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Co-exposure of mercury and microplastics in aquatic food webs: A review of sources, bioaccumulation, and ecotoxicological risks
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This review analyzed 92 studies to examine how mercury and microplastics interact when they co-occur in aquatic food webs. Researchers found a strong correlation between mercury levels in water and fish tissues, with some species accumulating extremely high mercury concentrations. The study highlights that the combined presence of these two contaminants may amplify ecological risks beyond what either pollutant poses alone.
The intensification of anthropogenic activities has led to the widespread release of micropollutants, including mercury (Hg), into aquatic environments. Mercury is a persistent and hazardous contaminant with severe ecological and human health implications. Previous reviews have primarily examined mercury or microplastics (MPs) in isolation, but the novelty of this study lies in its focus on their co-exposure and combined impacts within aquatic food webs. Specifically, this review addresses the central research question: how do mercury and microplastics jointly influence bioaccumulation and ecotoxicological risks? To answer this, 92 peer-reviewed articles published since 2010 were systematically analyzed, with 58 % focusing on marine environments. A bibliometric analysis revealed a growing research emphasis on mercury-MP interactions, highlighting their emerging importance. Case data indicated extremely high mercury concentrations in the Agadir coastline, Morocco (up to 440 μg/L), while among fish species, Thunnus obesus (Bigeye tuna) and Rhaphiodon vulpinus exhibited the highest reported burdens (>6000 ng/g dry weight). Moreover, several studies documented a strong positive correlation (R = 0.68) between mercury levels in water and fish tissues. Collectively, these findings demonstrate the ecological risks posed by combined contaminant pathways and underscore the urgent need for comprehensive monitoring, regulatory measures, and policies to protect aquatic ecosystems and public health.
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This review examines how methylmercury, a toxic form of mercury found in fish, interacts with environmental factors including microplastics in aquatic ecosystems. The findings show that microplastics can alter how mercury accumulates in aquatic organisms, potentially changing the level of mercury contamination in seafood that people eat.
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This review examines how mercury and microplastics contaminate aquatic food chains, focusing on biomagnification of mercury across trophic levels and the ingestion and tissue accumulation of microplastics by fish. It discusses food safety risks for human consumers and policy implications for managing co-occurring aquatic pollutants.
The Unseen Threat of the Synergistic Effects of Microplastics and Heavy Metals in Aquatic Environments: A Critical Review
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This review examines how microplastics and heavy metals interact in water environments, finding that microplastics can attract and concentrate toxic metals on their surfaces through various chemical forces. This combination effect is a concern for human health because contaminated microplastics carrying heavy metals can be consumed through seafood, delivering a double dose of pollutants.
Co-exposure of Microplastics and Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Aquatic Ecosystems: a Systematic Review of Impact Mechanisms and Research Directions
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This systematic review examined how microplastics and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) interact in aquatic environments. The research shows that microplastics can carry toxic PCBs into fish and other organisms, and the combined exposure may be more harmful than either pollutant alone, which matters because these contaminated organisms can end up on our plates.
Co-occurrence of microplastics and organic/inorganic contaminants in organisms living in aquatic ecosystems: A review
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This review examines studies that measured both microplastics and chemical pollutants (organic and inorganic) in aquatic organisms at the same time. A positive correlation was found between microplastic levels and certain pollutants in organisms, suggesting microplastics may help transport contaminants into living things. The findings raise concerns that seafood contaminated with microplastics could also carry higher levels of toxic chemicals into the human diet.
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