We know nanoplastics are a threat—this new tool can help us figure out just how bad they are

UMass Amherst leads international team of scientists in development of ultra precise, efficient and flexible technique for counting and analyzing nano-scale scourge

University of Massachusetts Amherst

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The OM-SERS system involves using a laser to heat up nanoparticles of gold. Nanoplastics suspended in solution flock to the gold, allowing them to be counted and analyzed.

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Credit: UMass Amherst

April 1, 2025

 

AMHERST, Mass. – While the threat that microplastics pose to human and ecological health has been richly documented and is well known, nanoplastics, which are smaller than one micrometer (1/50th the thickness of an average human hair), are far more reactive, far more mobile and vastly more capable of crossing biological membranes. Yet, because they are so tiny and so mobile, researchers don’t yet have an accurate understanding of just how toxic these particles are. The first step to understanding the toxicology of nanoplastics is to build a reliable, efficient and flexible tool that can not only quantify their concentration in a given sample, but also analyze which specific plastics that sample contains.

An international team of scientists led by the University of Massachusetts Amherst recently announced in Nature Water the development of a new tool, known as the OM-SERS setup, which can do all of these things and can furthermore be used to detect particular nanoplastic concentrations and polymer types in solid samples, such as soils, body tissues and plants.

Plastic is an incredibly durable material, which can take up to 500 years to decompose. As plastic bottles, packaging and parts get older, teeny pieces of them break off. These microplastics have been found in every corner of the globe, from the top of Mount Everest to the depths of the Mariana Trench, and, according to recent reports, they are in many humans’ blood, brain and heart tissue.

If that’s not bad enough, each individual microplastic could theoretically be broken down into 1 quadrillion nanoplastic particles—which means that there are literally uncountable numbers of nanoplastics in our water, air and soils. These microplastics pose an as-of-yet unknown risk to the environment and to human health, and they’re altering ecosystems throughout the world.

“Because nanoplastics are so tiny, they have a much higher overall surface area and functional groups than microplastics, which means more of them can concentrate in water, soil and body tissues,” says Baoshan Xing, University Distinguished Professor of Environmental and Soil Chemistry at UMass Amherst’s Stockbridge School of Agriculture and one of the paper’s senior authors. “They travel more easily and can wind up in more places in the environment and in our bodies. And once in those places, they are more reactive and the chemicals and additives in them can more easily leach out into their surroundings.”

However, in order for toxicologists to begin to understand just how dire is the threat that nanoplastics pose, they first need to be able to count how many nanoplastics are in a sample and what specific types of plastic—each of which has a different chemical composition—are represented.

Xing, along with his co-senior authors, Jian Zhao and Xiaofeng Shi, professors at the Ocean University of China, and their team developed a method called “optical manipulation and surface-enhanced Raman scattering,” or OM-SERS, that involves lasers, gold and water. It is both the fastest, most efficient and reliable method that has yet been developed to count and analyze nanoplastics.

OM-SERS begins with a small water sample—just a few milliliters—into which Xing and Zhao place gold nanoparticles. Then they shoot the gold nanoparticles with a laser, and as the gold nanoparticles heat up, they attract the nanoplastics that are floating freely in the sample.

Once the various nanoplastic particles have all flocked to the gold stack, the team then rinses the sample with pure water, which flushes out the salts or any non-plastic debris—think tiny and prevalent soot particles or natural dissolved organic molecules that might be in the water. “What we have left behind are the plastic particles gathered around a gold center,” says Zhao. “We can then conduct a very, very sensitive analysis right in place, without moving the sample, that will tell us what kinds of plastics we have and in what concentrations.”

Not only can their method work with small samples, it can also be used to analyze nanoplastics in other matrixes. “We tested our OM-SERS system on samples gathered from a river, an ocean mariculture farm and a beach,” says Xing, “but, once the samples have been properly processed, it could work to test the concentration and types of nanoplastics in soil, plant tissues or our own bodies.”

  

The gold nanoparticle stack (GNS)  (blue, left) and with nanoplastics (yellow, right).

The gold nanoparticle stack (GNS)  (blue, left) and with nanoplastics (yellow, right).

