Papers

61,005 results
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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

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

Effect of Microplastic Types on the In Vivo Bioavailability of Polychlorinated Biphenyls

Researchers used a mouse model to measure how different types of microplastics affect the bioavailability of PCBs, a group of harmful industrial chemicals. When microplastics were added to contaminated soil, they significantly reduced PCB absorption in the digestive system, acting as a kind of sponge that traps the chemicals. However, when PCBs were already loaded onto the microplastics, some types like polyethylene released nearly all of the chemicals during digestion, showing that microplastics can also serve as carriers of pollutants.

2023 Environmental Science & Technology 22 citations
Article Tier 2

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

This study tested whether biofilm-covered microplastics transfer PCBs to marine organisms more effectively than biofilm-covered sand particles. Findings indicated that natural particles and microplastics showed comparable vector activity, suggesting the unique vector role of microplastics may be overstated.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
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

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

Persistent organic pollutants carried on plastic resin pellets from two beaches in China

Researchers found that plastic resin pellets collected from two Chinese beaches contained significant concentrations of PAHs, PCBs, organochlorine pesticides, and other persistent organic pollutants sorbed to their surfaces. The findings confirm that plastic pellets act as vectors for long-range transport of multiple classes of hydrophobic chemical contaminants in marine environments.

2015 Marine Pollution Bulletin 209 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

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

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

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

Microbial colonization of different microplastic types and biotransformation of sorbed PCBs by a marine anaerobic bacterial community

Different types of microplastic pellets (PE, PET, PS, PP, PVC) were introduced into anaerobic marine sediment microcosms and all were rapidly colonized by organohalide-respiring bacteria within 2 weeks, with PVC attracting the greatest biofilm growth. Importantly, the bacterial community biotransformed PCBs sorbed on the microplastics, suggesting a potential biodegradation route for plastic-associated pollutants.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 129 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

An effective method to assess the sorption dynamics of PCB radiotracers onto plastic and sediment microparticles

Scientists developed a radiotracer method using PCB isotopes to precisely measure how quickly toxic chemicals sorb onto microplastics and sediment particles in seawater. Understanding sorption-desorption rates is critical for predicting how much toxic chemical exposure marine organisms receive from microplastic ingestion.

2021 MethodsX 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic as a Carrier of POPs to Aquatic Organisms: A Model Analysis

Researchers developed a model to evaluate whether microplastic acts as a meaningful carrier of persistent organic pollutants to aquatic organisms. The analysis suggests that in both laboratory and open marine systems, microplastic ingestion is more likely to slightly decrease bioaccumulation of pollutants rather than increase it, and the differences are too small to be relevant for risk assessment.

2013 Environmental Science & Technology 507 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

Effect of microplastics on the environmental behavior of emerging contaminants in aquatic matrices

This study examines how microplastics affect the environmental behavior of emerging contaminants in aquatic systems. Microplastics can adsorb other pollutants and alter their bioavailability, potentially increasing or decreasing toxic effects depending on the chemicals and environmental conditions.

2023 Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (Universidade de São Paulo)
Article Tier 2

Quantification of PAHs, PCBs and Pesticides adsorbed by plastic waste in the Togolese marine environment

Researchers analyzed plastic waste collected along the Togolese coast and found it contaminated with PAHs and PCBs, demonstrating that marine plastics act as vectors for toxic organic pollutants. This adsorption of harmful chemicals onto plastic surfaces poses risks to marine organisms and potentially to humans who consume seafood.

2023
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

How Digestive Processes Can Affect the Bioavailability of PCBs Associated with Microplastics: A Modeling Study Supported by Empirical Data

Researchers used a simulated human digestive model to study whether gut processes change how quickly chemicals like PCBs transfer on and off microplastic particles. They found that digestive enzymes and bile salts significantly accelerated the release of these chemicals from microplastics, suggesting that the human gut environment may increase exposure to plastic-associated pollutants. The study provides new evidence that microplastics could act as carriers that release harmful chemicals more readily during digestion.

2023 Environmental Science & Technology 19 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

Relative importance of microplastics as a pathway for the transfer of hydrophobic organic chemicals to marine life

Researchers assessed the relative importance of microplastics as a pathway for transferring hydrophobic organic chemicals to marine life. The study suggests that while microplastics can carry high concentrations of contaminants, factors like gut surfactants, pH, and temperature influence desorption rates, and modeling indicates other exposure routes may be more significant in natural environments.

2016 Environmental Pollution 410 citations
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

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.

2015 Environmental Chemistry 554 citations