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Concomitant presence of nanosized plastics and metal(loid)s: is there cause for alarm? State-of-the-art and recommendations for future studies
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This review assessed the co-occurrence of nanoplastics and metal(loid)s in the environment, finding that nanoplastics can adsorb and transport heavy metals, potentially amplifying toxicity through combined exposure and calling for integrated risk assessment approaches.
Nanoplastics (NPLs) accumulated in freshwater systems may serve as sinks for metal(loid)s. To date, few studies have assessed the joint effects of NPLs-metal(loid)s on freshwater biota and the risk that these mixtures may pose has not been discussed. This critical review shows that research in this context focused solely on a single polymer – polystyrene, and single shape – spherical particles, in combination with seven different metal(loid)s (copper, cadmium, chromium, zinc, lead, arsenic, and gold). The characterization of nanosized particles in such mixtures was performed mostly recurring to one single technique (DLS), often disregarding the type of test media. The effects of NPLs-metal(loid)s co-exposure are reported mainly for producers rather than consumers. Overall, co-exposure can trigger more toxic effects than exposure to either substance alone (synergism). The effects of synergism are polymer size-dependent, increasing with NPLs size decrease. These results support further research, assessing other combinations (including polymer type and shape) and organisms, to check if the pattern of synergism remains, for proper policy-making on plastic disposal evidence-based.
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This review examines how the combined presence of micro- and nanoplastics with other environmental contaminants like heavy metals, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals affects toxicity. Researchers found that plastic particles can alter the bioavailability and toxic effects of co-occurring pollutants, sometimes increasing harm to organisms, which complicates environmental risk assessment.
Co-occurrence and Interaction of Microplastics with Heavy Metals
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This review examines the co-occurrence of microplastics and heavy metals in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, synthesizing evidence on how MPs adsorb metals, alter their bioavailability, and facilitate their transfer up food chains, compounding toxicological risks beyond either pollutant alone.
Interactions between Nanoplastics and Heavy Metals in Freshwater Ecosystems: A Systematic Review of Adsorption Mechanisms, Combined Toxicity, and Ecological Risk
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Tiny plastic particles (nanoplastics) can act like magnets for toxic heavy metals in rivers and lakes, potentially carrying them into fish and other wildlife more easily than either pollutant would manage alone. This review pulls together existing research to show that whether this combo becomes more or less dangerous depends on factors like water chemistry and plastic type, but it means we may be underestimating pollution risks by studying plastics and metals separately. Since these contaminants can move up the food chain, this matters for anyone eating freshwater fish or relying on freshwater sources, though more real-world research is needed to know the actual risk
Interaction of plastic particles with heavy metals and the resulting toxicological impacts: a review
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Researchers reviewed how micro- and nanoplastics interact with heavy metals in the environment, identifying electrostatic attraction and pore-filling as the dominant adsorption mechanisms, and finding that factors including pH, salinity, biofilm formation, and particle size collectively determine whether combined exposure produces synergistic toxicity in animals or antagonistic effects in plants.
A tale of two emerging contaminants: Interfacial interactions, co-transport behaviors and ecotoxicological implications between per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances and micro(nano)plastics.
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This review examined how PFAS and micro/nanoplastics co-occur in the environment, form interfacial adsorption complexes, and interact synergistically within organisms. The authors found that the two contaminant classes amplify each other's toxicity in co-exposure scenarios and that their shared transport pathways complicate standard risk assessment.
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