Changes in the deposit return schemes in Ireland, Moldova, and Romania; modification in single-use plastic fees in Germany and the Netherlands; food contact material regulation updates in Denmark and…

Over multiple generations, small nematode worms began preferring microplastic-contaminated food over cleaner options, which could have consequences for ecosystem health

Personal care products, such as cosmetics, have received attention for containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), yet limited information is known on the PFAS content in reusable feminine ...

Environmental Defense Fund outlines reasons for the presence of unreviewed and unsafe ingredients in US food products; recommends Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to revoke unsafe ingredient…

Observations from 12 hydrocast stations along a transect crossing the North Atlantic from the subtropical gyre to the northern European shelf provide evidence of large amounts of nanoplastics througho...

Addressing microplastics in drinking water in the global plastics treaty – Gaps, challenges and opportunities - Volume 3

Scientific Reports - Efficient secretion of a plastic degrading enzyme from the green algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

The Nanobiotechnology Laboratory features state-of-the-art equipped facilities designed to foster interdisciplinary studies. Priorities are the detection of micro-nanoplastics and the characterisation...

The increasing presence of microplastics in the bodies of birds poses a global challenge.

Atmospheric microplastics must be addressed in the global plastics treaty - Volume 3

Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) present formidable global environmental challenges with serious risks to human health and ecosystem sustainability. Despite their significance, the accurate assessment of environmental MP and NP pollution remains hindered by limitations in existing detection technologies, such as low resolution, substantial data volumes, and prolonged imaging times. Machine learning (ML) provides a promising pathway to overcome these challenges by enabling efficient data processing and complex pattern recognition. This systematic Review aims to address these gaps by examining the role of ML techniques combined with spectroscopy in improving the detection and characterization of NPs. We focused on the application of ML and key tools in MP and NP detection, categorizing the literature into key aspects: (1) Developing tailored strategies for constructing ML models to optimize plastic detection while expanding monitoring capabilities. Emphasis is placed on harnessing the unique molecular fingerprinting capabilities offered by spectroscopy, including both infrared (IR) and Raman spectra. (2) Providing an in-depth analysis of the challenges and issues encountered by current ML approaches for NP detection. This Review highlights the critical role of ML in advancing environmental monitoring and improving our further, deeper investigation of the widespread presence of NPs. By identifying current key challenges, this Review provides valuable insights for future direction in environmental management and public health protection.

A new material from the JRC will help laboratories better measure microplastic pollution in water.