Taming the Microplastic Monster

Manny Frishberg details the escalating threat of micro- and nanoplastics, noting their ubiquity, toxicity, and persistence across ecosystems and food chains. With billions of tons of plastic already produced and most ending up in landfills or the environment, the challenge is not only preventing further leakage but also remediating what’s already there. Researchers are exploring physical, chemical, and biological strategies—ranging from filtration and magnetic separation to bacteria, fungi, algae, and engineered peptides—to degrade or capture tiny particles. Cutting-edge approaches include AI-guided peptide discovery and magnetically controlled biohybrid microbots that swarm and trap plastics alongside pathogens. While no single solution will eliminate the problem, Frishberg argues that a mix of advanced technologies, coupled with global attention and policy action, is essential to tame the “microplastic monster” before its health and ecological impacts intensify further.