Credit

UMass Amherst

Journal

Nature Water

DOI

10.1038/s44221-025-00417-8 

Article Title

Capturing, enriching and detecting nanoplastics in water based on optical manipulation, surface-enhanced Raman scattering and microfluidics

Article Publication Date

1-Apr-2025

Mpox could become a serious global threat, scientists warn

University of Surrey

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Carlos Maluquer de Motes 

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Credit: University of Surrey

Mpox has the potential to become a significant global health threat if taken too lightly, according to scientists at the University of Surrey. 

In a letter published in Nature Medicine, researchers highlight how mpox – traditionally spread from animals to humans – is now showing clear signs of sustained human-to-human transmission. 

Mpox is a viral infection caused by a virus that belongs to the same family as smallpox. The virus can cause a painful rash, fever, and swollen glands and, in some cases, lead to more serious illness. Mpox usually spreads through close contact with an infected person or animal. 

Carlos Maluquer de Motes, Reader in Molecular Virology at the University of Surrey, said: 

“The most recent outbreaks show that intimate contact is now a significant way the virus spreads. That shift in how it’s transmitted is leading to longer transmission chains and lasting outbreaks.” 

The article notes that this change coincided with the rapid spread of clade IIb (a clade is a group of viruses that share a common ancestor) mpox viruses, but different clade I variants are now on the rise too. Researchers are also concerned because clade I viruses are thought to be more aggressive.  These viruses appear to be accumulating specific genetic mutations – driven by enzymes in the human body – that may be changing viral properties, so the longer these viruses circulate amongst us, the higher the chances these mutations help mpox adapt to humans. 

Although mpox was once mainly seen in Central Africa, the virus caused an outbreak worldwide in 2022 and is now causing outbreaks in multiple sub-Saharan countries. While it currently affects adults the most, the researchers stress that it has the potential to spread among other groups, including children, a group at greater risk of serious illness – although sustained transmission in children has not yet been reported. 

Dr Maluquer de Motes added: 

“Mpox control has to climb up the global health agenda. We have limited diagnostic tools and even fewer antiviral treatments. We urgently need better surveillance and local or regional capacity to produce what we need – otherwise, we are at risk of future epidemics.” 

Unlike smallpox, mpox has an animal reservoir, meaning it can’t be fully eradicated. The authors warn that unless international action is taken now – including investment in point-of-care testing and new treatments – mpox will continue to re-emerge and threaten global health. 

 

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Journal

Nature Medicine

DOI

10.1038/s41591-025-03589-8 

Article Title

Mpox poses an ever-increasing epidemic and pandemic risk

Article Publication Date

1-Apr-2025

 

Newborn warty birch caterpillars defend the world’s smallest territory

Warty Birch caterpillars are the tiniest kings in their leaf tip castles

The Company of Biologists

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Real estate is precious. Some creatures defend territories extending over several kilometres, but when Jayne Yack (Carleton University, Canada) encountered miniature newborn warty birch caterpillars (Falcaria bilineata) she wondered if she might have discovered one of the world’s smallest, and youngest, territorial critters. ‘We had noticed that tiny warty birch caterpillars produced vibrations’, says Yack, who first encountered the feisty little creatures in 2008. She also noticed that the tiny caterpillars – 1 to 2 mm long – reside in solitude on birch leaves, making her speculate whether they are warning off intruders with the vibrations they transmit through their leaves from their leaf tip residences. Yack and her colleagues report in Journal of Experimental Biology that the minute caterpillars are territorial, warning off intruders with vibrations produced by scraping their rear ends along the leaf, in addition to beating the leaf tip with their thorax, to defend the world’s smallest territory.

To find out more about the tiny caterpillars , Yack, Sarah Matheson, Leonardo Turchen and Emilie Mauduit (also from Carleton University) first needed to collect female two-lined hooktip moths  (F. bilineata), ready to lay eggs on leaves and pieces of paper in the lab, in order to collect the caterpillar youngsters and transfer them to the centre of a single birch leaf as soon as they emerged from the eggs, to find out which region of the leaf they prefer to inhabit. A day later, almost 90% of the youngsters had wriggled to the tip of the leaf to set up home.

