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Microplastics in the environment: analytical chemistry methods, sorption materials, risks and sustainable solutions
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This review covers the full picture of microplastic pollution, from how scientists detect and measure these particles to how they carry other pollutants and affect living organisms. The authors highlight that microplastics act as tiny sponges that absorb harmful chemicals like pharmaceuticals and pesticides, then release them inside organisms that ingest the particles. The review calls for more standardized testing methods and sustainable solutions to reduce both microplastic pollution and its risks to human health.
This Feature Article reports general and more specific aspects about microplastic (MP) contamination in continental and marine waters as well as in terrestrial environment. It describes a critical vision of the analytical methods commonly used for MP characterization and determination, including recommendations on green analytical chemistry (GAC) protocols. Insights into MPs as sorption materials and carriers for a variety of emerging contaminants like pharmaceuticals and pesticides are highlighted. Risks to biota living in aquatic and terrestrial environments and human-health-related effects with specific examples of surface and groundwater used for drinking water sources near contaminated sites like landfills are summarized. Lastly, sustainable solutions for how to improve the analysis and comparison of MP detection at the global level is given, including the need for standardized analytical protocols as well as the performance of additional interlaboratory exercises. Additional recommendations include a global database on MP levels made available to all authors to better compare their data qualitatively with that previously published. Policy and remediation actions on how to reduce and mitigate MP pollution may include different types of actions like an improved waste management and reuse system, the development of bioplastics and new plastic materials, as well as legally binding additional funding to cope with increasing plastic pollution at the global scale.
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This review pulls together existing research showing that tiny plastic particles (microplastics) don't just pollute on their own — they can act like sponges, soaking up other harmful chemicals and even microbes from their surroundings and carrying them into the environment and food chain. This matters because plastic-bound pollutants appear to be more toxic and more likely to build up in living organisms than those same pollutants floating freely, raising concerns about how much these "hitchhiking" toxins could affect human health through contaminated food and water. The authors call for more real-world testing to better understand these risks and guide future safety regulations.
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This review examines how microplastics act as carriers for other pollutants, absorbing harmful organic and inorganic chemicals from the environment. It covers the latest methods for detecting and identifying microplastics in different settings, as well as promising cleanup approaches like microbial degradation. The findings underscore that microplastics may be more dangerous than the plastic itself because of the toxic hitchhikers they carry into the food chain and water supply.
A Global Perspective on Microplastic Occurrence in Sediments and Water with a Special Focus on Sources, Analytical Techniques, Health Risks, and Remediation Technologies
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This global review covers microplastic sources, distribution in water and sediment, analytical detection methods, health risks, and cleanup technologies. The authors highlight that microplastics absorb toxic chemicals from their surroundings and can transfer those pollutants to organisms that ingest them. The review calls for standardized detection methods and more research on the long-term health effects of microplastic exposure in humans.
Microplastics–Pollutant Interactions in Environmental Systems: Mechanisms, Ecological Effects, and Implications for Sustainable Management
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Tiny plastic bits called microplastics don't just pollute on their own—they can act like sponges, soaking up other harmful chemicals from water, soil, and air, then carrying and releasing them in ways that make those toxins more likely to build up in animals and move up the food chain. This review pulls together existing research to explain how that process works and why it matters, since these plastic-chemical combos may increase human exposure to pollutants through our food and environment. The authors also point to practical fixes—like better wastewater treatment and monitoring—that could help reduce this compounded risk.
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This review provides a broad overview of micro- and nanoplastic pollution, covering where these particles come from, how they spread through the environment, and the damage they cause to living things including humans. The authors also compare different methods for removing microplastics from the environment, including physical, chemical, and biological approaches. The paper calls for more research and global cooperation to develop better tools for measuring the health risks of plastic pollution.
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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.