Educating for environmental transition: the summer school on microplastics.

ABSTRACTPharmaceutical pollutants in aquatic environments have become a growing concern worldwide due to their persistence and potential ecological and human health impacts. In Malaysia, the rapid expansion of urban areas, increasing population, and rising healthcare demands have contributed to the growing influx of pharmaceutical pollutants into water bodies. These pollutants, including antibiotics, analgesics, and hormones, enter aquatic ecosystems primarily through wastewater discharge, agricultural runoff, and improper disposal of unused medications. The Malaysian water treatment infrastructure, designed to target conventional pollutants, often fails to adequately remove these pharmaceutical pollutants, leading to their accumulation in rivers, lakes, and coastal waters. This review explores the current state of pharmaceutical pollution in Malaysia's aquatic environments, focusing on the sources, types, and concentrations of pharmaceuticals detected in surface and wastewater systems. Additionally, the study investigates the ecological impacts, particularly on aquatic organisms, and the potential for bioaccumulation and trophic transfer, which could affect both wildlife and human populations. Existing mitigation efforts, such as policy initiatives, advancements in wastewater treatment technologies, and public awareness campaigns, are also discussed. However, significant challenges remain regarding regulatory enforcement and the need for more effective, cost‐efficient removal technologies. This paper highlights the urgency of addressing pharmaceutical pollutants in Malaysia's aquatic systems. It suggests avenues for future research, including advanced treatment solutions and collaborative policy frameworks, to safeguard the environment and public health from these emerging contaminants.

Exploiting the gut microbiota of aquatic animals as indicators of microplastic pollution using interpretable machine learning models.

Environmentally relevant impacts of nano-TiO2 on abiotic degradation of bisphenol A under sunlight irradiation

Utilizing biofilm-enhanced coconut coir for microplastic removal in wastewater

Microplastics are major pollutant distributed widely throughout the Indian marine and freshwater are posing a significant risk to living organisms. World economic forum’s estimation, the world’s oceans will be filled with more plastics than fishes by weight by 2050. The extreme production and use of plastics being lead to plastic waste disposal, and the plastic degrade to microplastic. The growing amount of microplastics will continue to increase microplastic pollution in aquatic environments. Today, it is a major environmental problem because microplastics are less than 5 mm in size and associated with other pollutants that can be accumulated on the body to make health problems and lead to death. Microplastics are directly ingested by organisms from polluted water or indirectly through the contaminated food web. The effects of microplastics are wide-ranging, impacting marine life, fisheries, economics, tourism, plants, marine aesthetics, and human health. This paper review focuses on the microplastic sources, pollution, and its impact in the Indian aquatic environment.

Microplastics are ubiquitous pollutants in aquatic environments. To determine the microplastic pollution status of the Chishui River, the abundance, type, particle size, shape, ecological risk, and potential sources of microplastics were systematically studied using laser direct infrared (LDIR) technology. The results demonstrated that the abundance of microplastics in the surface water of the Chishui River ranged from 9.34 to 69.67 n/L, with an average abundance of 24.87 n/L. The three most abundant types of microplastics were polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), and polyamide (PA). The majority of microplastics were ≤50 μm in size, and most particles were fragmented. Pollution can originate from domestic garbage, sewage, and industries. The polymer hazard index (PHI), pollution load index (PLI), and pollution risk index (PRI) methods content of microplastics in the Chishui River Basin indicated a relatively light degree of pollution, and the overall risk level was deemed to be relatively low, with Polyvinylchloride (PVC) plastic being the main risk source. Thus, strengthening the control of plastics such as PVC is recommended to protect the ecological safety of rivers.

