Accumulation and fate of nano- and micro-plastics and associated contaminants in organisms

Micro- and nano-plastics: an emerging contaminant in marine and freshwater ecosystems

Environmental Fate and Effects of Microplastics on Organisms

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This review examined the environmental fate of microplastics — including fragmentation dynamics, sorption of co-contaminants, and bioaccumulation through food webs — alongside their toxic effects on organisms ranging from invertebrates to mammals. Understanding how plastics persist, concentrate toxicants, and biomagnify through trophic levels is essential for predicting long-term health consequences for wildlife and human consumers.

Tracing the journey of nano- and microplastics: from environmental prevalence to human intake

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This review synthesizes the sources, transport pathways, physicochemical properties, and dietary intake estimates for nano- and microplastics across environmental compartments and food categories, identifying fibers and fragments from polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene as dominant forms reaching the human food chain through seafood, produce, and processed foods. Quantifying estimated daily intake across age groups and food types is essential groundwork for setting regulatory exposure limits and evaluating the cumulative health risks of microplastic ingestion.

The Role of Microplastics in Bioaccumulation of Pollutants

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Microplastics act as vectors for environmental pollutants including heavy metals and persistent organic compounds, concentrating these toxins on their surfaces and transferring them through food webs via bioaccumulation. This vector effect amplifies the health risks of microplastic ingestion beyond the particles themselves, compounding toxic exposure in humans and wildlife.

The Role of Microplastics in Bioaccumulation of Pollutants

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Microplastics act as environmental sponges, sorbing organic compounds, heavy metals, and other emerging contaminants from surrounding ecosystems and concentrating them as they move up the food chain through bioaccumulation. This vector effect means that ingesting microplastics carries a compounded toxicological risk beyond the plastic particles themselves, amplifying exposure to multiple co-contaminants simultaneously.