Mussels (Mytilus spp.) in Svalbard contain microplastic particles in tissues: Implications for monitoring.

We examined the presence of microplastics in blue mussels Mytilus spp. from the intertidal zone of western Spitsbergen in Arctic Svalbard. The optical microscopy technique detected a total of 148 microplastics, with the highest concentration per mussel being 24 particles. Microplastics were found in 84% of the examined mussels. The microplastics ranged in size from <0.5 mm to 5 mm and consisted of fibers (83%), fragments (13%), plates (3%), and spherules (1%). The micro-Raman spectroscopy technique revealed four different types of polymers: polyethylene (67%), nylon-12 (17%), low-density polyethylene (11%), and polypropylene (5%). Our research shows that Arctic coastal waters are polluted with microplastics notwithstanding their remoteness. These findings suggest that microplastic contamination may harm marine life and coastal ecosystems and require further research into long-term environmental effects. We also indicate that intertidal mussels may be beneficial for monitoring microplastics because they can be collected without involving diving.

Acute toxicity of triclosan, caffeine, nanoplastics, microplastics, and their mixtures on Daphnia magna.

We measured acute toxicity of triclosan, caffeine, nanoplastics, and microplastics, and their mixtures on Daphnia magna. Limitations of this study included use of a single species, acute rather than chronic toxicity testing, examination of single substances and their mixtures, and laboratory conditions that may not reflect real-world scenarios. Single compound toxicity results revealed a clear concentration-response pattern, with triclosan showing higher toxicity than caffeine, and nanoplastics displaying higher toxicity than microplastics. Combinations of triclosan with nanoplastics, and microplastics resulted in varying mortality rates, with higher rates observed with increased concentrations of triclosan and nanoplastics. Similar results were observed with caffeine, nanoplastics, and microplastics mixtures. These findings underline potential hazards posed by these pollutants to marine ecosystems and highlight the need for further studies to understand chronic effects, interactive effects of multiple substances, and the impact under more environmentally relevant conditions.

Accumulation of polystyrene nanoplastics and triclosan by a model tooth-carp fish, Aphaniops hormuzensis (Teleostei: Aphaniidae).

The presence and effects of nanoplastics (NPs; <1 µm) in the aquatic environment are a growing concern. In this study, a model tooth-carp fish, Aphaniops hormuzensis, has been exposed to different concentrations of fluorescent polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NP) in its diet (up to 5 mg kg-1) over periods of 28 d and the particle accumulation in different tissues determined. Accumulation was observed in both digestive and non-digestive organs, with concentrations greater in the gut, liver and gill (up to 400 µg kg-1 dw) than in the skin and muscle (<180 µg kg-1 dw), but no dependency on exposure time or dose was evident. The presence of the organic contaminant, triclosan (TCS), in the diet and at concentrations up to 0.5 µg kg-1 did not affect PS-NP uptake by A. hormuzensis, while TCS accumulation in the whole body increased with time (up to 10 µg kg-1) and, likewise, appeared to be unaffected by the presence of PS-NPs. These observations suggest that the two contaminants do not interact with each other or that any interactions have no impact on accumulation. The results of this study add to the growing body of evidence that NPs can be translocated by aquatic organisms after ingestion, and reveal that, for the species and conditions employed, nanoplastics are accumulated more readily than a widely used organic chemical.

Assessing the Occurrence and Distribution of Microplastics in Surface Freshwater and Wastewaters of Latvia and Lithuania.

Microplastic concentrations in surface water and wastewater collected from Daugavpils and Liepaja cities in Latvia, as well as Klaipeda and Siauliai cities in Lithuania, were measured in July and December 2021. Using optical microscopy, polymer composition was characterized using micro-Raman spectroscopy. The average abundance of microplastics in surface water and wastewater samples was 16.63 ± 20.29 particles/L. The dominant shape group of microplastics in water was fiber, with dominant colors found to be blue (61%), black (36%), and red (3%) in Latvia. Similar distribution in Lithuania was found, i.e., fiber (95%) and fragments (5%) with dominant colors, such as blue (53%), black (30%), red (9%), yellow (5%), and transparent (3%). The micro-Raman spectroscopy spectra of visible microplastics were identified to be polyethylene terephthalate (33%) and polyvinyl chloride (33%), nylon (12%), polyester (PS) (11%), and high-density polyethylene (11%). In the study area, municipal and hospital wastewater from catchment areas were the main reasons for the contamination of microplastics in the surface water and wastewater of Latvia and Lithuania. It is possible to reduce pollution loads by implementing measures such as raising awareness, installing more high-tech wastewater treatment plants, and reducing plastic use.

