2025’s startling new developments in microplastics research

By Sarah Currie-Halpern

In and out of the lab, there is a lot currently happening in the world of microplastics. Awareness around the issue is skyrocketing. We’re seeing longform articles in major publications, such as this one published in February in New York Magazine, and the release of feature-length documentaries like Plastic People. That’s good news. Public awareness can be a catalyst for social change and increased scientific attention. The microplastics crisis would benefit from both.

The research that is currently being conducted and published, however, is not exactly full of good news. New developments in microplastic research underscore just how drastic the situation is becoming. In February, scientists working in Antarctica published a report detailing their discovery of small microplastics in the Antarctic snow. This was the first time microplastics smaller than 11 micrometers—roughly the size of a red blood cell—were detected on the continent. (Just last year, scientists detected microplastics within the Antarctic food web, having been ingested by krill and carried up the food chain to penguins, seals, and whales.) How these especially tiny microplastics will impact the most isolated ecosystem on the planet remains to be seen, but there are concerns that they could affect how Antarctic snow melts and even reflects light.

Earlier this month, researchers at Boston University found a link between microplastics and “superbugs,” a term for bacteria that is resistant to antibiotics. After attaching to the surface of the microplastic, bacteria creates a sticky substance called biofilm which protects the bacteria, keeps it in place, and allows it to replicate. Biofilm can grow on any surface, but when it grows on a microplastic, it creates an especially strong bond that’s thousands of times more resistant to antibiotics than normal. Antibiotic resistance is already a problem worldwide, and researchers fear this could be especially harmful to displaced people living in refugee camps, who are more likely to contract drug-resistant infections due to poor living conditions and low availability of healthcare.

Granted, it’s not all bad news. New peer-reviewed research has found that the antioxidants in fruits and vegetables may counteract the harmful effects of microplastics on the reproductive system, and could even be used in developing treatments. The star antioxidant is anthocyanin, a plant compound responsible for red, purple, and blue coloring. That this might combat the harm done to the reproductive system is especially promising, given how microplastics have been linked to lower sperm count and infertility, and found in ovarian tissue, breast milk, placenta, and semen. Anthocyanins could restore normal testosterone production and preserve ovarian function. This could be the beginning of real efforts to turn the tide on one of the most pressing microplastic-related health battlegrounds. 

The trouble with microplastics is that they are truly unavoidable. They’re in our clothes, our food, our water, and our homes. The majority of research being published on microplastics right now doesn’t inspire optimism, but it should inspire small changes. Ridding your life of microplastics may be impossible, but reducing the microplastics in your home is not. If you haven’t switched to wood cutting boards and natural fiber dish sponges, do so. Next time you buy a pack of underwear, make sure it’s 100% cotton. Be especially mindful about your single-use plastic consumption, which is always one of the worst culprits. There’s no denying that widespread social change will be essential here. Then again, social change always begins at home.