Having determined that the youngsters establish a territory, the team filmed the tiny caterpillars as they scouted their minute home range, rested and fed, rarely straying more than a few body lengths from the tip. And from time to time the youngsters beat the leaf with their head and thorax, producing a percussive tone, in addition to dragging oar-shaped hairs on their rear along the leaf, producing a buzzing scraping sound, while simultaneously striking the leaf with the head end of their bodies. ‘The sounds produced by these caterpillars are not audible humans, so we had to use specialized equipment to pick up the vibrations’, says Yack.

Once she was certain that the teeny creatures were territorial, Yack and her colleagues wondered how the youngsters would react when an intruder came calling. Placing an interloper near the centre of an occupied leaf, the team sat back and watched each encounter unfold. Sometimes the intruder turned tail and headed off in search of another leaf after approaching the resident, which had been frantically scraping at the leaf sending urgent warnings as the trespasser advanced. However, on other occasions the occupant secured themselves to the leaf with a silken thread before flinging themselves over the edge – after a protracted period of leaf scraping – as the threat approached, leaving themselves dangling safely beneath the leaf. Yet the caterpillars never came to physical blows, biting or thrashing each other. The outcome of each contest depended entirely on the warning vibrations transmitted through the leaf. Yack suspects that the youngsters might prefer this more diplomatic form of conflict resolution to ensure they both survive.

But why defend a leaf tip? Yack suggests that the tip may be more succulent than other parts of the leaf, offering the resident better nutrition, in addition to providing the occupant with a springboard for escape, if necessary. She also suggests that intruders are unable to approach residents ensconced at the tip from behind, limiting their opportunities for attack, and could even allow the tiny caterpillars to appear larger than they are as the leaf might amplify the resident’s warning signals. Whatever the reason, tiny newborn warty birch caterpillars could tip the scales as the tiniest kings in their leaf tip castles

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Press release distributed 1 April 2025

IF REPORTING THIS STORY, PLEASE MENTION JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY AS THE SOURCE AND, IF REPORTING ONLINE, PLEASE CARRY A LINK TO: https://journals.biologists.com/jeb/article-lookup/doi/10.1242/jeb.249796

REFERENCE: Matheson, S. M., Turchen, L. M., Mauduit, E. and Yack, J. E. (2025). Buzzing boundaries: tiny caterpillars vibrate to defend leaf tip territories. J. Exp. Biol. 228, jeb249796. doi:10.1242/jeb.249796

DOI: 10.1242/jeb.249796

Registered journalists can obtain a copy of the article under embargo from http://pr.biologists.com. Unregistered journalists can register at http://pr.biologists.com to access the embargoed content. The embargoed article can also be obtained from Kathryn Knight (kathryn.knight@biologists.com)

This press release gives access to authorised media who may wish to report on this story. Full attribution is required and if reporting online a link to https://journals.biologists.com/jeb is also required. The story posted here is COPYRIGHTED. Advance permission is required before any and every reproduction of each article in full from permissions@biologists.com.

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Journal

Journal of Experimental Biology

DOI

10.1242/jeb.249796 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Animals

Article Title

Buzzing boundaries: tiny caterpillars vibrate to defend leaf tip territories.

Article Publication Date

1-Apr-2025

 

Exposure to air pollution in childhood is associated with reduced brain connectivity

The associations persisted throughout adolescence, suggesting persistent disruptions in the normal development of brain networks

Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal)

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A new study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), a centre supported by the "la Caixa" Foundation, has found that children exposed to higher levels of air pollution in early and mid childhood have weaker connections between key brain regions. The findings, published in Environment International, highlight the potential impact of early exposure to air pollution on brain development.

The research showed reduced functional connectivity within and between certain cortical and subcortical brain networks. These networks are systems of interconnected brain structures that work together to perform different cognitive functions, such as thinking, perceiving and controlling movement. These findings are consistent with previous studies suggesting that air pollution may be associated with changes in the functional connectivity of brain networks, particularly in children. However, it is not yet fully understood how air pollution affects the development and maturation of these brain networks.

