Effects of leachates from weathered microplastic in cell-based bioassays

Combined abiotic and biotic weathering of microplastic particles: Alterations of their physicochemical properties and interactions with cells

Ecological Effects of Chemical Contaminants Adsorbed to Microplastics

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Researchers reviewed how chemical contaminants that bind to microplastics — including pesticides and heavy metals — affect aquatic and soil organisms, finding that microplastics can both concentrate toxins and amplify their biological impact. This so-called Trojan horse effect may make microplastic pollution more ecologically harmful than the plastic alone would suggest.

Ecological Effects of Chemical Contaminants Adsorbed to Microplastics

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Microplastics act as vectors for adsorbed chemical contaminants including pesticides, heavy metals, and persistent organic pollutants, amplifying their transport and bioavailability in aquatic and soil ecosystems. The combined exposure to plastic particles and their chemical cargo poses greater ecotoxicological risks than either contaminant class alone.

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.

Pollutants Bioavailability and Toxicological Risk from Microplastics

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Researchers reviewed how microplastics act as carriers for toxic chemicals, making them available to living organisms across all environments — from mountain peaks to ocean trenches. The combined chemical and physical burden microplastics place on organisms raises significant concerns for long-term human and ecological health.