1. Microplastics as carriers of toxic pollutants: Source, transport, and toxicological effects.
- Author
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Rafa, Nazifa, Ahmed, Bushra, Zohora, Fatema, Bakya, Jannatul, Ahmed, Samiya, Ahmed, Shams Forruque, Mofijur, M., Chowdhury, Ashfaque Ahmed, and Almomani, Fares
- Subjects
PLASTIC marine debris ,PERSISTENT pollutants ,MICROPLASTICS ,VAN der Waals forces ,POLLUTANTS ,HYDROPHOBIC interactions - Abstract
Microplastic pollution has emerged as a new environmental concern due to our reliance on plastic. Recent years have seen an upward trend in scholarly interest in the topic of microplastics carrying contaminants; however, the available review studies have largely focused on specific aspects of this issue, such as sorption, transport, and toxicological effects. Consequently, this review synthesizes the state-of-the-art knowledge on these topics by presenting key findings to guide better policy action toward microplastic management. Microplastics have been reported to absorb pollutants such as persistent organic pollutants, heavy metals, and antibiotics, leading to their bioaccumulation in marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Hydrophobic interactions are found to be the predominant sorption mechanism, especially for organic pollutants, although electrostatic forces, van der Waals forces, hydrogen bonding, and pi-pi interactions are also noteworthy. This review reveals that physicochemical properties of microplastics, such as size, structure, and functional groups, and environmental compartment properties, such as pH, temperature, and salinity, influence the sorption of pollutants by microplastic. It has been found that microplastics influence the growth and metabolism of organisms. Inadequate methods for collection and analysis of environmental samples, lack of replication of real-world settings in laboratories, and a lack of understanding of the sorption mechanism and toxicity of microplastics impede current microplastic research. Therefore, future research should focus on filling in these knowledge gaps. [Display omitted] • This review investigates MPs to guide better policy action toward MP management. • MPs absorb pollutants like persistent organic pollutants, heavy metals, and antibiotics. • Hydrophobic interactions are the primary sorption mechanism for organic pollutants. • MPs influence the growth and metabolism of organisms. • Innovative sampling and analytical methods are needed to identify MP sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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