The study analysed data from 3,626 children from the Generation R cohort in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Exposure to air pollution at the participants' residence, including particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOX), was estimated using statistical models that combine actual measurements with environmental characteristics. Brain connectivity was then assessed both between and within networks, including 13 cortical networks and three subcortical regions: the amygdala - responsible for processing emotions and triggering survival responses -, the hippocampus - key for memory formation and spatial orientation -, and the caudate nucleus - involved in movement regulation, memory and decision-making.

The children were evaluated using resting state neuroimaging, meaning their brains were scanned while not performing any active task, at two time points: around the age of 10 and again at an average age of 14. Exposure to air pollution was analysed over two periods: from birth to three years of age and in the year before the neuroimaging assessment.

“This is one of the first studies to explore how air pollution affects brain connections at rest, using brain scans taken multiple times in a large group of children from birth,” says Michelle Kusters, ISGlobal researcher and first author of the study.

Persistent Associations During Adolescence

The results show that greater exposure to air pollution from birth to three years old is associated with lower connectivity between the amygdala and the cortical networks involved in attention, somatomotor function - which coordinates body movements - and auditory function. Additionally, higher exposure to PM10 particles in the year before the neuroimaging assessment was associated with lower functional connectivity between the salience and medial-parietal networks, which are responsible for detecting stimuli in the environment and for introspection and self-perception.

“These associations persist throughout adolescence, which may indicate persistent disruptions in the normal development of brain networks due to pollution exposure. This could affect emotional processing and cognitive functions,” explains Mònica Guxens, ICREA researcher at ISGlobal and lead author of the study. “However, more research is needed to confirm these findings and to understand their exact impact on brain development,” she adds.

Changes in Brain Volume

Another recent study by the same team examined the relationship between exposure to air pollution during pregnancy and childhood, and changes in brain volume through adolescence. The study was based on data from 4,243 children from the same Generation R cohort, who underwent repeated assessments of white matter, cortical grey matter, the cerebellum, and seven subcortical volumes.

The results revealed that exposure to air pollution during pregnancy, particularly to fine particles (PM2.5) and copper, was associated with a smaller volume of the hippocampus, a crucial brain structure for memory function, at age 8. However, as the children grew, "compensatory growth" in the hippocampus was observed, suggesting that brain plasticity, particularly in this area, may counteract some of the initial negative effects of pollution exposure. Despite the early effects on hippocampal volume, no significant associations were found between air pollution and other brain volumes, such as white matter, cortical grey matter, or the cerebellum.

Importance of Policy Changes

According to the research team, these findings together underscore the potential long-term impact of early-life air pollution exposure on brain connectivity and development. “While some brain regions may exhibit compensatory growth, the persistent disruptions observed in functional networks highlight the need for further research into the mechanisms behind these changes. Given the widespread exposure to air pollution, these results reinforce the importance of policies aimed at reducing pollution levels, particularly in urban environments, to safeguard children's brain development," says Michelle Kusters.

References

Kusters, MSW., Granés, L., Petricola, S., Tiemeier, H., Muetzel, RL., Guxens, M. Exposure to residential air pollution and the development of functional connectivity of brain networks throughout adolescence. Environment International, Volume 196, February 2025. Doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.109245

Kusters, MSW., Binter, AC., Muetzel RL., López-Vicente, M., Petricola, S., Tiemeier, H., Guxens, M. Outdoor Residential Air Pollution Exposure and the Development of Brain Volumes Across Childhood: A Longitudinal Study. Environment Pollution, March 2025. Doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2025.126078

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Journal

Environment International

DOI

10.1016/j.envint.2024.109245 

Method of Research

Imaging analysis

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Exposure to residential air pollution and the development of functional connectivity of brain networks throughout adolescence

 

Intersectional Racial and Sex Disparities in Unintentional Overdose Mortality

JAMA Network Open

About The Study: 

In this cross-sectional study of overdose deaths, disparities in overdose mortality were evident, with Black men and Black women experiencing a pronounced and increasing burden of mortality compared with their white counterparts. Addressing these disparities will require a multipronged approach targeting the social, physical, economic, and policy risk environments.

Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Kechna Cadet, PhD, MPH, email kc3010@cumc.columbia.edu.

To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/

(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.2728)

Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, conflict of interest and financial disclosures, and funding and support.

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About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is an online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. On weekdays, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication. 

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JAMA Network Open

Unintentional drug overdoses take a toll across the U.S. unequally, study finds

New research highlights intersectional racial and sex disparities

Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health

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A recent study from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health reveals significant racial and sex disparities in drug overdose mortality rates. The research found that both Black men and Black women have been disproportionately impacted by overdose deaths, with their mortality rates rising sharply compared to their White counterparts. This study expands scientific understanding of how race, sex, and regional factors intersect to affect overdose outcomes. The study's findings are published in JAMA Network Open.

“Efforts to reduce drug-related mortality must address the specific needs of marginalized communities, especially Black men,” said Kechna Cadet, PhD, postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Epidemiology. “Addressing these disparities requires a comprehensive, multifaceted approach that targets social, economic, physical, and policy risk factors.”

The study examined trends in drug poisoning mortality between Black men, Black women, White men, and White women across all 50 states from 2010 to 2020. Data on unintentional drug poisoning deaths was sourced from the CDC’s Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System. The analysis included 518,724 fatal drug poisoning cases, broken down as follows: 46,776 Black men, 20,087 Black women, 150,405 White women, and 301,456 White men. The study accounted for 11,820,781 years of potential life lost during the 10-year period.

For the entire time period, findings show Black men had the highest mean age-adjusted mortality rate at 23 deaths per 100,000, followed by White men at 22 per 100,000, with lower rates for White women (12 per 100,000) and Black women (9 per 100,000). The study revealed that Black men mortality rates saw the most dramatic increases, particularly in Maryland (+485 percent) and the District of Columbia (+360 percent). In contrast, White women mortality rates declined in states like Alaska (-23 percent) and Wyoming (-20 percent) and Oklahoma (-19 percent).

“Our goal was to identify the specific sociodemographic groups and regions that have faced the highest levels of inequality and are in urgent need of intervention,” said Dr. Cadet.

The study found that in 2016, Black men overdose mortality rates surpassed those of White men, with Black men rates nearly 60 percent higher by 2020. Similarly, Black women saw a steady increase in mortality rates, surpassing those of White women by 2019.

The opioid overdose epidemic, which has caused nearly one million deaths in the U.S. since its onset, remains a leading contributor to the country’s declining life expectancy. In 2021 alone, roughly 107,000 lives were lost to overdoses involving fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine. Historically, the majority of opioid-related deaths have been among White individuals. However, overdose rates involving opioids and cocaine have plateaued among non-Hispanic White populations while rising among Black and Hispanic groups. In addition, men have experienced consistently higher overdose rates than women.

“Our analysis of intersectional race and sex disparities over the past decade offers crucial insights for directing much needed resources such as harm reduction services and tailored treatment programs to the populations most in need of urgent targeted interventions to decrease unintentional drug overdoses.” said Silvia Martins, MD, professor of Epidemiology at Columbia Mailman School, and senior author of the study.

Dr. Bianca Smith, a co-author of the study from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, also contributed to the research.

The study reported in this press release was supported by the National Institute of Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health, under grant numbers T32DA031099, T32DA007292, and R01DA059376. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health

Founded in 1922, the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health pursues an agenda of research, education, and service to address the critical and complex public health issues affecting New Yorkers, the nation and the world. The Columbia Mailman School is the fourth largest recipient of NIH grants among schools of public health. Its nearly 300 multi-disciplinary faculty members work in more than 100 countries around the world, addressing such issues as preventing infectious and chronic diseases, environmental health, maternal and child health, health policy, climate change and health, and public health preparedness. It is a leader in public health education with more than 1,300 graduate students from 55 nations pursuing a variety of master’s and doctoral degree programs. The Columbia Mailman School is also home to numerous world-renowned research centers, including ICAP and the Center for Infection and Immunity. For more information, please visit www.mailman.columbia.edu.

 

 

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Journal

JAMA Network Open

Article Title

Unequal Toll: Intersectional Racial and Sex Disparities in Unintentional Overdose Mortality