMX degradation percentage, removal of total organic carbon percentage, and AMX concentration have been surveyed to optimize the process. Studies showed that the photo-Fenton process is highly dependent on pH, and in most studies, the highest efficiency has been observed in acidic pH values. Using a more energy light source can be effective in reducing the use of catalysts and oxidizers. The combined methods of AOPs such as photo-Fenton, electro-Fenton, and photo-electro-Fenton have higher efficiency in increasing mineralization than the photon process. The use of synthetic wastewater has a higher efficiency in the degradation of AMX than in real wastewater in the photo-Fenton process, which can be due to the absence of the interfering agents in synthetic environments.

A systematic review on photo-Fenton process as an efficient advanced oxidation for degradation of amoxicillin in aqueous environments

This study investigated the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNAs on the surface of microplastics (MPs) collected from a hospital wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and the Qara-sou river in Kermanshah, Iran. The MPs were characterized using stereo-, scanning electron-, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopies to determine their appearance, quantification, qualification, and morphology. The virus RNAs were extracted by rinsing the surface of the MPs with distilled water, followed by swapping and transferring the scratched material into viral transport medium. Identification was performed using SARS-CoV-2 molecular detection kits and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The most common type of MPs found in the wastewater acted as a vector for the virus RNA, whereas virus RNA was only identified in one sample of river water. These findings suggest that MPs can facilitate the spread of the virus through WWTPs and into receiving water bodies. Thus, research on MPs acting as carriers of COVID-19 should be emphasized as determining the presence of the coronavirus on the surface of MPs is crucial in determining a country's health strategies. Furthermore, this study shows that MPs have the potential to act as vectors for pathogens and create new microbial niches in aquatic environments. 

Microplastic occurrence and its potential role as a carrier for SARS-CoV-2 in health center wastewater treatment plant and surface water

Investigation on the Operational, Kinetic Parameters and Substrate Inhibitory Effect of Toluene Removal from Polluted Air by Biofilter Packed with Pine Cone/Compost

Handle everyday research tasks with reliable, citation-backed results

Your personal Research Agent to handle research tasks with citation-backed results

Popular Tasks used by Researchers

How can I help with your research?

Meet SciSpace

Get more enhanced response by uploading the PDFs you want me to reference.

No relevant PDFs in your library

SciSpace is the AI research assistant for academics. Run systematic literature reviews on 280M+ papers, and write papers with cited sources. Trusted by 1M+ students, PhDs & researchers.

SciSpace | AI for Research

Analyze PDFs

Code & Manuscripts

Funding & Grants

Literature & Patents

Medical & Clinical Data

Systematic Review

Visualize & Present

Web & Data

Build a Google Scholar-like website for your research.

Build a website

Create charts and images for your research

Create a Chart

Write a paper for submission to a journal

Draft a manuscript

Patent Search

Design eye-catching scientific posters in minutes.

Scientific Poster Generation

Systematic Literature Review

One task is running at the moment. Your messages will be shown right after.

Drag and drop or click here to browse

Loved by <highlight>1 million+</highlight> researchers

Extract a list of specific topics and their sources from unstructured text

Topics

Compare and analyze relevant papers that matches with your search

Papers

Get insights from PDFs and bookmarked papers from your library

My library

Recent searches

Try searching for:

Catch AI-generated content in scholarly and non-scholarly content

{ai} Detector

Ai Writer

Get PDF Summaries, highlighted text explanations 

Chat with PDF

Effortlessly create in-text citations and bibliographies in APA and 2,500 other formats

Citation generator

Get explanations, summaries, and answers on academic papers

Ease up your research workflow with {scispace}'s cohort of exciting AI tools

Elevate your academic writing skills and convey your ideas the way you want

Paraphraser

Explore our range of reading and writing tools

Your file is being prepared and should be ready in a few minutes. If it's a large file, it might take a bit longer. You can close this window, and we'll email you the file when it's done.

You have reached a maximum limit of <strong>{limit}</strong> columns in the table. Remove at least <strong>1</strong> column to add or create another one.

Sara Kianpour

Author Tools

Chat about Author

Papers

Microplastic pollution in table salt and sugar: occurrence, qualification and quantification and risk assessment

A systematic review on photo-Fenton process as an efficient advanced oxidation for degradation of amoxicillin in aqueous environments

Microplastic occurrence and its potential role as a carrier for SARS-CoV-2 in health center wastewater treatment plant and surface water

Investigation on the Operational, Kinetic Parameters and Substrate Inhibitory Effect of Toluene Removal from Polluted Air by Biofilter Packed with Pine Cone/Compost