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Associated pollutants and secondary effects
Summary
This book chapter reviews how microplastics act as vectors for harmful chemical additives and hydrophobic pollutants in the environment, summarizing the uptake, transport, and desorption of these secondary contaminants and their toxic effects on exposed organisms.
In addition to their previously outlined effects on the environment and biota, microplastics have the potential to mediate the movement of both harmful additives and pollutants throughout the environment. This transfer of secondary pollutants and other harmful materials has been seen to influence their availability and impacts. This chapter summarises the uptake, transport and desorption of potentially damaging additives, subsequently banned fillers and other hydrophobic chemicals to plastics in the environment. We will also explore the observed effect of transfer on organisms and highlight the complexity of said interactions.
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