Tag: microplastics

Microplastics Are Becoming Superbug Highways — New Study Warns Beachgoers to Wear Gloves

Prof. Pennie Lindeque added that microplastics “act as carriers for antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, enhancing their survival and spread… each particle becomes a tiny vehicle capable of transporting pathogens from sewage works to beaches, swimming areas and shellfish-growing sites.”

Toxic sea otters and the pollution they collect at sea

When otters become sick or die, entire marine ecosystems begin to unravel. Their contamination is not a side note. It is a warning.

Fine-particle pollution is now directly tied to Lewy body dementia

A new peer-reviewed study in Science connects long-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) with higher risk of Lewy body dementia (LBD) in a dataset of 56.5 million US Medicare records, and backs it up with animal experiments that show PM2.5 triggers toxic α-synuclein clumps — the protein aggregates that define LBD. 

Australia Bans Iconic Fish-Shaped Soy Sauce Packs to Tackle Plastic Pollution

In a world-first environmental move, South Australia has enacted a ban on the beloved fish-shaped soy sauce dispensers—known as...

How Eco-Friendly Playgrounds Are Reshaping Community Green Spaces

An eco-friendly playground goes a long way toward saving the city money. This is obviously also true for schools and churches that want to create new play spaces for the kids. The equipment can come in at a lower cost because the materials have been repurposed.

Step Off the Path to a Plastic Planet: UN Treaty Talks Hit Final Stretch

Still, the science is no longer ambiguous. Plastic is no longer just littering beaches — it’s in the rain, the food, in our brains, and now, the very cells of the ocean's smallest life forms. As the world prepares for the final treaty talks, the question is no longer whether action is needed, but whether global leaders will agree on what that action should be.

Grandfather’s chemical exposure influences grand-daughter’s sexual health

“While we found that both the mother’s and father’s exposures were linked to when their daughters and granddaughters began puberty, the father’s influence was surprisingly strong

Toxins in tiny bodies: American children are carrying invisible chemical burden

Chemical exposures were highest among younger toddlers and racial/ethnic minorities, reflecting systemic environmental injustice. While some older chemicals like triclosan and certain phthalates are decreasing (likely due to public pressure and reformulations), new unregulated substitutes like DINCH and emerging pesticides are on the rise.

Microplastics in Your Food Links Nanoplastics to Liver Damage and Glucose Imbalance

Next time you reach for a plastic-wrapped snack or sip from a disposable cup, remember: the real cost may not show up on the price tag, but in your liver enzymes or your glucose test.

These glasses see microplastics on the farm

Conventional detection methods, such as sample taken and looking under a microscope to count the bits is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and often ineffective at identifying small particles, making them impractical for large-scale monitoring. 

Dangers at your bouldering gym? Your climbing shoes may be harming your lungs

Sherman also points out that the operators of the studied bouldering gyms were very cooperative and showed a high level of interest in improving the air quality in their gyms. "This constructive cooperation should lead to the creation of the healthiest possible climbing hall environment, for example through better ventilation, cleaning, avoiding peak times and designing climbing shoes with fewer additives."

A Plastic Blueprint of the Sea: First Global Map Reveals Depth and Impact of Microplastic Pollution

Marine plastic pollution is a global crisis, with 9 to 14 million metric tons of plastic entering the ocean...