We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Microplastics and PFAS air-water interaction and deposition
Summary
This study examines how microplastics and PFAS (forever chemicals) interact in the environment, with microplastics acting as carriers that transport PFAS through water and air over long distances. Both pollutants are persistent and can deposit together in urban, rural, and remote areas through rain and atmospheric fallout. The combined exposure to both microplastics and PFAS is a growing concern for human health because their toxic effects may be amplified when they occur together.
Although microplastics (MPs) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have received tremendous attention separately, understanding their ubiquitous presence in the environment, persistence and toxicity requires comprehensive study of the fate and transport of co-existing MPs and PFAS. MPs may have large sorption capacity and can serve as vectors for PFAS to undergo long-range transport in water. Atmospheric deposition of both PFAS and MPs has been reported in urban, rural, and remote areas. This review identifies types and levels of PFAS and MPs in air, their interactions, and environmental factors contributing to their air-water deposition. MPs in combination with PFAS may carry combined toxicity and pose elevated risks to ecosystems and human health. Our review shows that air-water deposition of MPs and PFAS can be governed by environmental factors including precipitation, humidity, UV, wind, and particulate matter levels in the air. Increasing humidity may increase MP particle size due to hygroscopic growth, which affects its distribution and deposition rate. Humidity has been observed to have both positive and negative impacts on PFAS partitioning onto MPs. More attention should be paid to MPs and PFAS co-occurrence when addressing their transport behavior in air and deposition to aquatic systems.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Interaction of microplastics with perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances in water: A review of the fate, mechanisms and toxicity
This review examines how microplastics act as carriers for PFAS ("forever chemicals") in water, with the two pollutants interacting through various chemical mechanisms that affect their movement through the environment. The combined presence of microplastics and PFAS raises concerns about increased toxicity, since microplastics can transport these persistent chemicals into organisms and potentially concentrate their harmful effects.
Microplastics as carriers of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in aquatic environment: interactions and ecotoxicological effects
Researchers reviewed how microplastics serve as carriers for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), sometimes called forever chemicals, in aquatic environments. The study found that PFAS can attach to microplastic surfaces and accumulate in organisms through the food chain, potentially amplifying the toxic effects of both pollutants. The findings suggest that the combined presence of microplastics and PFAS poses a greater environmental and health risk than either pollutant alone.
The unheeded inherent connections and overlap between microplastics and poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances: A comprehensive review
This review reveals the overlooked connection between microplastics and PFAS (forever chemicals), showing that these two widespread pollutants often come from the same products and interact in the environment. Microplastics can absorb PFAS onto their surfaces and transport them through water systems, potentially increasing exposure for aquatic organisms and humans. Understanding this overlap is important because the combined effects may be more harmful than either pollutant alone.
From co-occurrence to co-existence and co-exposure: Associations between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and microplastics in the environment
This review examines the growing recognition that PFAS chemicals and microplastics frequently co-occur in the environment and may interact in ways that affect both ecological and human health. Researchers identified four major sources that emit both pollutants simultaneously and found strong evidence that PFAS can adsorb onto microplastic surfaces and be co-transported through the environment. The study calls for standardized methods and long-term studies to better understand the combined exposure risks of these two widespread contaminant classes.
Fate, distribution, and transport dynamics of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) in the environment
This review examines how PFAS, often called "forever chemicals," move through water, soil, plants, and air, with their ultra-strong carbon-fluorine bonds making them nearly indestructible in nature. While focused on PFAS rather than microplastics specifically, the two pollutants often co-occur and share similar concerns about persistence, bioaccumulation, and potential health effects.