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An assessment of the concentration of pharmaceuticals adsorbed on microplastics
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This study developed and validated an analytical method to measure pharmaceutical compounds adsorbed onto microplastic particles in marine water samples. Microplastics can concentrate pharmaceuticals from water and carry them through marine food chains, potentially delivering drug compounds to fish and other organisms at elevated concentrations.
In the last decade, microplastics (MPs) have become an increasing cause for concerning. These particles are scattered throughout seas and oceans and have the capability of transporting adsorbed pollutants as pharmaceutical compounds, which can cause toxic effects and be transferred along the food chain. The development, optimization and validation of a sensitive and reliable analytical procedure for the extraction and determination of ten common pharmaceuticals adsorbed on MPs is reported in this study. This method involves ultrasound-assisted extraction coupled with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. All of the variables included in the extraction process, such as the extraction time and type and solvent volume, were studied and optimised. Under optimal conditions, good reproducibility and repeatability, with relative standard deviations lower than 15% in most cases, were obtained while limits of detection between 0.25 and 15.8 ng g were achieved. Last, the method was applied to the analysis of samples collected from beaches in the Canary Islands (Spain). The results indicated the presence of several analytes adsorbed on MPs in concentrations ranging from 34.0 to 111 ng g.
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This review examines how environmental conditions — including temperature, pH, salinity, and dissolved organic matter — influence the dynamics and mechanisms by which microplastics sorb pharmaceutical pollutants in aquatic ecosystems. Microplastics acting as carriers for pharmaceutical compounds create combined exposure risks for aquatic organisms and humans, as pharmaceuticals sorbed to microplastics can be ingested together and may have synergistic toxic effects.
Mechanisms of Sorption of Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Products to Microplastics
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