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Article ? AI-assigned paper type based on the abstract. Classification may not be perfect — flag errors using the feedback button. Tier 2 ? Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence. Environmental Sources Human Health Effects Marine & Wildlife Remediation Sign in to save

The Individual and Combined Effects of Microplastics and Heavy Metals on Marine Organisms

Microplastics 2025 8 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 63 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Lavista Tyagi Arti Devi, Arti Devi, Y. Sanath K. De Silva, Y. Sanath K. De Silva, Lavista Tyagi, Y. Sanath K. De Silva, Arti Devi, Arti Devi, Arti Devi, Arti Devi, Lavista Tyagi, Lavista Tyagi Y. Sanath K. De Silva, Lavista Tyagi, Aaryashree Aaryashree, Lavista Tyagi

Summary

This review summarizes how microplastics and heavy metals individually and together affect marine organisms. Microplastics can absorb heavy metals from the water and carry them into organisms, creating combined toxic effects that are often worse than either pollutant alone. Since these contaminants accumulate up the food chain and end up in seafood, this combined pollution poses a potential threat to human health through diet.

Microplastics (MP) have recently become an emerging problem with the advent of bountiful and widespread pollutants in the aquatic environment. Owing to their large surface areas, microplastics act as an effective carrier of heavy metals and tend to form complex contamination. This combined pollution created by them poses a new threat to the world. This review summarizes the effects of microplastics and heavy metals on the aquatic fauna, along with their combined adverse effects and potential threats to human health. Furthermore, the adsorption kinetics adopted by microplastics to adsorb the heavy metal is also explained and some future research directions in this field are suggested.

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