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Microplastics (MPs) Act as Sources and Vector of Pollutants‐Impact Hazards and Preventive Measures
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This review explores how microplastics can act both as sources of chemical substances and as carriers for other environmental pollutants. Researchers found that regardless of which role microplastics play, the combined presence of plastic particles and attached chemical substances can have harmful effects on biological systems, though more experimental research is needed to fully understand these interactions.
Currently, people are paying more and more attention to the interaction between microplastics (MPs) and chemical substances (including metals and organic substances), so it is necessary to understand the relationship between MPs and chemical substances. In this review, we explored (1) MPs may become a source of chemical substances. (2) MPs can also be used as a carrier for attaching pollutants. (3) No matter what role MPs play, MPs and the attached chemical substances will have harmful effects on biological systems. However, because the current research is not deep enough, more experimental areas are needed to explore the interaction mechanism and the principle of toxicity. In addition, laws and policies need to be developed that actively promote and strive to develop biodegradable alternative microplastics to reduce the harm of microplastics and their additives to the environment.
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