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Biodegradation Jun 2024To date, enumerable fungi have been reported to participate in the biodegradation of several notorious plastic materials following their isolation from soil of... (Review)
Review
To date, enumerable fungi have been reported to participate in the biodegradation of several notorious plastic materials following their isolation from soil of plastic-dumping sites, marine water, waste of mulch films, landfills, plant parts and gut of wax moth. The general mechanism begins with formation of hydrophobin and biofilm proceding to secretion of specific plastic degarding enzymes (peroxidase, hydrolase, protease and urease), penetration of three dimensional substrates and mineralization of plastic polymers into harmless products. As a result, several synthetic polymers including polyethylene, polystyrene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane and/or bio-degradable plastics have been validated to deteriorate within months through the action of a wide variety of fungal strains predominantly Ascomycota (Alternaria, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Penicillium spp.). Understanding the potential and mode of operation of these organisms is thus of prime importance inspiring us to furnish an up to date view on all the presently known fungal strains claimed to mitigate the plastic waste problem. Future research henceforth needs to be directed towards metagenomic approach to distinguish polymer degrading microbial diversity followed by bio-augmentation to build fascinating future of waste disposal.
Topics: Plastics; Polyurethanes; Polymers; Polyethylene; Biodegradation, Environmental; Alternaria
PubMed: 37665521
DOI: 10.1007/s10532-023-10053-2 -
Environmental Pollution (Barking, Essex... Jun 2024Plastic pollution has spread through all parts of the marine environment, representing a significant threat to species and ecosystems. This study investigates the role... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Plastic pollution has spread through all parts of the marine environment, representing a significant threat to species and ecosystems. This study investigates the role of copepods as widespread microplastic reservoirs in the marine environment, by performing, a systematic review, meta-analysis, and semiquantitative analysis of scientific articles focusing on the interaction between copepods and microplastics under field conditions. Our findings indicate that despite uniformly low ingestion of microplastics across different marine layers and geographical areas, with a slight uptake in neustonic copepods, copepods might constitute one of the largest marine microplastic reservoirs. This phenomenon is attributed more to their vast abundance than to average microplastic ingestion values. In this article, a framework for data analysis and reporting is proposed to facilitate future large-scale evaluations and modelling of their extent and impact on plastic and carbon cycles. These insights place copepods at the forefront of the marine plastic cycle, possibly affecting plastic distribution, and bioavailability, thereby opening new pathways for understanding the complex dynamics of microplastics in marine ecosystems.
Topics: Copepoda; Animals; Microplastics; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Environmental Monitoring; Ecosystem; Plastics
PubMed: 38701964
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124092 -
Environment International Sep 2023Prenatal exposure to mixtures of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC) has the potential to disrupt human metabolism. Prenatal periods are especially sensitive as many...
BACKGROUND
Prenatal exposure to mixtures of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC) has the potential to disrupt human metabolism. Prenatal periods are especially sensitive as many developmental processes are regulated by hormones. Prenatal exposure to EDCs has inconsistently been associated with children's body mass index (BMI) and obesity. The objective of this study was to investigate if prenatal exposure to a mixture of EDCs was associated with children's BMI and overweight (ISO-BMI ≥ 25) at 5.5 years of age, and if there were sex-specific effects.
METHODS
A total of 1,105 mother-child pairs with complete data on prenatal EDCs concentrations (e.g., phthalates, non-phthalate plasticizers, phenols, PAH, pesticides, PFAS, organochlorine pesticides, and PCBs), children's measured height and weight, and selected covariates in the Swedish Environmental Longitudinal, Mother and child, Asthma and allergy (SELMA) study were included in this analysis. The mixture effect of EDCs with children's BMI and overweight was assessed using WQS regression with 100 repeated holdouts. A positively associated WQS index with higher BMI and odds of overweight was derived. Models with interaction term and stratified weights by sex was applied in order to evaluate sex-specific associations.
RESULTS
A significant WQS*sex interaction term was identified and associations for boys and girls were in opposite directions. Higher prenatal exposure to a mixture of EDCs was associated with lower BMI (Mean β = -0.19, 95%CI: -0.40, 0.01) and lower odds of overweight (Mean OR = 0.72, 95%CI: 0.48, 1.04) among girls with borderline significance. However, the association among boys did not reach statistical significance. Among girls, the possible chemicals of concern were MEP, 2-OHPH, BPF, BPS, DPP and PFNA.
CONCLUSION
Prenatal exposure to a mixture of EDCs was associated with lower BMI and overweight among girls, and non-significant associations among boys. Chemicals of concern for girls included phthalates, non-phthalate plasticizers, bisphenols, PAHs, and PFAS.
Topics: Male; Female; Pregnancy; Humans; Body Mass Index; Endocrine Disruptors; Overweight; Plasticizers; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; Sweden; Hypersensitivity; Asthma; Environmental Illness; Fluorocarbons
PubMed: 37672941
DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108176 -
Nature Communications Jun 2024Plastic waste is an environmental challenge, but also presents a biotechnological opportunity as a unique carbon substrate. With modern biotechnological tools, it is... (Review)
Review
Plastic waste is an environmental challenge, but also presents a biotechnological opportunity as a unique carbon substrate. With modern biotechnological tools, it is possible to enable both recycling and upcycling. To realize a plastics bioeconomy, significant intrinsic barriers must be overcome using a combination of enzyme, strain, and process engineering. This article highlights advances, challenges, and opportunities for a variety of common plastics.
