Other Industrial Chemicals and Microplastics

Summary

This chapter reviews the health and environmental profiles of industrial chemicals—including surfactants and copolymers found in textiles and consumer products—many of which contribute to or co-occur with microplastic pollution. Understanding the chemistry of these co-contaminants is important because microplastics in the environment rarely occur alone; they adsorb and concentrate industrial chemicals, potentially amplifying their toxic effects on wildlife and humans.