Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Comparative role of biofilm-covered microplastic and sand particles as vectors of ¹⁴C-PCB-153 to Paracentrotus lividus

This study compared the ability of biofilm-covered microplastics versus biofilm-covered sand to act as vectors for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in marine organisms. The results showed that the vector role of microplastics for toxic chemicals is less significant than previously assumed when compared to natural particles.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Role of microplastics in the bioaccumulation and biological effects of PCB-153 on Paracentrotus lividus

This study examined whether microplastics serve as meaningful vectors for PCB-153 bioaccumulation in marine organisms compared to natural particles. Results indicated that natural organic particles were often more significant carriers than microplastics, challenging the assumption that MPs are the primary route of contaminant uptake.

2025 Dépôt institutionnel de l'Université libre de Bruxelles (Université Libre de Bruxelles)
Article Tier 2

Comparison of biofilm-covered microplastics and sand particles as vectors of PCB-153 to Paracentrotus lividus

Researchers compared the ability of biofilm-covered microplastics versus sand particles to act as vectors delivering PCB-153 to the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. Microplastics transferred more PCB-153 to sea urchin tissues than sand did, and biofilm presence on plastic surfaces influenced the magnitude of pollutant transfer.

2024 Aquatic Toxicology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Differential bioavailability of polychlorinated biphenyls associated with environmental particles: Microplastic in comparison to wood, coal and biochar

Researchers compared the bioavailability of PCBs associated with environmental plastic pellets versus sediment to marine organisms, finding that the chemical matrix affects how much PCB is transferred from plastic to animal tissue.

2016 Environmental Pollution 191 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

Evidence of microplastic-mediated transfer of PCB-153 to sea urchin tissues using radiotracers

Researchers used radiotracer experiments to demonstrate for the first time that PCB-153 adsorbed onto microplastics is bioavailable to sea urchins, with plastic-bound PCBs transferring to sea urchin tissues and confirming microplastics as vectors for persistent organic pollutant transfer.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing microplastic as a vector for chemical entry into fish larvae using a novel tube-feeding approach

Researchers tube-fed herring larvae polystyrene and polyethylene microplastics spiked with the pollutant PCB-153 to test whether plastics deliver chemical contaminants to fish tissue. The study found that PCB-153 transferred to larval tissue via the microplastics, demonstrating that ingested plastic particles can deliver toxic chemicals to marine fish.

2020 Chemosphere 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics and food particles on organic pollutants bioaccumulation in equi-fugacity and above-fugacity scenarios

The effects of microplastics on polychlorinated biphenyl bioaccumulation in organisms were investigated under equi-fugacity and above-fugacity scenarios, finding that microplastics altered PCB bioaccumulation differently than food-borne particles and that the effect direction depended on background PCB concentrations.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of Microplastic Amendment to Food on Diet Assimilation Efficiencies of PCBs by Fish

Goldfish fed food mixed with PCB-contaminated microplastics absorbed only slightly more PCBs than fish fed just PCB-contaminated food without microplastics. This suggests that microplastics may not significantly increase the amount of PCBs that fish absorb from their diet, though they do act as carriers.

2018 Environmental Science & Technology 53 citations
Article Tier 2

Bioaccumulation of PCBs from microplastics in Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus): An experimental study

Researchers fed PCB-loaded microplastics to Norway lobsters in controlled laboratory experiments to test whether ingested microplastics can transfer adsorbed pollutants to animal tissues. They assessed bioaccumulation of PCBs in lobster tissues following exposure through the dietary microplastic pathway. The study contributes experimental evidence to the ongoing debate about whether microplastics act as meaningful vectors for transferring persistent organic pollutants to marine organisms.

2017 Chemosphere 196 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic-mediated transport of PCBs? A depuration study with Daphnia magna

Researchers tested whether microplastics could help remove PCBs from the water flea Daphnia magna, finding that only one PCB congener was cleared more efficiently with microplastic exposure while most others were unaffected. The study suggests microplastics have limited value as a depuration tool for PCB-contaminated zooplankton under environmentally relevant conditions.

2019 PLoS ONE 66 citations
Article Tier 2

Trojan horse effects of microplastics: A mini-review about their role as a vector of organic and inorganic compounds in several matrices

This review examines the 'Trojan horse' role of microplastics as vectors for organic and inorganic pollutants, finding that adsorption follows Freundlich models and that contaminant transfer to organisms is species-specific, with some species showing increased and others decreased toxicant bioavailability.

