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Brazilian group presents novel method of analyzing microplastic pollution

Envirotec Magazine

The last decade has seen some progress with studying plastic pollution, but there are still significant challenges, such as a lack of comparability of reported results, especially when it comes to microplastic particles. Few studies of pollution by MPs have been published in Brazil, especially regarding inland aquatic areas.

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Study maps human uptake of microplastics across 109 countries

Envirotec Magazine

Indonesians eat more microplastics per month than any other country, said the study, with most of it coming from seafood (image credit: raulbaldean / Shutterstock.com). That is a 59-fold increase in daily microplastic consumption from 1990 to 2018, the date range used for the models. grams per month, while the lowest is Paraguay at 0.85

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Using microbes to remove microplastics

Envirotec Magazine

Researchers at Hong Kong Polytechnic University have developed a seemingly new technique to trap and recover microplastics. The method uses bacterial biofilms, a sticky substance created by micro-organisms, to trap microplastic particles. In bioreactors, this makes the microplastics more convenient to collect, according to Liu.

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Washing machine filter captures microplastic without the need for disposables

Envirotec Magazine

Bristol based microplastic technology company Matter is launching Gulp, “the first sustainable, long-lasting washing machine microfibre filter” on Kickstarter from 11 October. and recycling of microplastics, and says it is focused on “cradle-to-cradle solutions”, with a mission to stop microplastic pollution at source.

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Government is “passing water pollution buck to the car industry”, experts warn

Envirotec Magazine

Poisonous particle pollution from brake and tyre wear is carried in runoff then enters rivers and streams. The AQEG report made it clear that it is not just fumes from car exhaust pipes that have a detrimental impact on human health but also the tiny particles that are released from their brakes and tyres.

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First demonstration that forests trap airborne microplastics

Envirotec Magazine

A research group in Japan has demonstrated that airborne microplastics adsorb to the epicuticular wax on the surface of forest canopy leaves, and that forests may act as terrestrial sinks for airborne microplastics The study used a new technique to measure the levels of microplastics adhering to the leaves.

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What scientists have learned from 20 years of microplastics research

Grist

While many previous reports had documented the buildup of plastic bottles and bags in the natural environment, much less attention had been paid to what the scientists dubbed “microplastics.” One thing that has become much clearer since the early 2000s is the sheer extent of microplastic pollution.