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Microplastics as the vector for the attachment of polychlorinated biphenyls: A case study of urbanized Langat River, Malaysia

Marine Pollution Bulletin 2025 3 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 48 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Ahmad Ammarluddin Mohd Ali, Wan Mohd Afiq Wan Mohd Khalik, Ahmad Ammarluddin Mohd Ali, Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Ku Mohd Kalkausar Ku Yusof, Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Ku Mohd Kalkausar Ku Yusof, Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Ahmad Ammarluddin Mohd Ali, Ahmad Ammarluddin Mohd Ali, Ahmad Ammarluddin Mohd Ali, Ahmad Ammarluddin Mohd Ali, Wan Mohd Afiq Wan Mohd Khalik, Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Ahmad Ammarluddin Mohd Ali, Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Ahmad Ammarluddin Mohd Ali, Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Ahmad Ammarluddin Mohd Ali, Wan Mohd Afiq Wan Mohd Khalik, Wan Mohd Afiq Wan Mohd Khalik, Wan Mohd Afiq Wan Mohd Khalik, Alyza Azzura Azmi, Alyza Azzura Azmi, Alyza Azzura Azmi, Alyza Azzura Azmi, Ahmad Ammarluddin Mohd Ali, Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Ku Mohd Kalkausar Ku Yusof, Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Ku Mohd Kalkausar Ku Yusof, Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Ku Mohd Kalkausar Ku Yusof, Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Wan Mohd Afiq Wan Mohd Khalik, Ku Mohd Kalkausar Ku Yusof, Ku Mohd Kalkausar Ku Yusof, Ku Mohd Kalkausar Ku Yusof, Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Wan Mohd Afiq Wan Mohd Khalik, Wan Mohd Afiq Wan Mohd Khalik, Wan Mohd Afiq Wan Mohd Khalik, Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Ku Mohd Kalkausar Ku Yusof, Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Alyza Azzura Azmi, Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Ahmad Ammarluddin Mohd Ali, Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Ahmad Ammarluddin Mohd Ali, Wan Mohd Afiq Wan Mohd Khalik, Wan Mohd Afiq Wan Mohd Khalik, Wan Mohd Afiq Wan Mohd Khalik, Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Ku Mohd Kalkausar Ku Yusof, Ku Mohd Kalkausar Ku Yusof, Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Ku Mohd Kalkausar Ku Yusof, Ku Mohd Kalkausar Ku Yusof, Wan Mohd Afiq Wan Mohd Khalik, Ku Mohd Kalkausar Ku Yusof, Wan Mohd Afiq Wan Mohd Khalik, Ahmad Ammarluddin Mohd Ali, Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Ahmad Ammarluddin Mohd Ali, Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Wan Mohd Afiq Wan Mohd Khalik, Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Alyza Azzura Azmi, Ahmad Ammarluddin Mohd Ali, Alyza Azzura Azmi, Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Ahmad Ammarluddin Mohd Ali, Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Wan Mohd Afiq Wan Mohd Khalik, Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Wan Mohd Afiq Wan Mohd Khalik, Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Ku Mohd Kalkausar Ku Yusof, Alyza Azzura Azmi, Wan Mohd Afiq Wan Mohd Khalik, Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim Sabiqah Tuan Anuar, Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim

Summary

Researchers measured microplastic concentrations and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) levels at six sites along the urbanized Langat River in Malaysia, finding microplastics acting as vectors that adsorb and transport PCBs with concentrations highest at sites with the greatest industrial activity.

Study Type Environmental

Researchers worldwide are currently facing an issue of microplastics and toxic chemical pollution in the ecosystem. Microplastics transport toxic chemicals in the ecosystem as a vector. This study investigated the occurrence and distribution of microplastics and Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) in the surface water of the Langat River, Malaysia, across six sites ranging from the open sea to riverine areas. Microplastic concentrations varied from 0.82 to 17.14 items/m, with the highest levels observed at the station (S6), likely due to increased domestic and industrial activities. The surfaces of microplastics exhibited cracks, pitholes, particle adherence and diatom, with aluminium (Al) and potassium (K) detected via Scanning Electron Microscope/Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS). Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) screening multiple PCB congeners on the microplastic surfaces, with PCB-28, PCB-42, PCB-101, and PCB-153 being among the most common. Environmental factors such as temperature, salinity, and pH influenced the sorption behaviour of PCBs, open sea conditions enhancing diffusion and potentially stabilizing persistent organic pollutants (POPs), while estuarine conditions impact surface charges on microplastics. The adsorption of PCBs onto microplastics, involves complex chemical and physicals mechanisms including hydrophobic interactions, π-π interactions and hydrogen-bonding, among the others. These findings emphasize the role of microplastics as substrate for co-pollutants attachment, thus the need for routine monitoring of microplastics in Malaysia and across Southeast Asia riverine.

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