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Microplastics as vectors of contaminants
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This review highlights the emerging role of microplastics as carriers of biological and chemical contaminants in water environments. Researchers note that while microplastic pollution is increasingly well-documented, the interactions between contaminants adsorbed onto microplastic surfaces and aquatic organisms remain poorly understood. The study stresses the need for further investigation into how microplastics may facilitate the transport and bioavailability of pollutants.
Pollution by microplastics and antibiotics is an emerging environmental, human and animal health threat. In spite of several studies documenting the widespread occurrence of plastic debris in aquatic ecosystems, research focusing on occurrence and concentration of biological and chemical contaminants attached on microplastic surface as well as on possible interactions of these contaminants with microplastics is still at its beginning. The present note addresses the role of microplastics as vectors of contaminants in water bodies, stressing the need for future investigations on this hot topic.
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Microplastics as vectors of chemical contaminants and biological agents in freshwater ecosystems: Current knowledge status and future perspectives
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This review examines how microplastics in freshwater ecosystems act as carriers for chemical pollutants and harmful microorganisms. Researchers found that pollutant concentrations on microplastic surfaces can be up to six times higher than in surrounding water, amplifying exposure risks for aquatic life and potentially humans. The findings highlight that microplastics are not just a pollution problem themselves but also a vehicle that spreads other contaminants through the food web.
Interactions of microplastics with contaminants in freshwater systems: a review of characteristics, bioaccessibility, and environmental factors affecting sorption
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This review examined how microplastics act as vectors for environmental contaminants in freshwater systems, analyzing the characteristics, bioaccessibility, and environmental factors that influence pollutant sorption onto plastic particles and their potential transfer to organisms including humans.
Micro(nano)plastics: Unignorable vectors for organisms
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This review examines the role of micro- and nanoplastics as vectors for contaminants — including heavy metals, organic pollutants, and pathogens — in aquatic and terrestrial environments. It synthesizes evidence on how plastic particles can adsorb, transport, and release harmful substances, amplifying their ecological and health risks beyond the physical effects of the particles alone.
Biofilm-Developed Microplastics As Vectors of Pollutants in Aquatic Environments
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This review examines how biofilms that form on microplastics in aquatic environments change their ability to absorb and transport pollutants. Researchers found that biofilm-coated microplastics can absorb more contaminants than clean microplastics and serve as vectors that transfer both pollutants and potentially harmful microorganisms through aquatic ecosystems.
Microplastics with adsorbed contaminants: Mechanisms and Treatment
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This review examines how microplastics adsorb environmental contaminants including heavy metals, organic pollutants, and pathogens, and surveys treatment methods for removing contaminated microplastics from water. Researchers found that microplastics can act as vectors for hazardous substances, potentially increasing their bioavailability and toxicity in aquatic ecosystems. The study evaluates emerging remediation technologies and highlights the complex environmental risks posed by microplastics carrying adsorbed pollutants.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.