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Association between PAH and plastic fragments on Brazilian coast beaches: a baseline assessment
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Researchers conducted a baseline assessment of the association between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and plastic fragments collected from beaches along the Brazilian coast, characterising how microplastics act as adsorption surfaces for these organic pollutants. The study found co-occurrence of PAHs and plastic fragments at sampled sites, establishing contamination baselines and informing understanding of the plastic-pollutant vector pathway.
Plastic materials have many destinies on the environment, and one of them is its continuous fragmentation, originating microplastics (MP). MP act as an adsorption surface for organic pollutants like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). Due to its toxic and harmful properties, 16 PAH are defined as priorities in studies. Several works have evaluated the occurrence of MP and PAH individually in environmental matrices, but just a few have investigated their association. The present study aims to investigate PAH occurrence, sources, and concentration in MP from beach sediments of eight Brazilian coastal states. Sixteen PAH were analyzed by gas chromatography, in which 14 PAH were detected, and PAH total concentration (ΣPAH) ranged from 0.25 to 71.60 ng g. In the North and Northeast regions, the low PAH concentrations in MP appear to be related to the intense hydrodynamic processes. Naphthalene levels on the Styrofoam were above the threshold effect level in two samples and near it on one; therefore, effects in the organisms might occur due to these PAH. The Southeast and South regions are the only ones with previous studies relating PAH with MP, and ΣPAH ranged from 0.34 to 2.52 ng g. According to the diagnostic ratios, the PAH sources were associated with industrial and port activities, untreated effluent disposal, and urban runoff by pluvial waters. The highest ΣPAH level was found in the Styrofoam samples, suggesting that this MP type might contribute considerable to PAH dispersion on Brazilian coast beaches.
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PAH and PCB concentrations were measured on microplastic pellets collected along 39 km of Brazilian South Atlantic coastline, finding total PAH concentrations of 1,454–6,002 ng/g (frequently exceeding EPA sediment threshold effect levels) with a north-to-south spatial gradient. The study demonstrates significant organic pollutant loading on coastal plastic pellets and recommends spatially targeted risk assessments.
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Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in surface water and sediment along two Bay of Bengal coastal beaches in India and found microplastics present at both sites. They also detected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, a group of harmful chemicals, adsorbed onto the microplastic surfaces at concentrations that varied by particle shape. The study highlights that microplastics in coastal waters act as carriers for toxic organic pollutants, potentially increasing ecological risks in the marine environment.
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Microplastic samples from two Portuguese beaches were analyzed for persistent organic pollutants including PAHs and PCBs, with sorbed concentrations varying by plastic color and degree of weathering. The study confirms that beached microplastics carry toxic organic chemicals and that older, more weathered particles tend to carry higher contaminant loads.
Interactions between polyaromatic hydrocarbons and microplastics: Environmental mechanisms and ecotoxicological impacts
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This review examines how microplastics interact with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, a class of toxic organic pollutants found throughout the environment. Evidence indicates that microplastics can adsorb these pollutants and alter their availability and toxicity to living organisms, with effects depending on plastic type, pollutant properties, and environmental conditions. The study identifies critical gaps in long-term exposure research and calls for standardized testing methods to better assess these combined risks.
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Researchers characterized microplastics and associated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface water across canals, the Saigon River, and coastal waters in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, finding microplastics at all sites with the highest concentrations in urban canals and detecting co-occurring PAH contamination.
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