Topics: Biodegradation, Environmental; Plastics; Recycling; Biotechnology
PubMed: 38830860
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49146-8 -
Scientific Reports Jun 2023The production of plastic and the amount of waste plastic that enters the ecosystem increases every year. Synthetic plastics gradually break down into particles on the...
The production of plastic and the amount of waste plastic that enters the ecosystem increases every year. Synthetic plastics gradually break down into particles on the micro- and nano-scale in the environment. The micro- and nano-plastics pose a significant ecological threat by transporting toxic chemicals and causing inflammation and cellular damage when ingested; however, removal of those particles from water is challenging using conventional separation methods. Deep eutectic solvents (DES), a new class of solvents composed of hydrogen bond donors and acceptors, have been proposed as a cheaper alternative to ionic liquids. Hydrophobic DES derived from natural compounds (NADES) show promise as extractants in liquid-liquid extractions. This study investigated the extraction efficiency of micro- and nano-plastics including polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, and a bioplastic polylactic acid from fresh water and saltwater using three hydrophobic NADES. The extraction efficiencies fall in a range of 50-93% (maximum % extraction) while the extraction rates fall between 0.2 and 1.3 h (as indicated by the time to extract half the theoretical maximum). Molecular simulations show a correlation between the extraction efficiency and the association between the plastics and NADES molecules. This study demonstrates the potential of hydrophobic NADES as extractants for removal of different micro- and nano-plastic particles from aqueous solutions.
Topics: Water; Solvents; Microplastics; Plastics; Ecosystem; Polyethylene Terephthalates
PubMed: 37391491
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-37490-6 -
Journal of Environmental Management May 2024Several countries have imposed either a ban or a tax on single-use plastic packaging, motivated by their contribution to marine plastic pollution. This may lead...
Several countries have imposed either a ban or a tax on single-use plastic packaging, motivated by their contribution to marine plastic pollution. This may lead consumers to opt for similar unregulated substitutes, potentially undermining or even counteracting the intended effect of the policy instrument. The purpose of this study is to theoretically and empirically compare the environmental and welfare effects of the first-best Pigouvian taxes on both plastic bags and a substitute (paper bags), with two alternative second-best policy instruments: a tax on plastic products alone, and a common uniform tax on all packaging materials. The empirical analysis accounts for two different types of environmental externalities from the use of both bag types: marine pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. It also compares results for two countries, Denmark and the USA, which differ in the demand for plastic and paper bags. The theoretical analysis shows that a unilateral tax on plastic bags should equal the marginal environmental damage of plastic bags minus a fraction of the marginal environmental cost of paper bags, hence being lower than the Pigouvian tax. The optimal common tax should equal a weighted average of the marginal environmental damage of the two bag types and would be lower than the Pigouvian tax on plastics if the marginal external cost of plastic bags exceeds that for paper bags. The empirical analysis shows that for default parameters, the variation in tax level across the studied scenarios is small. It also shows that if Pigouvian taxes cannot be implemented, a common uniform tax on both bag types would result in a higher welfare gain than a tax on plastic bags alone. Sensitivity analysis reveals that the level of the second-best taxes and their associated environmental and welfare impacts are sensitive to assumptions regarding the littering rate and decay rate of plastic bags in the marine environment.
Topics: Plastics; Taxes; Climate Change; Environmental Pollution; Denmark
PubMed: 38692024
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120868 -
Environmental Research Aug 2023Microplastics (MP) and nanoplastics (NP) contamination of the terrestrial environment is a growing concern worldwide and is thought to impact soil biota, particularly... (Review)
Review
Microplastics (MP) and nanoplastics (NP) contamination of the terrestrial environment is a growing concern worldwide and is thought to impact soil biota, particularly the micro and mesofauna community, by various processes that may contribute to global change in terrestrial systems. Soils act as a long-term sink for MP, accumulating these contaminants and increasing their adverse impacts on soil ecosystems. Consequently, the whole terrestrial ecosystem is impacted by microplastic pollution, which also threatens human health by their potential transfer to the soil food web. In general, the ingestion of MP in different concentrations by soil micro and mesofauna can adversely affect their development and reproduction, impacting terrestrial ecosystems. MP in soil moves horizontally and vertically because of the movement of soil organisms and the disturbance caused by plants. However, the effects of MP on terrestrial micro-and mesofauna are largely overlooked. Here, we give the most recent information on the forgotten impacts of MP contamination of soil on microfauna and mesofauna communities (protists, tardigrades, soil rotifers, nematodes, collembola and mites). More than 50 studies focused on the impact of MP on these organisms between 1990 and 2022 have been reviewed. In general, plastic pollution does not directly affect the survival of organisms, except under co-contaminated plastics that can increase adverse effects (e.g. tire-tread particles on springtails). Besides, they can have adverse effects at oxidative stress and reduced reproduction (protists, nematodes, potworms, springtails or mites). It was observed that micro and mesofauna could act as passive plastic transporters, as shown for springtails or mites. Finally, this review discusses how soil micro- and mesofauna play a key role in facilitating the (bio-)degradation and movement of MP and NP through soil systems and, therefore, the potential transfer to soil depths. More research should be focused on plastic mixtures, community level and long-term experiments.
