Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Interactions of emerging contaminants with model colloidal microplastics, C60 fullerene, and natural organic matter – effect of surface functional group and adsorbate properties

Researchers studied how two common pharmaceutical contaminants — amlodipine and carbamazepine — adsorb onto colloidal microplastics, natural organic matter, and fullerene nanoparticles. The drug amlodipine accumulated at much higher levels than carbamazepine, and the type of surface coating on the plastic significantly influenced how much drug was absorbed, with implications for how microplastics carry pharmaceuticals through water systems.

2020 Environmental Science Processes & Impacts 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Carbon-based composites for removal of pharmaceutical components from water

This review examines how carbon-based materials — including activated carbon, carbon nanotubes, and graphene — effectively remove pharmaceutical pollutants from water, highlighting their promise for addressing drug contamination in aquatic environments.

2022 Journal of Composites and Compounds 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorption of a diverse range of pharmaceuticals to polyethylene microplastics in wastewater and their desorption in environmental matrices

Researchers investigated how polyethylene microplastics adsorb pharmaceuticals in municipal wastewater and release them in environmental and biological fluids. They found that drug adsorption depended heavily on the compound's charge and hydrophobicity, with cationic and hydrophobic drugs adsorbing most readily. The study suggests that microplastics could act as vectors for certain pharmaceuticals, potentially transporting them through waterways and into organisms.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 94 citations
Article Tier 2

Interactive effects of micro/nanoplastics and nanomaterials/pharmaceuticals: Their ecotoxicological consequences in the aquatic systems

Researchers reviewed how micro- and nanoplastics interact with co-occurring nanomaterials and pharmaceuticals in aquatic environments, finding that plastics act as vectors that can either amplify or attenuate the bioavailability and toxicity of these contaminants depending on species, trophic level, and environmental conditions.

2021 Aquatic Toxicology 61 citations
Article Tier 2

Sorption and desorption of selected pharmaceuticals by polyethylene microplastics

Researchers tested the sorption and desorption of three pharmaceuticals — sulfamethoxazole, propranolol, and sertraline — onto polyethylene microplastics in water, finding that all three compounds sorbed to the plastic surface and were only partially released over time. The results suggest microplastics can act as vectors for pharmaceutical compounds in aquatic environments, potentially affecting their bioavailability.

2018 Marine Pollution Bulletin 284 citations
Article Tier 2

Carbon nanomaterials for co-removal of antibiotics and heavy metals from water systems: An overview

This review examines how carbon-based nanomaterials can simultaneously remove antibiotics and heavy metals from contaminated water. While the focus is on water treatment rather than human health directly, the study notes that microplastics in the environment can affect how well these cleanup methods work. The authors highlight that these advanced materials show strong potential but need further evaluation of their cost-effectiveness for real-world use.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Sorption of selected pharmaceutical compounds on polyethylene microplastics: Roles of pH, aging, and competitive sorption

Researchers found that polyethylene microplastics adsorb pharmaceutical compounds including an antibiotic, a beta-blocker, and an antidepressant, with sorption capacity influenced by pH, aging of the plastic, and competition between compounds — raising concern about microplastics as carriers of pharmaceuticals in aquatic environments.

2022 Chemosphere 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of nanoplastics and microplastics on the availability of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in aqueous environment

Researchers found that nanoplastics and microplastics can sorb pharmaceuticals and personal care products in water, with smaller nanoplastics showing 1-2 orders of magnitude stronger sorption than microplastics, potentially reducing the bioavailability of these contaminants in aquatic environments.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Pharmaceuticals and micro(nano)plastics in the environment: Sorption and analytical challenges

This review examines how pharmaceutical residues and micro- and nanoplastics interact in water environments, finding that microplastics can adsorb medications and alter their environmental behavior. Factors like plastic type, surface area, and biological film growth all influence these interactions, but very few studies have been conducted under real-world conditions. The authors highlight persistent analytical challenges and the need for field-based research to understand actual risks.

2024 Trends in Environmental Analytical Chemistry 5 citations
Article Tier 2

The combined effects of polystyrene nanoplastics and dissolved organic matter on the environmental bioavailability of carbamazepine

Researchers investigated how polystyrene nanoplastics and dissolved organic matter together affect the bioavailability of the pharmaceutical carbamazepine in water. They found that co-exposure to nanoplastics and fulvic acid increased the bioaccumulation of carbamazepine in water fleas, likely because the organic matter reduced nanoplastic sorption and allowed more of the drug to be absorbed. The study suggests that complex environmental mixtures can amplify the uptake of pharmaceutical pollutants by aquatic organisms.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics Alter the Distribution and Toxic Potential of Typical Pharmaceuticals in Aqueous Solutions: Mechanisms and Theory Calculations

Researchers studied how polystyrene microplastics interact with common pharmaceutical drugs in water and found that the plastics can absorb these medications, altering their distribution and potentially increasing environmental toxicity. The strength of absorption varied depending on the chemical properties of each drug, with some binding much more readily to microplastics than others. The findings highlight that microplastics may act as carriers for pharmaceutical pollutants, complicating efforts to assess water contamination risks.

2025 ACS ES&T Water 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic–Pharmaceuticals Interaction in Water Systems

This review examined the interactions between microplastics and pharmaceutical compounds in aquatic environments, exploring how microplastics act as vectors that concentrate, transport, and potentially enhance the bioavailability and toxicity of drug residues in water.

