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Interaction of Chemical Contaminants with Microplastics
Summary
This review examines how chemical contaminants like heavy metals, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals adsorb onto microplastic surfaces and are transported through the environment. Microplastics act as vectors that concentrate and move toxic chemicals, potentially amplifying human exposure through food and water.
The haphazard disposal of plastic waste has become a severe environmental problem. The low degradability of plastics in nature has resulted in the production of tiny plastic fragments by physical and chemical degradation of large plastic debris, and fragments in the range of 1 to 1000 μm are known as microplastics (MPs). MPs can be considered one of the worst forms of plastic waste damaging the environment. Their sorption and desorption of both organic and inorganic pollutants leads to bioaccumulation via food chains and can cause detrimental effects. In addition, MPs function as vectors of certain chemical pollutants, including persistent organic pollutants (POPs), perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), phthalate esters, pharmaceuticals, and heavy metals. It has been identified that the type of polymer, crystallinity, size of plastic particles, pH of the medium, age, and degree of weathering of plastic debris influence the interaction of chemical pollutants with MPs. MP-bound pollutants can desorb from plastic to organisms, causing various issues when those organisms ingest plastics. This chapter will elaborate on the interaction of chemical contaminants with MPs, mechanisms driving the interaction, and future approaches for handling environmental issues related to MPs.
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