Diatom biosilica: Source, physical-chemical characterization, modification, and application.

Growing research interest in the use of diatomaceous biosilica results from its unique properties such as chemical inertness, biocompatibility, high mechanical and thermal stability, low thermal conductivity, and homogeneous porous structure with a large specific surface. Unlike the production of synthetic silica materials with a micro- or nanoscale structure in an expensive conventional manufacturing process, diatomaceous biosilica can be produced in huge quantities without significant expenditure of energy and materials. This fact makes it an unlimited, easily accessible, natural, inexpensive, and renewable material. Moreover, the production of biosilica is extremely environmental friendly, as there is essentially no toxic waste and the process does not require more energy compared to the production of synthetic silica-based materials. For all these reasons, diatoms are an intriguing alternative to synthetic materials in developing cheap biomaterials used in a different branches of industry. In this review, the state-of-art of biosilica materials, their characteristics approaches, and possible ways of application have been reported.

Determination of 15 human pharmaceutical residues in fish and shrimp tissues by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

An efficient, reliable, and sensitive multiclass analytical method has been expanded to simultaneously determine 15 human pharmaceutical residues in fish and shrimp tissue samples by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The investigated compounds comprise ten classes, namely, analgesic, antibacterial, anticonvulsant, cardiovascular, fluoroquinolones, macrolides, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory, penicillins, stimulant, and sulfonamide. A simple liquid extraction procedure based on 0.1% formic acid in methanol was developed. Chromatographic conditions were optimized, and mobile phase A was 0.1% ammonium acetate, and mobile phase B was acetonitrile. The mobile phase's gradient program was as follows: 0-2 min, 15% B; 2-5 min, linear to 95% B; 5-10 min, 95% B; and 10-12 min. The limits of detection were from 0.017 to 1.371 µg/kg, while a quantification range was measured from 0.051 to 4.113 µg/kg. Finally, amoxicillin, azithromycin, caffeine, carbamazepine, ciprofloxacin, clarithromycin, diclofenac, erythromycin, furosemide, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, naproxen, sulfamethoxazole, tetracycline, and triclosan were quantifiable in fish and shrimp samples.

Determination of the pharmaceuticals-nano/microplastics in aquatic systems by analytical and instrumental methods.

Pharmaceutical residues and nanoplastic and microplastic particles as emerging pollutants in the aquatic environment are a subject of increasing concern in terms of the effect on water sources and marine organisms. There is lack of information about pharmaceutical-nanoplastic and pharmaceutical-microplastic mixtures. The present study aimed to investigate the fate and effect of pharmaceutical residues and nanoplastic and microplastic particles, the results of combinations of pharmaceutical residues with nanoplastic and microplastic particles, and toxic effects of pharmaceutical residues and nanoplastic and microplastic particles. Moreover, the objective was also to introduce analytical methods for pharmaceuticals, along with instrumental techniques for nanoplastic and microplastic particles in aquatic environments and organisms. PhAC alone can affect marine environments and aquatic organisms. When pharmaceutical residues combine with nanoplastic and microplastic particles, the rate of toxicity increases, and the result of this phenomenon constitutes this kind of pollutant in wastewater. Hence, the rate of mortality in organisms enhances. This study aimed to investigate the effect of pharmaceuticals residues and nanoplastic and microplastic particles, and a mixture of pharmaceutical residues and nanoplastic and microplastic particles in aquatic biota. Another object was survey methods for recognizing pharmaceutical residues and nanoplastic and microplastic particles. The findings show that pharmaceutical residues in organisms caused cell structure damage, inflammatory response, and nerve cell apoptosis. This study aimed to investigate the effect of microplastic particles in the human food chain and their impact on human health. Moreover, this review aims to present an innovative methodology based on comprehensive analytical techniques used to determine and identify pharmaceuticals adsorbed on nano- and microplastics in aquatic ecosystems. Finally, this review addresses the knowledge gaps and provides insights into future research strategies to better understand their interactions.