Topics: Humans; Plastics; Ecosystem; Soil; Microplastics; Food Chain
PubMed: 37244494
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116227 -
The Science of the Total Environment Jun 2024Microplastics are a prolific environmental contaminant that have been evidenced in human tissues. Human uptake of microplastic occurs via inhalation of airborne fibres...
Microplastics are a prolific environmental contaminant that have been evidenced in human tissues. Human uptake of microplastic occurs via inhalation of airborne fibres and ingestion of microplastic-contaminated foods and beverages. Plastic and PTFE-coated cookware and food contact materials may release micro- and nanoplastics into food during food preparation. In this study, the extent to which non-plastic, new plastic and old plastic cookware releases microplastics into prepared food is investigated. Jelly is used as a food simulant, undergoing a series of processing steps including heating, cooling, mixing, slicing and storage to replicate food preparation steps undertaken in home kitchens. Using non-plastic cookware did not introduce microplastics to the food simulant. Conversely, using new and old plastic cookware resulted in significant increases in microplastic contamination. Microplastics comprised PTFE, polyethylene and polypropylene particulates and fibrous particles, ranging 13-318 μm. Assuming a meal was prepared daily per the prescribed methodology, new and old plastic cookware may be contributing 2409-4964 microplastics per annum into homecooked food. The health implications of ingesting microplastics remains unclear.
Topics: Microplastics; Food Contamination; Polytetrafluoroethylene; Cooking and Eating Utensils; Environmental Monitoring; Plastics; Cooking
PubMed: 38641111
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172577 -
The Science of the Total Environment Dec 2023In recent years, significant efforts have been dedicated to measuring and comprehending the impact of microplastics (MPs) in the ocean. Despite harmonization guidelines... (Review)
Review
In recent years, significant efforts have been dedicated to measuring and comprehending the impact of microplastics (MPs) in the ocean. Despite harmonization guidelines for MPs research, discrepancies persist in the applied methodologies and future challenges, mostly for the smaller fractions (< 100 μm). Whether intentional or accidental, ingesting plastic particles by zooplankton can lead to incorporating this pollutant into aquatic food chains. Therefore, zooplankton can serve as a suitable proxy tool for assessing the presence of plastic particles in ocean waters. However, reliable information is essential for conducting experimental laboratory studies on the impact of MPs ingestion by zooplankton organisms. Using zooplankton as a research tool for MPs offers numerous advantages, including similar sampling methodologies and study techniques as MPs and particle data integration over space and time. The scientific community can gain novel perspectives by merging zooplankton studies with MPs research. This review explores key aspects of using zooplankton as a tool for MPs research in water samples, encompassing various views such as particles ingestion in natural environments, particle quantification in zooplankton samples (past and future), ecotoxicological and toxicology model studies. By leveraging the potential of zooplankton research, advancements can be made in developing innovative techniques for MPs analysis.
Topics: Animals; Microplastics; Zooplankton; Plastics; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Environmental Monitoring
PubMed: 37748610
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167329 -
Waste Management & Research : the... Jan 2024Plastic entering the environment is a growing threat for ecosystems. We estimate the annual mass of known Dutch plastic waste generated and littered and where it ends...
Plastic entering the environment is a growing threat for ecosystems. We estimate the annual mass of known Dutch plastic waste generated and littered and where it ends up. We use two methods: (1) a material flow analysis of plastic waste separately collected from 13 economic sectors (including households, industry and imports) and estimate the amount sent to processing plants or exported and (2) a mismanagement model from observations of litter (on Dutch beaches and riverbanks) plus estimates of inadequately managed exported plastic scraps entering the environment abroad. In 2017 (the most recent complete data set available), an estimate of 1990 (±111) kilotonnes [kt] of plastic waste was separately collected. The top three plastic waste generating sectors (74% of the total) were households, clothing and textiles, and importation. Our mismanagement model estimates that 4.3-21.2 kt enters the environment annually; almost all of which occurs in foreign countries after inadequate management of imported Dutch waste. We highlight unknowns, including the source and/or destination of imported (623 kt) and exported (514 kt) plastics, plastics in non-household mixed waste streams and the plastic fraction of some separately collected waste, for example, e-waste. Our results stress the need for improved monitoring and reporting of plastic waste. Beyond the Netherlands, our recommendations could also help other high-income countries' decision-makers reach their circular economy goals.
Topics: Netherlands; Ecosystem; Plastics; Textiles; Industry; Waste Management; Recycling
PubMed: 37455494
DOI: 10.1177/0734242X231180863