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Navigating Europe’s restriction on microplastics

Envirotec Magazine

Legislators in Europe seem to be keeping a closer eye on microplastics, with the introduction of European Union (EU) Regulation 2023/2055 in September being a recent milestone. While microplastics are useful, scientists, governments and consumers now recognize them as a major threat to the environment.

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Microplastics from textiles damage lung cells, finds study

Envirotec Magazine

Microplastics from textiles may inhibit the lung’s ability to repair damage caused by conditions such as COVID-19, according to research findings released on 24 February. With humans exposed to microplastic fibres on a daily basis, scientists also warned of the potential health risks for those with developing lungs, such as children.

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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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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. River landscape in Pantanal, Brazil. We measure particle size in all samples.

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A few thoughts on tackling microplastic pollution

Envirotec Magazine

Dr Rosa Busquets is Associate Professor in Analytical Chemistry and Forensics at Kingston University What are microplastics, why are they such a problem and what can be done to reduce the pollution they cause? From studies involving organisms, we know that microplastics can cause inflammation, which is a common step in many diseases.

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Tannins: A possible answer to microplastic pollution?

Envirotec Magazine

Scientists at UBC’s BioProducts Institute find that if you add tannins to a layer of wood dust, you can create a filter that traps virtually all microplastic particles present in water, according to recently reported research. per cent of plastic particles in a column of water, depending on plastic type. per cent to 99.9

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Microplastics: Six surprising everyday things that contain and release them

Envirotec Magazine

Microplastics have become so widespread that they have been discovered in fresh Antarctic snow. Something as seemingly innocent as Halloween decorations or gum can be a source, says Sulacpac, a producer of bio-based alternatives for conventional plastics. However, typical plastic waste isn’t the only source of microplastics.