Microplastics and Plastic Pollution

The paper uses quantum chemistry to compare the reactivity of polyester and polyethylene oligomers, finding polyester more toxic due to its oxidizing properties and ability to disrupt DNA.

This study examines the effects of polylactic acid nanoparticles on macrophages using proteomics and validation experiments, revealing adaptive changes and altered immune functions.

This study investigates the effects of microplastics on honey bee cognition and shows that they can reach the brain and impair learning and memory.

This study shows that crickets can fragment ingested microplastics into smaller pieces during digestion, potentially acting as agents of plastic transformation in the environment.

The paper investigates how different types of microdebris impact the physiology of reef-building corals.

The paper analyzes 16S rRNA gene sequences from microbial communities on microplastics in the North Atlantic and Great Pacific Garbage Patches to compare colonization patterns and identify potential plastic degraders.

This study assesses the combined toxicity of P25 TiO2 nanoparticles and face mask leachates on microalgae Scenedesmus obliquus, revealing harmful effects on cell viability, photosynthesis, and oxidative stress.

The paper identifies two enzymes in wax worm saliva that oxidize and depolymerize polyethylene, overcoming a key bottleneck in plastic biodegradation.

The paper assesses the global potential of microorganisms to degrade plastics by analyzing metagenomes and correlates enzyme abundance with pollution trends.