Effects of pharmaceuticals on the nitrogen cycle in water and soil: a review.

The effects of pharmaceuticals on the nitrogen cycle in water and soil have recently become an increasingly important issue for environmental research. However, a few studies have investigated the direct effects of pharmaceuticals on the nitrogen cycle in water and soil. Pharmaceuticals can contribute to inhibition and stimulation of nitrogen cycle processes in the environment. Some pharmaceuticals have no observable effect on the nitrogen cycle in water and soil while others appeared to inhibit or stimulate for it. This review reports on the most recent evidence of effects of pharmaceuticals on the nitrogen cycle processes by examination of the potential impact of pharmaceuticals on nitrogen fixation, nitrification, ammonification, denitrification, and anammox. Research studies have identified pharmaceuticals that can either inhibit or stimulate nitrification, ammonification, denitrification, and anammox. Among these, amoxicillin, chlortetracycline, ciprofloxacin, clarithromycin, enrofloxacin, erythromycin, narasin, norfloxacin, and sulfamethazine had the most significant effects on nitrogen cycle processes. This review also clearly demonstrates that some nitrogen transformation processes such as nitrification show much higher sensitivity to the presence of pharmaceuticals than other nitrogen transformations or flows such as mineralization or ammonia volatilization. We conclude by suggesting that future studies take a more comprehensive approach to report on pharmaceuticals' impact on the nitrogen cycle process.

Investigating impact of physicochemical properties of microplastics on human health: A short bibliometric analysis and review.

Microplastics (MPs) are contaminants of emerging concern that attracted the attention of researchers over the last decade. They can occur in saliva and stool, and on scalp hair together with skin. Further, MPs can end up in the human diet through seafood, honey, salt, and mineral water. They can be taken up into the plants' roots and lead to the occurrence of MPs in fruits and vegetables. Concentration of the airborne MPs was also reported in the environment. These pieces of evidence clarify that introduction of MPs to the human body through ingestion and inhalation routes should not be overlooked. Following oral exposure to MPs, hazardous chemicals can be released in the gastrointestinal tract leading to toxicity. Inhalation route deserves more attention due to the oxidative potential of the inhaled plastic particles. Although the major characteristics of MPs are being investigated, there are currently few regulations to control concentration of MPs in the environment and their human health impacts remained unclear indicating the need for further investigation. For instance, it is not clear if the present air quality limits for PM2.5 and PM10 can be used for the areas with high suspended plastic particles. Without comprehensive knowledge about the retention and egestion rates of field populations, it is difficult to deduce the ecological and human health consequences. In general, more information about MP contamination in various species and the consequences of MP uptake and retention is required to gain a better idea of MPs in the food web and their environmental fate. The finer details on the MP translocation between tissues and the fate of the small plastic particles might be obtained when considering the existing information about the application of MPs in the pharmaceutical industry. In this review article, we presented a short bibliometric analysis and investigated the link between physicochemical properties of MPs and human health.

Determination of nano and microplastic particles in hypersaline lakes by multiple methods.

Microplastics and nanoplastics have a range of impacts on the aquatic environment and present major challenges to their mitigation and management. Their transport and fate depend on their composition, form, and the characteristics of the receiving environment. We explore the spatial and temporal dynamics of plastic particles in the world's second-largest hypersaline lake, combining information from microscopic, thermal gravimetric, and fractional methods. Studies on microplastic and nanoplastic pollution in these important environments are scarce, and there is limited understanding of their dynamics and fate. Our results for Urmia Lake (Iran) in 2016 and 2019 show a discrepancy in the composition and quantity of microplastics measured in river tributaries to the lake and the lake itself, suggesting an active microplastic sink. Potential sink mechanisms in hypersaline lakes are explored. The present study indicates that microplastics have different transport mechanisms and fate in these extreme environments, compared to lake and ocean environments.