Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Comparative evaluation of sorption kinetics and isotherms of pyrene onto microplastics

This study compared how quickly and how much pyrene — a common polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon — is absorbed by different types of microplastics in aquatic environments. The results indicate that microplastic polymer type significantly affects how well it concentrates and potentially transports toxic organic chemicals.

2017 Chemosphere 354 citations
Article Tier 2

Different partition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon on environmental particulates in freshwater: Microplastics in comparison to natural sediment

This study investigated how the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon phenanthrene partitions between water and three common plastic types, finding that polymer composition strongly influences sorption behavior. The results help explain how microplastics act as vectors for toxic organic compounds in aquatic environments.

2017 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 233 citations
Article Tier 2

The adsorption and desorption behaviors of phenanthrene and pyrene onto microplastics in the aquatic environment and digestive fluids

This study examined how polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) like phenanthrene and pyrene adsorb to and desorb from four types of microplastics in both freshwater and simulated digestive fluids. The findings show that PAHs bind strongly to microplastics and can be released under digestive conditions, suggesting that microplastics can deliver organic pollutants to organisms that ingest them.

2020 Infoscience (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)
Article Tier 2

Exploring the Interaction between Microplastics, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Biofilms in Freshwater

Researchers investigated the adsorption of benzo(a)pyrene and pyrene by five microplastic types in freshwater over 3 and 30 days, finding that polypropylene was the most efficient adsorbent while polystyrene was the least efficient for benzo(a)pyrene. The study also examined how bacterial biofilms on microplastics, including pathogenic species such as Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, interact with PAH adsorption dynamics.

2020 Polycyclic aromatic compounds 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorption of fluoranthene and phenanthrene by virgin and weathered polyethylene microplastics in freshwaters

Researchers examined how virgin and weathered polyethylene microplastics adsorb fluoranthene and phenanthrene in freshwater, finding that weathering significantly increased adsorption capacity and that water chemistry influenced contaminant uptake.

2022 Chemosphere 37 citations
Article Tier 2

Laboratory Measurements of Pyrene and Acenaphthene Partition into Microplastics

Laboratory experiments measured how quickly and extensively three polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) — pyrene, phenanthrene, and acenaphthene — sorb onto pellets of five common plastic types. PAH uptake had half-lives of around 10 hours, with polypropylene absorbing the most and PVC absorbing the least. The results confirm that microplastics act as concentration vectors for toxic organic pollutants in the environment, and that weathering and oxidation of plastic surfaces increases their capacity to carry these chemicals into aquatic food chains.

2024 Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics, PAHs and biofilms in freshwater

Researchers tested how five common plastic types adsorb polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in freshwater and serve as surfaces for microbial biofilm growth. All five plastics were able to bind PAHs and support biofilms, suggesting microplastics can concentrate toxic compounds and harbor bacteria in freshwater environments.

2019 Scientific Repository of the National Health Institute Doutor Ricardo Jorge (Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge)
Article Tier 2

Sorption of benzo(a)pyrene and of a complex mixture of petrogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons onto polystyrene microplastics

Researchers investigated the sorption of benzo(a)pyrene and a complex mixture of petrogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons onto polystyrene microplastics in aquatic systems, quantifying how the hydrophobic nature and large surface area of microplastics facilitate PAH accumulation and potential vector transport.

2022 Frontiers in Environmental Chemistry 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorption of some hazardous aromatic hydrocarbons by various pristine and heat-activated aged microplastics as potential pollutant carriers in aquatic environment

Researchers examined how pristine and heat-aged microplastics of four polymer types adsorb hazardous aromatic hydrocarbons, finding that aging significantly altered adsorption capacity. The results demonstrate that weathered microplastics may act as more effective pollutant vectors than pristine particles in aquatic environments.

2025 Journal of Contaminant Hydrology
Article Tier 2

Microplastic-water partitioning of two states halogenated PAHs: Solute and sol

This study examined how halogenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) partition between microplastics and water, finding that plastic type and contaminant chemistry both influence sorption behavior. Understanding how microplastics absorb and transport toxic chemicals is important for assessing the ecological risks they pose.

2021 Environmental Research 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Mechanistic Insights into PFAS Adsorption on Microplastics: Effects of Contaminant Properties and Water Chemistry

Researchers investigated how two widely detected PFAS compounds, PFOS and PFOA, adsorb onto five common types of microplastics in aquatic environments. The study found that contaminant properties and water chemistry significantly influence adsorption behavior, confirming that microplastics can serve as carriers for PFAS transport in waterways.

2026 Environmental Research
Article Tier 2

Microplastics meet micropollutants in a central european river stream: Adsorption of pollutants to microplastics under environmentally relevant conditions

Researchers investigated how microplastics adsorb organic micropollutants in a Central European river under real-world conditions. They found that aged microplastics showed higher adsorption capacity for contaminants compared to pristine ones, and that the type of plastic material influenced which pollutants were absorbed. The findings suggest that microplastics in rivers can act as carriers for harmful chemicals, potentially spreading contamination through aquatic ecosystems.