The continuous production and widespread use of synthetic plastics, along with the resulting waste, pose significant environmental challenges and threaten ecosystems. Microplastics (MPs) have emerged as a novel type of contaminants in aquatic environments, posing risks to both ecosystems and human health. Egypt is distinguished by the diversity of its aquatic environment. The Mediterranean Sea is globally recognized as a major hotspot for the accumulation of marine litter and plastic pollution. On the other hand, the Nile River is considered a major source of plastic pollution flowing into the eastern Mediterranean basin. In addition, the Red Sea Coast of Egypt is confronted with various anthropogenic stressors that contribute to the accumulation of plastic litter in the region, causing a significant threat to the sensitive and critical ecosystems found there. Despite the global documentation of MPs pollution, there is a lack of sufficient data on the extent of MPs and their interaction with other contaminants in the aquatic environment of Egypt. Monitoring and assessing the extent of MPs pollution in aquatic environments are crucial initial steps, providing a foundation for developing recommendations and policies to mitigate major marine pollutants. This study concerned with MPs pollution in the aquatic environment, with an aim to define the various types of MPs , their sources, fate, toxicity, characterization and impact on human health. In addition, it aimed to summarize the existing research conducted in the Egyptian aquatic environments, offering an overview of the current knowledge regarding the abundance and distribution of MPs in Egypt's aquatic ecosystems.

With spatial distribution, risk evaluation of heavy metals and microplastics to emphasize the composite mechanism in hyporheic sediments of Beiluo River

This paper explores the cultural and urban significance of Tugu Yogyakarta, a famous monument in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Located at the city's main crossroads, Tugu Yogyakarta is essential to Yogyakarta's Philosophical Axis, symbolizing the city's identity and pride. This analysis examines the academic discourse and social media presence of Tugu Yogyakarta, highlighting the monument's historical, cultural, and urban importance. The study emphasizes the role of social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok in promoting the monument to a broader audience through visual and interactive content, with virtual reality (VR) technology discussed to provide virtual tours, increasing public engagement and awareness without time and distance limitations. The findings expose that academic literature, predominantly produced by Indonesian researchers, focuses on cultural heritage, urban design, and educational roles, while the topic is just starting to gain attention internationally. The social media analysis shows strong public engagement, with hashtags like #tugujogja widely used, reflecting the monument's cultural significance. This study combines a literature review with social media data analysis, making it a unique approach to comprehensively assess the monument's popularity and public awareness of its historical and cultural value. The social media data was analyzed using Gephi and Excel to calculate hashtag frequency and visualize network interactions. The findings show the critical contribution of Tugu Yogyakarta to the sustainability of cultural heritage preservation. The study highlights the synergistic relationship between academic research and the social media presence in promoting Tugu Yogyakarta, with digital platforms significantly boosting its visibility and public engagement. In conclusion, this study provides a multifaceted analysis of Tugu Yogyakarta, integrating cultural aspects, urban elements, and city marketing strategies. Successful promotion of the monument through academic works and social media can enhance heritage conservation and strengthen the public's engagement with Yogyakarta's historical landmarks.

Microplastics, defined as plastic particles smaller than 5 mm, have emerged as pervasive pollutants in aquatic ecosystems, posing growing ecotoxicological risks to aquatic fauna. Originating from a wide array of sources, including industrial discharge, wastewater effluents, and degradation of larger plastic debris, microplastics are now documented in marine, freshwater, and estuarine environments globally. Their small size, persistence, and ability to adsorb toxic chemicals make them a multifaceted threat. The ecotoxicological impacts of microplastics, emphasising physiological, cellular, behavioural, genotoxic, and endocrine-related effects across diverse taxa such as plankton, invertebrates, fish, amphibians, and marine vertebrates. Documented impacts include digestive obstruction, energy depletion, reproductive impairments, oxidative stress, DNA damage, and disrupted predator-prey interactions. The role of microplastics as vectors for heavy metals, pesticides, and persistent organic pollutants further compounds their toxicity, often leading to synergistic effects. Weathering and biofouling enhance their chemical reactivity and alter exposure pathways. While laboratory studies provide mechanistic insights, limitations in ecological realism and a lack of long-term or multigenerational data persist. The underrepresentation of freshwater species and nanoplastic-specific studies presents further knowledge gaps. Monitoring efforts remain hindered by inconsistent analytical methods, while regulation have only recently begun addressing microplastic-specific challenges. Current knowledge on the ecotoxicological impacts of microplastics on aquatic fauna by examining their sources, pathways, exposure mechanisms, and biological effects across different taxa. Emphasis is placed on evidence from peer-reviewed experimental and field studies to assess the scale and severity of effects. Microplastic pollution poses significant ecological risks, necessitating robust policy and mitigation strategies. Global initiatives, including the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive and UNEA’s commitment to a legally binding treaty, demonstrate growing policy attention. Public engagement, biodegradable alternatives, and integrated scientific approaches are essential components of future mitigation. Urgent need for standardised methodologies, cross-ecosystem studies, and adaptive risk assessment frameworks to address microplastic pollution holistically. Bridging experimental findings with real-world ecological complexity is key to understanding the long-term consequences for biodiversity, ecosystem services, and human health, and to informing science-based environmental policies on both national and global scales.