2023 AIMS environmental science 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Uptake and Incorporation of Pcbs by Eastern Mediterranean Rabbitfish That Consumed Microplastics

This study tested whether polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) could be transferred from microplastics to rabbitfish tissue, finding that fish ingesting PCB-contaminated polypropylene microplastics accumulated PCBs in their organs. The results provide direct experimental evidence that microplastics can serve as vectors delivering persistent organic pollutants to commercially important fish species.

2020 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Microplastic-mediated transport of PCBs? A depuration study with Daphnia magna

This study used the water flea Daphnia magna to investigate whether microplastics can affect how persistent organic pollutants like PCBs are eliminated from aquatic organisms. The experiment found that microplastics could act as a vehicle for contaminant transport, supporting the concern that they change how organisms are exposed to legacy pollutants.

2018 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics as the vector for the attachment of polychlorinated biphenyls: A case study of urbanized Langat River, Malaysia

Researchers measured microplastic concentrations and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) levels at six sites along the urbanized Langat River in Malaysia, finding microplastics acting as vectors that adsorb and transport PCBs with concentrations highest at sites with the greatest industrial activity.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Interactions of microplastics with contaminants in freshwater systems: a review of characteristics, bioaccessibility, and environmental factors affecting sorption

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.

2023 Journal of Environmental Science and Health Part A 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Uptake and incorporation of PCBs by eastern Mediterranean rabbitfish that consumed microplastics

Experiments with eastern Mediterranean rabbitfish that consumed PCB-contaminated microplastics demonstrated that polychlorinated biphenyls can transfer from plastic particles to fish tissues, confirming microplastics as a vector for toxic chemical uptake. The study provides direct evidence that marine fish can accumulate persistent organic pollutants through plastic ingestion.

2019 Marine Pollution Bulletin 44 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics as a Vector for HOC Bioaccumulation in Earthworm Eisenia fetida in Soil: Importance of Chemical Diffusion and Particle Size

Researchers investigated whether microplastics act as vectors for hydrophobic organic contaminant (HOC) bioaccumulation in earthworms, testing two scenarios with polyethylene particles of different sizes and polychlorinated biphenyls in soil. Results showed that clean microplastics in contaminated soil reduced HOC bioaccumulation, while smaller precontaminated microplastics enhanced transfer of PCBs to earthworms, demonstrating that particle size and prior contamination status are critical factors.

2020 Environmental Science & Technology 90 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of microplastics on the adherence of coexisting background organic contaminants to natural organic matter in water

Researchers examined how microplastics affect the binding of organic contaminants (PCBs and hydroxy PCBs) to humic acid in water, finding that microplastics caused contaminants to migrate from humic acid to plastic surfaces. This redistribution effect could alter the bioavailability and environmental risk of co-occurring organic pollutants.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Size-dependent vector effect of microplastics on the bioaccumulation of polychlorinated biphenyls in tilapia: A tissue-specific study

Researchers examined how different sizes of polystyrene microplastics affect the accumulation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in tilapia tissues. The study found that microplastic size plays a significant role in contaminant bioaccumulation, with smaller particles leading to different tissue-specific uptake patterns, suggesting that microplastics can act as vectors for transporting harmful organic pollutants into aquatic organisms.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Sorption of 3,3′,4,4′-tetrachlorobiphenyl by microplastics: A case study of polypropylene

This study measured the sorption of a polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congener onto polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics, finding that both polymers had high sorption capacity influenced by salinity, temperature, and the presence of other organic matter. The results help predict how microplastics transport PCBs in marine environments and potentially deliver them to organisms that ingest the particles.

2016 Marine Pollution Bulletin 217 citations
Article Tier 2

Exaggerated interaction of biofilm-developed microplastics and contaminants in aquatic environments

Researchers found that biofilm formation on microplastic surfaces exaggerates the adsorption and vector capacity for co-contaminants in aquatic environments, with biofilm-coated MPs showing substantially higher uptake of contaminants than pristine MPs.

2023 Chemosphere 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics as vectors for bioaccumulation of hydrophobic organic chemicals in the marine environment: A state-of-the-science review

This state-of-the-science review examined whether microplastics serve as vectors for bioaccumulation of hydrophobic organic chemicals in marine organisms. The study found that while microplastics can carry high concentrations of sorbed chemicals, their relative importance as an exposure route compared to other pathways like water and food remains an active area of research with varying conclusions depending on environmental conditions.

2016 Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 476 citations
Article Tier 2

Trophic transfer of DDE, BP-3 and chlorpyrifos from microplastics to tissues in Dicentrarchus labrax

Researchers demonstrated trophic transfer of DDE, BP-3, and chlorpyrifos from contaminated microplastics to European sea bass tissues, providing evidence that microplastics serve as vectors for chemical contaminant bioaccumulation through the food chain.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 6 citations