2024 Environmental Pollution 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorption and Desorption Behaviour of Polychlorinated Biphenyls onto Microplastics’ Surfaces in Water/Sediment Systems

Researchers evaluated the adsorption and desorption behavior of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) onto polystyrene, polyethylene, and polyethylene terephthalate microplastics of varying sizes in marine water/sediment systems. Results showed that polymer type and particle size influenced PCB binding capacity, with microplastics acting as potential vectors for transferring persistent organic pollutants to marine biota through the food chain.

2020 Toxics 86 citations
Article Tier 2

The implications of water extractable organic matter (WEOM) on the sorption of typical parent, alkyl and N/O/S-containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by microplastics

This study explored how dissolved organic matter in water affects the ability of microplastics to adsorb persistent organic pollutants like pesticides, finding that organic matter significantly influences microplastics' role as chemical carriers. The results have implications for understanding how microplastics transfer toxic chemicals through aquatic ecosystems.

2018 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Potential of Adsorption of Diverse Environmental Contaminants onto Microplastics

Researchers assessed the ability of four common types of microplastics to adsorb hazardous environmental contaminants including dyes and heavy metals. They found that dyes were adsorbed through physical processes while heavy metal adsorption varied by plastic type, with polystyrene showing the highest capacity for certain metals. The study confirms that microplastics can act as vectors for diverse pollutants, potentially increasing the environmental mobility and bioavailability of toxic substances.

2022 Water 43 citations
Article Tier 2

Different sorption behaviours of pyrene onto polyethylene microplastics in a binary system with water and a ternary system with water and sediment

Researchers examined how pyrene, a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, sorbs onto polyethylene microplastics in binary water-microplastic and ternary water-microplastic-sediment systems, finding that sediment presence significantly altered sorption behavior and partition coefficients. The study clarifies how environmental matrices influence the interaction between microplastics and co-occurring organic contaminants.

2023 Environmental Technology & Innovation 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Sorption behaviors of phenanthrene, nitrobenzene, and naphthalene on mesoplastics and microplastics

This study compared how three organic pollutants (phenanthrene, nitrobenzene, naphthalene) stick to five types of plastic particles at two different size scales (meso- and microplastic). Larger plastic pieces were found to absorb pollutants similarly to microplastics, suggesting that all plastic debris in the ocean can act as a vehicle for toxic chemical transport.

2019 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 56 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of Polyciclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Water and Microplastics

Researchers measured five cancer-linked PAH compounds in water samples and found that microplastics can bind these chemicals, potentially concentrating them. This suggests microplastics may act as carriers of carcinogenic compounds in drinking water and aquatic environments.

2021 Scientific Repository of the National Health Institute Doutor Ricardo Jorge (Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge)
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons migration in Baiyangdian Lake, northern China: Concentrations, sorption–desorption behavior, and multi-phase exchange

Researchers measured microplastics and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Baiyangdian Lake, China, and studied how microplastics affect the movement of these toxic chemicals between water, sediment, and air. They found that microplastics can adsorb PAHs and alter their transfer between environmental compartments, increasing deposition from air to water and volatilization from sediment to water. The study suggests microplastics may act as carriers that redistribute harmful organic pollutants within lake ecosystems.

2024 Environmental Pollution 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparing the sorption of pyrene and its derivatives onto polystyrene microplastics: Insights from experimental and computational studies

This study examined how pyrene — a cancer-associated compound found in diesel exhaust and other combustion products — and several of its chemical derivatives adsorb onto polystyrene microplastics from water. Polystyrene strongly absorbed several pyrene derivatives, meaning microplastics could transport these carcinogenic chemicals into organisms that ingest the particles. The findings support the concern that microplastics act as vectors for toxic organic pollutants.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Sorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by microplastic films: Characterizing kinetics, isotherms, and impacts of sludge exposure

This study characterized the sorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons onto microplastic films in sludge and wastewater systems, finding that MP type and surface properties strongly influence PAH binding capacity and may facilitate PAH transport and bioavailability in contaminated environments.

2025 Chemosphere
Article Tier 2

Interactions between microplastics and organic compounds in aquatic environments: A mini review

Researchers reviewed the mechanisms of interaction between microplastics and organic compounds in aquatic environments, examining factors related to the plastics themselves, the organic compounds, and environmental conditions. The study found that properties like crystallinity, surface area, and weathering state of microplastics all influence how they adsorb and transport organic pollutants, with implications for environmental and health risk assessments.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 290 citations
Article Tier 2

Transport of persistent organic pollutants: Another effect of microplastic pollution?

This review examines how microplastics act as vectors for persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in aquatic environments, covering the physical and chemical factors governing pollutant adsorption and desorption. The authors discuss how interactions between microplastics and POPs vary with polymer type, particle properties, and environmental conditions, and when these interactions may result in toxic effects on aquatic organisms.

2022 Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews Water 47 citations
Article Tier 2

Insights into adsorption mechanisms of nitro polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on common microplastic particles: Experimental studies and modeling

Researchers investigated how nitro polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons adsorb onto common microplastics, finding that the process is controlled by chemical adsorption and hydrophobic partitioning, with pollutant hydrophobicity being the dominant factor influencing adsorption capacity.

2023 Chemosphere 30 citations