Chapter 3 - Membrane bioreactor (MBR) as an advanced wastewater treatment technology for removal of synthetic microplastics

Adverse effects of polystyrene microplastics in the freshwater commercial fish, grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella): Emphasis on physiological response and intestinal microbiome

Since the beginning of humanity, many sectors have produced different chemicals. These chemicals are the main causes of environmental pollution and have become a global problem with irreversible effects in terms of health. Because of this, countries have set a target of “a pollution-free planet”. We need to determine target-specific strategies to both eliminate pollution and protect health. To date, traditional methods of monitoring in receiving aquatic environments have been used; however, they do not provide information on toxic levels of pollutants. For this reason, researchers have focused on “bio-indicator” or “bio-monitor” organisms. Since these organisms are in equilibrium with the aquatic environment, they can also be considered an integrated sampling tool and may indicate potential contamination. Danio rerio (zebrafish) is considered a promising model organism for single health studies in terms of its biological structure. This review aims to present Danio rerio’s characteristics, susceptibility to environmental pollutants, and risks associated with pollutants in the aquatic environment.

Non-plastic microfibres, here defined as anthropogenically manipulated fibres of cellulosic or animal origin such as wool, cotton and rayon, have been increasingly recognised as a significant component of anthropogenic microparticle pollution in aquatic environments. Emerging attention has also been brought to the ecological ramifications of non-plastic microfibres and their associated chemical additives. However, environmental anthropogenic microparticle surveys have often omitted both plastic and non-plastic microfibres, with greater attention being placed on microplastic fragments, films, and spheres. This lack of attention has potentially led to the underestimation of non-plastic microfibre pollution in aquatic environments and biota. Through a comprehensive systematic review, we collate and analyse published literature (2011–2024) on non-plastic microfibre occurrence in aquatic animals and the associated ecological impacts. This review demonstrates that plastic and non-plastic microfibres, when looked for, are a significant component of anthropogenic microparticle (AMP) loading in aquatic biota across environments, habitats and feeding strategies. Greatest loading appears in freshwater environments with some cases accounting for 100% of detected anthropogenic microparticles, despite relatively limited study focus. The ecological impacts of non-plastic microfibres may also elicit varied effects on biota, depending on the context and nature of exposure, although targeted experiments are scarce in the literature. This review highlights the underestimation and potential misidentification of non-plastics due to methodological limitations, inconsistent reporting, and lack of focus. Here we emphasise that future research should develop standardised anthropogenic microparticle survey methodologies that incorporate non-plastic particles and microfibres, with greater effort placed on understanding microfibre pollution in aquatic biota. Further exploration into the ecological impact of non-plastics is crucial to understanding and mitigating the risks associated with these pollutants.

This review paper focuses on the joint toxicity and interaction of carbon-based nanomaterials (CNMs) with co-existing pollutants in aquatic environments. It explores the potential harmful effects of chemical mixtures with CNMs on aquatic organisms, emphasizing the importance of scientific modeling to predict mixed toxic effects. The study involved a systematic literature review to gather information on the joint toxicity and interaction between CNMs and various co-contaminants in aquatic settings. A total of 53 publications were chosen and analyzed, categorizing the studies based on the tested CNMs, types of co-contaminants, and the used species. Common test models included fish and microalgae, with zebrafish being the most studied species. The review underscores the necessity of conducting mixture toxicity testing to assess whether the combined effects of CNMs and co-existing pollutants are additive, synergistic, or antagonistic. The development of in silico models based on the solid foundation of research data represents the best opportunity for joint toxicity prediction, eliminating the need for a great quantity of experimental studies.