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20 resultsShowing papers similar to Microplastics as an emerging anthropogenic vector of trace metals in freshwater: Significance of biofilms and comparison with natural substrates
ClearThe role of microplastics biofilm in accumulation of trace metals in aquatic environments
This review examines how biofilms that form on microplastics in aquatic environments enhance the accumulation of trace metals from surrounding water. Researchers found that microorganisms colonizing plastic surfaces produce extracellular substances that facilitate metal sorption, effectively turning microplastics into concentrated carriers of metallic contaminants. The study highlights the dual pollution risk posed by microplastics serving as both physical pollutants and vehicles for toxic metal transport in waterways.
Effect of particle size on the colonization of biofilms and the potential of biofilm-covered microplastics as metal carriers
Industrial and food-grade polystyrene microplastics of different sizes were colonized by biofilms in aquatic conditions, with smaller particles supporting denser biofilm growth and showing greater metal adsorption capacity than larger ones. The findings suggest that particle size is a key factor governing both the ecological properties of the plastisphere and the capacity of microplastics to concentrate heavy metals.
Influence of microplastics on nutrients and metal concentrations in river sediments
Researchers investigated how microplastics influence nutrient and metal concentrations in river sediments, finding that microplastics alter the distribution of pollutants through their capacity to adsorb contaminants and support biofilm formation on their hydrophobic surfaces.
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.
Adsorption of trace metals by microplastic pellets in fresh water
Researchers measured the adsorption of trace metals by microplastic pellets in freshwater, finding that pellets accumulate metals from the surrounding water, potentially concentrating metals and altering their bioavailability to aquatic organisms.
Uptake of Pb(II) onto microplastic-associated biofilms in freshwater: Adsorption and combined toxicity in comparison to natural solid substrates
This study examined how biofilms that form on microplastics in freshwater lakes affect the absorption of lead, a toxic heavy metal. Researchers found that biofilm-coated microplastics absorbed significantly more lead than bare plastic particles, and the combination of lead and microplastic biofilms was more toxic to water fleas than either pollutant alone.
Influence of biofilms on the adsorption behavior of nine organic emerging contaminants on microplastics in field-laboratory exposure experiments
Researchers studied how natural biofilms that form on microplastics in lake water affect the adsorption of nine emerging organic contaminants. The study found that biofilm colonization on microplastic surfaces can significantly alter how these particles interact with pollutants, in some cases increasing and in others decreasing contaminant uptake compared to clean microplastics.
[Research Progress on Trojan-horse Effect of Microplastics and Heavy Metals in Freshwater Environment].
This review examines the Trojan-horse effect in freshwater environments where microplastics adsorb and transport heavy metals, significantly increasing their potential ecological harm due to the large surface area and persistence of microplastic particles.
Research progress on the role of biofilm in heavy metals adsorption-desorption characteristics of microplastics: A review
This review examines how biofilm formation on microplastics in aquatic environments modifies their properties and changes how they adsorb and release heavy metals. Researchers found that biofilm-covered microplastics behave significantly differently than bare microplastics, which has important implications for understanding the combined environmental risks of microplastics and heavy metal contamination.
Effects of biofilm on metal adsorption behavior and microbial community of microplastics
Researchers found that biofilm development on polystyrene microplastics enhanced their ability to adsorb copper and lead more than UV aging alone, with biofilm altering both the adsorption mechanisms and microbial community composition on the plastic surfaces.
Biofilm facilitates metal accumulation onto microplastics in estuarine waters
This study demonstrated that biofilm colonization on microplastics in estuarine waters significantly enhanced their sorption of metals such as copper and zinc, suggesting biofouling changes the contaminant-carrying capacity of plastic debris.
Interaction of microplastics with metal(oid)s in aquatic environments: What is done so far?
This review assembled the mechanisms by which microplastics sorb hazardous metals and metalloids in aquatic environments, examining how weathering, biofilm formation, and environmental conditions influence the transport and bioavailability of these contaminants.
Sorption of Platinum and Palladium on Polyethylene Microplastics in Natural Water
Researchers studied for the first time how platinum and palladium metals adsorb onto polyethylene microplastics in natural lake water. The study found that both new and aged microplastics can accumulate these metals from water, even at very low concentrations, suggesting that microplastics could act as transport vectors for precious metals and pose risks to aquatic organisms.
Adsorption of heavy metals by biofilm-coated microplastics in aquatic environments: Mechanisms, isotherm and kinetic processes, and influencing factors
This review synthesizes research on how biofilms—microbial coatings that naturally form on microplastics in water—alter the particles' ability to absorb heavy metals like lead, copper, and cadmium, finding that biofilmed microplastics generally adsorb more metal than bare plastic and that electrostatic forces and surface complexation are the dominant mechanisms. This matters because microplastics coated in both biofilm and toxic metals may deliver a double dose of contamination to organisms that ingest them. The review identifies key gaps, including how competitive metal mixtures and shifting biofilm composition over time affect this combined pollution risk.
Distribution, biological effects and biofilms of microplastics in freshwater systems - A review
This review examines microplastic distribution, biological effects, and biofilm formation in freshwater systems, highlighting knowledge gaps compared to marine studies and the ecological risks posed by microplastics as vectors for pathogens and pollutants.
The effects of metals and polymer types on the development of biofilm on microplastic surface
Researchers investigated biofilm formation on three types of microplastics — PVC, polystyrene, and polyethylene — in the presence of three metals (lead, chromium, cadmium) in freshwater over six weeks, measuring biofilm mass, extracellular polymeric substances, and chlorophyll-a content at weeks one and six. They found that polymer type was the dominant factor influencing biofilm development, with nearly 50% of variation in biofilm characteristics attributable to the specific plastic substrate rather than the metal contaminants present.
Features of Heavy Metals Sorption by Microplastics in Environmentally Relevant Conditions
Experiments using aged PET microplastics in natural lake water showed that the particles sorb heavy metals (cobalt, nickel, copper, cadmium, lead) in environmentally relevant concentrations, but the sorption isotherms differed from those measured in synthetic laboratory solutions. This matters because microplastics acting as vectors for heavy metals in real freshwater conditions could increase metal bioavailability and toxicity to aquatic life and potentially to humans who drink the water.
The effects of metals and polymer types on the development of biofilm on microplastic surface
Researchers examined biofilm development on three polymer types (PVC, polystyrene, and polyethylene) in the presence of three heavy metals (lead, chromium, and cadmium) to determine how metal contamination influences the formation and composition of plastisphere communities. The study assessed whether metal-microplastic co-contamination alters the structure of microbial biofilms that colonize plastic surfaces in aquatic environments.
The potential of microplastics as carriers of metals
Five types of microplastics were tested for their ability to adsorb heavy metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn) in different water matrices, finding significant adsorption of lead, chromium, and zinc—especially on polyethylene and PVC—with surface area and porosity as key drivers. The study identifies microplastics as potential vectors for heavy metal transport and transfer through aquatic food chains.
Association between microplastics and biofilm: a new perspective for monitoring microplastics in urban rivers
Researchers reviewed the use of biofilms as a monitoring matrix for microplastics in urban rivers, drawing on literature about microplastic occurrence in Brazilian rivers and biofilm-associated adsorption of emerging contaminants in freshwater. The study argues that biofilm analysis offers a complementary perspective to water and sediment monitoring because biofilms accumulate pollutants over days, providing an integrated signal of microplastic exposure in the water column.