Microplastic contamination was found in fish and chicken bought on the market, in food stores and in chain supermarkets in the Middle East with the contamination ranging from 0.03 ± 0.04 to 1.19 ± 0.72 particles per gram of meat in chicken and from 0.014 ± 0.024 to 2.6 ± 2.8 particles per gram in fish. Only one fish was found to be free of microplastic. The source of the microplastic was established to be the polythene-based plastic cutting board the food was cut on. More microplastic contamination was found in food cut from the bone than in cut fillets when the fillets themselves were prepared on surfaces other than plastic. Washing the fish and chicken before food preparation decreased but did not completely remove the microplastic contamination. The fate of the microplastic in grilled fish was studied. The mechanical properties of typical plastic cutting boards commercially used in the markets were investigated in the form of tensile, hardness, and wear tests. Overall, the plastic cutting boards showed similar wear rates.

Accumulating plastics in the biosphere implicates adverse effects, raising serious concern among scientists worldwide. Plastic waste in nature disintegrates into microplastics. Because of their minute appearance, at a scale of <5 mm, microplastics easily penetrate different pristine water bodies and terrestrial niches, posing detrimental effects on flora and fauna. The potential bioremediative application of microbial enzymes is a sustainable solution for the degradation of microplastics. Studies have reported a plethora of bacterial and fungal species that can degrade synthetic plastics by excreting plastic-degrading enzymes. Identified microbial enzymes, such as IsPETase and IsMHETase from Ideonella sakaiensis 201-F6 and Thermobifida fusca cutinase (Tfc), are able to depolymerize plastic polymer chains producing ecologically harmless molecules like carbon dioxide and water. However, thermal stability and pH sensitivity are among the biochemical limitations of the plastic-degrading enzymes that affect their overall catalytic activities. The application of biotechnological approaches improves enzyme action and production. Protein-based engineering yields enzyme variants with higher enzymatic activity and temperature-stable properties, while site-directed mutagenesis using the Escherichia coli model system expresses mutant thermostable enzymes. Furthermore, microalgal chassis is a promising model system for “green” microplastic biodegradation. Hence, the bioremediative properties of microbial enzymes are genuinely encouraging for the biodegradation of synthetic microplastic polymers.

The quality of household drinking water in a community of 30 houses in a district in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) was assessed over a period of one year (January to November 2015). Standard analytical techniques were used to screen for water quality parameters and contaminants of concern. Water quality was evaluated in the 30 households at four sampling points: kitchen faucet, bathroom faucet, household water tank, and main water pipe. The sampling points were chosen to help identify the source when an elevated level of a particular contaminant is observed. Water quality data was interpreted by utilizing two main techniques: spatial variation analysis and multivariate statistical techniques. Initial analysis showed that many households had As, Cd, and Pb concentrations that were higher than the maximum allowable level set by UAE drinking water standards. In addition, the water main samples had the highest concentration of the heavy metals compared to other sampling points. Health risk assessment results indicated that approximately 30%, 55%, and 15% of the houses studied had a high, moderate, and low risk from the prolonged exposure to heavy metals, respectively. The analysis can help with planning a spatially focused sampling plan to confirm the study findings and set an appropriate course of action.

Microplastics (MPs) have been detected in various aquatic environments and negatively affect organisms, including marine luminous bacteria. This study investigated the differences in bioluminescence patterns, cell viability, and biofilm formation of Photobacterium leiognathi strains (LB01 and LB09) when exposed to various concentrations of ground microplastics (GMPs; 0.25%, 0.50%, 1%, or 2% [w/v] per mL) at 22°C or 30°C for 3.1 days (75 h) and 7 days. The strains exhibited heterogenous responses, including variable bioluminescence patterns, cell viability, and biofilm formation, due to the GMPs having effects such as hormesis and bioluminescence quenching. Moreover, the bioluminescence and cell viability differed between the two strains, possibly involving distinct cellular mechanisms, suggesting that GMPs affect factors that influence quorum sensing. Furthermore, the biofilm formation of LB01 and LB09 was observed following exposure to GMPs. Both strains showed increased biofilm formation at higher GMP concentrations (1% and 2%) after 3.1 days at 30°C and 22°C. However, in the 7-day experiment, LB01 significantly (p < 0.05) increased biofilms at 22°C, while LB09 significantly (p < 0.05) produced biofilms at 30°C. These findings highlight the strain-specific responses of Phb. leiognathi to MP pollutants. Therefore, this study underscores the importance of evaluating MPs as environmental stressors on marine microorganisms and their role in the ecophysiological repercussions of plastic pollution in aquatic environments.