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Microplastics are not important for the cycling and bioaccumulation of organic pollutants in the oceans—but should microplastics be considered POPs themselves?
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This perspective challenges the widely held view that microplastics are an important global transport vector for persistent organic pollutants, arguing that natural organic matter and lipids carry far more POPs than plastics do. The authors contend that the real risk of microplastics comes from their physical effects on organisms, not their role in pollutant cycling.
The role of microplastic particles in the cycling and bioaccumulation of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) is discussed. Five common concepts, sometimes misconceptions, about the role of microplastics are reviewed. While there is ample evidence that microplastics accumulate high concentrations of POPs, this does not result in microplastics being important for the global dispersion of POPs. Similarly, there is scant evidence that microplastics are an important transfer vector of POPs into animals, but possibly for plastic additives (flame retardants). Last, listing microplastics as POPs could help reduce their environmental impact. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2017;13:460-465. © 2017 SETAC.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.