Adsorption of Pollutants on Microplastics in Freshwater

Large-scale discharges of synthetic and particularly resistant polymers into the environment are one of the effects of human activity and industrial development. These releases have an impact on the environmentʼs quality and have different effects on the biota. Microplastic concentrations in many environmental matrices have risen as a result of plastic contamination. The word “microplastic” is typically used to describe microscopic waste resulting from the breakdown and fragmentation of larger plastic items, and similar microbeads are employed for their exfoliating or washing properties in personal care and cosmetic products. After being released into the environment, microplastics are very persistent and serve as a vehicle for hydrophobic substances like some organic environmental contaminants, such as pesticides, antibiotics, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, chlorobenzenes, and polychlorinated biphenyls. Chemical forces, particularly hydrophobic contacts, electrostatic interactions, and other non-covalent forces, such as hydrogen or halogen bonds and π–π interactions, control the distribution of the compounds on microplastics. In addition, the characteristics of the microplastics and other external factors (pH, temperature, or ionic strength) have an impact on the adsorption capacities. Particularly in the case of pollutant mixture, studying these interaction dynamics is crucial to evaluate the entering of harmful compounds in different organisms. As a result, additional research is needed to develop innovative models that reflect the problem realistically and practically and investigate novel technologies that may be used to stop the spread of debris in various environmental matrices.