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Plasticizers: distribution and impact in aquatic and terrestrial environments
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Researchers reviewed the environmental and health impacts of plasticizers — additives used to make plastics flexible — finding that these chemicals are widely distributed across aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and accumulate in organisms, raising concerns about endocrine disruption and long-term ecological toxicity.
Plasticizers, essential additives for enhancing plastic properties, have emerged as significant environmental and health concerns due to their persistence and widespread use. This study provides an in-depth exploration of plasticizers, focusing on their types, structures, properties, production methods, environmental distribution, and associated risks. The findings reveal that petroleum-based phthalates, particularly di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), are prevalent in aquatic and terrestrial environments, primarily due to the gradual degradation of plastic polymers. In the analysis of 39 studies on water contamination during the period of 2022-2023, only 22 works could be extracted due to insufficient details on the numerical value of plasticizer concentrations. Similarly, soil and sediment contamination studies were fewer, with only 11 studies focusing on sediments. These studies reveal that high plasticizer concentrations, notably in industrial and urban areas, often exceed recommended environmental limits, posing risks to ecological integrity and human health through bioaccumulation. Bioaccumulation of these compounds in soil and water could negatively affect the microbial communities, nutrient cycling, and could destabilize the overall ecological integrity. Concerns about their direct uptake by plants and potential risks to human health and food safety are highlighted in this study due to the high concentrations exceeding the threshold values. The review evaluates current treatment technologies, including metal-organic frameworks, electrochemical systems, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, and microbial degradation, noting their potential and challenges related to cost and energy consumption. It underscores the need for improved detection protocols, cost-effective treatments, stricter regulations, public awareness, and collaborative research to mitigate the adverse impacts of plasticizers on ecosystems and human health.
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A Review On Plasticizers In Water And Food And Their Impact On Human Health
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This review synthesizes evidence on phthalates, bisphenols, and other plasticizers in water, food, and air, documenting links to metabolic disorders, reproductive toxicity, cancer, and neurodevelopmental delays, noting that contamination is now pervasive globally including in remote areas.
Plasticisers in the terrestrial environment: sources, occurrence and fate
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This review examines the sources, occurrence, and environmental fate of plasticiser chemicals released from plastics into terrestrial environments. Researchers found that both phthalate and newer non-phthalate plasticisers persist in soil, can be taken up by organisms, and may pose emerging risks as industry transitions to replacement chemicals. The study highlights significant knowledge gaps about how these widely used additives behave once released into land-based ecosystems.
Solving the impact of Phthalate plasticizers in relieving environment pollution
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This review examines how phthalate plasticizers—particularly DEHP, DEP, and DBP found in food packaging and cosmetics—enter soil and human bodies, where they disrupt metabolic and reproductive systems and contribute to environmental plastic pollution.
Occurrence and distribution of microplastic particles and the concentration of Di 2-ethyl hexyl phthalate (DEHP) in microplastics and wastewater in the wastewater treatment plant
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Researchers investigated the presence and fate of microplastics during the wastewater treatment process, along with the plasticizer DEHP associated with them. They found that while treatment stages reduced microplastic numbers, the particles persisted throughout the process, and DEHP was detected in both the microplastics and surrounding wastewater. The study suggests that wastewater treatment plants are a significant pathway through which microplastics and associated chemicals enter the environment.
Comprehensive Insight from Phthalates Occurrence: From Health Outcomes to Emerging Analytical Approaches
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This review summarizes the widespread occurrence of phthalates, chemicals commonly used as plasticizers in plastic products, and their potential health effects including endocrine disruption and reproductive harm. The study also surveys emerging analytical methods for detecting phthalates in food, water, and biological samples, highlighting the challenge of daily human exposure through consumer products.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.