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Biodegradable microplastics interaction with pollutants and their potential toxicity for aquatic biota: a review
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Researchers reviewed the environmental fate of biodegradable plastics and found that many are not readily biodegradable under natural conditions, can fragment into microplastics, and interact with co-contaminants to produce complex synergistic or antagonistic toxic effects on aquatic organisms. The review challenges the public assumption that biodegradable plastics are environmentally safe, noting that some are still fossil-fuel derived.
The global plastic production has steadily increased from 1.7 million tons in 1950 to over 400 million tons in 2022, with about 60% of plastic ultimately ending up in landfills and oceans. There is also growing evidence that microplastics exert negative effects on biota and ecosystems. Biodegradable plastics may represent a safe alternative, yet their potential adverse effects have not been comprehensively analyzed. Here, we reviewed biodegradable plastics, with focus on their conversion into microplastics, their interactions with pollutants, and their combined toxicity for aquatic biota. Biodegradable plastics include polylactic acid, polyhydroxyalkanoates, polybutylene succinate, poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate), and poly(ε-caprolactone). We found that some biobased plastics are hardly biodegradable. Some biobased plastics are compostable but require specific environmental conditions for their biodegradation. Biobased plastics can generate microplastics when released into the environment, which can impact biota. Contrary to the common public belief, biodegradable plastics may not only originate from biosources but can be synthesized from fossil fuels. Microplastics originating from biodegradable plastics can interact with pollutants, adsorbing and transporting these pollutants, resulting in synergistic or antagonistic effects on exposed organisms. Biofilm formation on microplastics impacts their degradation and pollutant interactions.
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Environmental perspectives of microplastic pollution in the aquatic environment: a review
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Researchers reviewed how microplastics spread through freshwater and marine environments worldwide, finding they accumulate in sediments, absorb toxic chemicals, and create surfaces where antibiotic-resistant and potentially pathogenic bacteria can thrive. This pollution threat reaches even Antarctica and the deep sea, posing risks throughout aquatic food webs.
Interaction of Microplastics and Organic Pollutants: Quantification, Environmental Fates, and Ecological Consequences
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Microplastics act as vectors for organic pollutants such as pesticides and industrial chemicals, concentrating and transporting these toxins to organisms that ingest the particles, amplifying exposure beyond what either contaminant would cause alone. This combined pollution effect complicates environmental risk assessments and underscores why microplastic contamination is more dangerous than particle counts alone suggest.
Microplastic Toxicity in Aquatic Organisms and Aquatic Ecosystems: a Review
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Researchers reviewed how microplastics move through aquatic food webs, finding evidence that these particles accumulate across trophic levels, but noted that most toxicity studies are conducted in labs rather than real ecosystems, leaving major gaps in understanding the true ecological and human health risks.
The occurrence of microplastic in aquatic environment and toxic effects for organisms
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"This review synthesized global research on microplastic occurrence in aquatic environments, finding that microplastics are widespread across all water bodies and can trigger inflammation, impair reproduction, and carry co-contaminants such as heavy metals, organic pollutants, and additives into organisms via bioaccumulation. The evidence underscores the need for stricter plastic emissions standards and improved water management, as aquatic microplastic pollution directly cascades into human dietary exposure through seafood and drinking water."
Micro/nanoplastics in Aquatic Ecosystems: An Integrated Review of Occurrence, Toxicological Implications, Case Studies, Methodologies, and Future Recommendations
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This integrated review covers the occurrence, toxicology, and detection of micro- and nanoplastics across freshwater, marine, and estuarine ecosystems, using case studies to illustrate biomagnification through aquatic food webs and the compounding risk from co-occurring chemical contaminants. The review calls for stronger international collaboration and policy frameworks grounded in scientific evidence, recognizing that the pervasive nature of micro- and nanoplastics in aquatic systems poses escalating risks to both ecosystem integrity and human health.
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