Can biodegradable plastics mitigate plastamination? Feedbacks from marine organisms.

The EU plastic strategy aims to reduce the environmental impact of the increasing plastic production, by replacing petrochemical-based polymers with biodegradable ones. But this mitigation measure for the plastamination might, in turn, generate bio-based microplastics in environments that are not necessarily safe. Biodegradable and non-biodegradable plastics, polylactic acid (PLA) and polypropylene (PP) respectively, and their leachates were used for testing microplastic (MP) effects on seven marine species from different trophic levels, including bacteria, algae, rotifers, copepods, amphipods and branchiopods.

First evidence of molecular response of the shrimp Hippolyte inermis to biodegradable microplastics.

The increasing demand for sustainable alternatives to conventional plastics has propelled the interest in bioplastics. A few papers reported on the effects of plastics on crustaceans, but no indication about biodegradable polymers is available. Hippolyte inermis Leach, 1816 is a protandric shrimp commonly living on leaves of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica, in the Mediterranean Sea.

Do National Nutrition Policies Relevant to Sri Lankan Adolescents Effectively Uplift Their Development and Well-Being? A Qualitative Study.

Adolescence is a crucial phase of growth and development in the life course, and healthy nutrition is essential during this period. The objective of this study was to explore the perceptions regarding the implementation of relevant nutrition policies for adolescents in Sri Lanka. The study is qualitative, employing a "phenomenology" approach.

Effects of biodegradable microplastics on the crustacean isopod Idotea balthica basteri Audouin, 1826.

Plastic pollution is a notable environmental issue, being plastic widespread and characterized by long lifetime. Serious environmental problems are caused by the improper management of plastic end-of-life. In fact, plastic litter is currently detected in any environment.

Rose or Red, but Still under Threat: Comparing Microplastics Ingestion between Two Sympatric Marine Crustacean Species ( and ).

Increasing plastic contamination poses a serious threat to marine organisms. Microplastics (MPs) ingestion can represent a risk for the organism itself and for the ultimate consumer. Through the analysis of the gastrointestinal tract, coupled with stable isotope analysis on the muscle tissue, this study provides insights into the relationship between MPs pollution and ecology in two commercial marine species caught in the Central Tyrrhenian Sea: and .