2023 Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Recent developments in microplastic contaminated water treatment: Progress and prospects of carbon-based two-dimensional materials for membranes separation

This review assessed recent advances in microplastic removal from contaminated water, covering physical, chemical, and biological treatment methods and their effectiveness across different plastic sizes, polymer types, and water chemistries. The authors identify membrane filtration and coagulation as among the most promising scalable approaches.

2022 Chemosphere 56 citations
Article Tier 2

Sorption of pharmaceuticals on the surface of microplastics

Researchers tested the ability of four common microplastic types to adsorb nine pharmaceutical compounds frequently found as water pollutants. They found that sorption involved both hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions, but under natural environmental conditions the binding was relatively weak. The study suggests that while microplastics can interact with pharmaceutical residues, their role as carriers of these contaminants in real aquatic environments may be more limited than previously assumed.

2020 Chemosphere 169 citations
Article Tier 2

Electrolyte-Gated Carbon Nanotube Field-Effect Transistor-Based Sensors for Nanoplastics Detection in Seawater: A Study of the Interaction between Nanoplastics and Carbon Nanotubes

Researchers developed a novel sensor based on an electrolyte-gated carbon nanotube field-effect transistor for detecting nanoplastics in seawater. The sensor demonstrated high sensitivity and the ability to detect polystyrene nanoplastics at very low concentrations, offering a faster and more portable alternative to traditional spectroscopy methods. The study suggests this technology could enable more accessible and widespread monitoring of nanoplastic contamination in marine environments.

2024 ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic-drug Interactions: Unveiling Combined Effects on Biological Systems

This review examines how microplastics interact with pharmaceutical drugs in biological systems, exploring the combined toxic effects of co-exposure to polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, and polyamide particles alongside common medications.

2025 Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research
Article Tier 2

Magnetic nanocomposites: innovative adsorbents for antibiotics removal from aqueous environments–a narrative review

This review examines how magnetic nanocomposite materials can be used to remove pharmaceutical pollutants from water. While not directly about microplastics, the technology is relevant because microplastics in water often carry pharmaceutical residues that conventional treatment cannot fully remove. Better water filtration methods like these could help reduce human exposure to the cocktail of pollutants that microplastics transport.

2025 Applied Water Science 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Advanced Carbon Nanoparticle-Based Filtration Systems for Water Disinfection and Microplastics Removal

This study proposes a carbon nanoparticle-infused membrane filter (NP-WFS) as a combined solution for removing both microplastics and microbial contaminants from drinking water. Laboratory tests showed the membrane captured microplastic particles and microorganisms, suggesting that nanoparticle-based filtration could offer a practical improvement over conventional water treatment where microplastics currently pass through.

2023 MIGRATION LETTERS 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Carbon-based adsorbents for micro/nano-plastics removal: current advances and perspectives

Scientists reviewed how carbon-based materials like graphene, activated carbon, and carbon nanotubes can be used to remove micro- and nanoplastics from water. Researchers found that these adsorbents show strong potential for capturing tiny plastic particles thanks to their tunable surface properties and high surface area. The study suggests that carbon-based filtration could become an important technology for cleaning microplastic-contaminated water.

2024 Water Emerging Contaminants & Nanoplastics 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic interactions with co-existing pollutants in water environments: Synergistic or antagonistic roles on their removal through current remediation technologies

This review examines how microplastics interact with other pollutants like heavy metals, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals in water, often making each contaminant harder to remove during treatment. The interactions between microplastics and co-existing pollutants can produce unpredictable combined toxic effects that are worse than either pollutant alone. Understanding these interactions is important because real-world water contamination involves mixtures, not single pollutants, and current treatment methods may not adequately address these combinations.

2025 Journal of Environmental Management 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Paving roads with recycled plastics: Microplastic pollution or eco-friendly solution?

This study assessed the capability of granular activated carbon filtration to remove nanoplastics from drinking water, finding approximately 85% removal efficiency for particles below 1 micrometer. Removal was lower for smaller, hydrophilic particles that resist adsorption.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 75 citations
Article Tier 2

Performance of activated carbon for polypropylene microplastic removal in wastewater

Researchers tested the ability of granular activated carbon to remove polypropylene microplastics from wastewater and found it could capture over 90 percent of particles under optimized conditions. The carbon's effectiveness depended on factors like particle size, contact time, and water chemistry. The study supports activated carbon adsorption as a practical and efficient add-on treatment step for removing microplastics from water treatment systems.

2025 Sustainable Chemistry for the Environment 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastic on submerged nanofiltration for advanced drinking water treatment

Researchers investigated how microplastics in reservoir water affect the performance of submerged nanofiltration membranes used for drinking water treatment. The study found that the presence of polyethylene terephthalate microplastics influenced the removal of dissolved organic matter by the membrane, with implications for optimizing advanced water treatment processes.

2026 Scientific Reports
Article Tier 2

Microplastic-Pharmaceutical Interactions and Their Disruptive Impact on UV and Chemical Water Disinfection Efficacy

This paper explores how microplastics originating from pharmaceutical coatings may interfere with common water disinfection methods including UV irradiation and chemical treatment like chlorination. Researchers propose that these microplastics can disrupt disinfection through physical shielding of pathogens, adsorption of disinfectant chemicals, and catalytic transformation of treatment agents. The findings suggest that pharmaceutical-derived microplastics represent an underrecognized challenge for maintaining water treatment effectiveness.

2023 International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Growth Evaluation 17 citations