Interaction of chemical contaminants with microplastics: Principles and perspectives

Fred-Ahmadu, Omowunmi H.; Bhagwat, Geetika; Idowu, Oluyoye; Benson, Nsikak U.; Ayejuyo, Olusegun O.; Thavamani, Palanisami

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135978

Cited by 362 publications

(154 citation statements)

References 111 publications

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“…Adsorption and desorption of organic pollutants on MPs in the water environments are influenced by different factors, such as surface area, polymer type, size, weathering, microbial activities, and extent of biofilm formation (Rummel et al 2017). The high surface area to volume ratio of MPs, which can increase through weathering, not only aids the adsorption of contaminants but also supports the chemical transport of pollutants through leaching (Fred-Ahmadu et al 2020).…”

Section: Mps As a Vector Of Organic Pollutantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microplastics in Wastewater

Khan¹,

Cheng²,

Hafeez

et al. 2020

Handbook of Microplastics in the Environment

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Microplastics (MPs) are unregulated and emerging contaminants, which are continuously released due to human activities in the environment through several pathways. The presence of MPs poses threats to the environment, organisms, and human health. The discharge of treated effluent from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is a major source of MP input, especially in the form of microfibers, into the aquatic environment, whereas the application of sludge and compost is a crucial pathway transferring MPs to terrestrial environment. Meanwhile, MPs are produced from industrial processes and the use of plastic consumer goods and personal care products. MPs become more hazardous when they adsorb persistent organic pollutants and heavy metals or attach with pathogenic microorganisms from wastewater and sludge. However, there is little comprehensive information available about the collaborative role of wastewater and sludge in MP contamination. Studies about remediation strategies and their removal mechanisms of MPs in WWTPs are limited. Therefore, it is important to develop cost-effective detection methods of MPs for routine monitoring in wastewater and sludge samples and understanding of fate and inhibitory effects of MPs in wastewater and sludge treatment processes, before developing the mitigation measures of MP contamination. This chapter summarizes the sources and pathways of MPs, discusses the impacts of MPs on environment and human health, and reviews the current practices on detection, quantification, and qualification of MPs. In addition, this chapter provides insights into the source control of MPs through polices and education.

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Section: Mps As a Vector Of Organic Pollutantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microplastics in Wastewater

Khan¹,

Cheng²,

Hafeez

et al. 2020

Handbook of Microplastics in the Environment

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“…In the short term, microplastic fibers may contribute to plant productivity or soil aggregation; however, we do not currently know what the long-term responses will be, as additional factors could come into play. Indeed, microplastic fibers may release harmful chemical substances into the soil (Fred-Ahmadu et al, 2020) and affect nutrient cycling processes, with consequences for soil quality, and thus on the provision of different services, such as food and water (MEA, 2005). This becomes relevant as agricultural lands are often managed with sewage sludge or compost, which contains a large amount of microplastic fibers (Wang et al, 2019;Weithmann et al, 2018).…”

Section: Microplastic Fibers and Drought Effects On Ecosystem Multifumentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Microplastics and Drought on Ecosystem Functions and Multifunctionality

Lozano

Aguilar‐Trigueros

Onandía

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Microplastics in soils have become an important threat for terrestrial systems, which can be exacerbated by drought as microplastics may affect soil water content. Thus, the interaction between these two factors may alter ecosystem functions such as litter decomposition, stability of soil aggregates, as well as functions related to nutrient cycling. Despite this potential interaction, we know relatively little about how microplastics, under different soil water conditions, affect ecosystem functions and ecosystem multifunctionality.To address this gap, we carried out a controlled-environment study using grassland plant communities. We applied the two factors microplastic fibers (absent, present) and soil water conditions (well-watered, drought), in all possible combinations in a factorial experiment. At harvest, we measured multiple ecosystem functions linked to nutrient cycling, litter decomposition, and soil aggregation and as terrestrial systems provide these functions simultaneously, we also assessed ecosystem multifunctionality.Our results showed that the interaction between microplastic fibers and drought affected ecosystem functions and multifunctionality. Overall, drought had negatively affected nutrient cycling by decreasing potential enzymatic activities and increasing nutrient leaching, while microplastic fibers had a positive impact on soil aggregation and nutrient retention by diminishing nutrient leaching. Microplastic fibers also impacted enzymatic activities, soil respiration and ecosystem multifunctionality, but importantly, the direction of these effects depended on soil water status (i.e., they decreased under well watered conditions, but tended to increase or had similar effects under drought conditions). Litter decomposition had a contrary pattern.Synthesis and applications. As soil water content is affected by climate change, our results suggest that areas with sufficiency of water would be negatively affected in their ecosystem functioning as microplastics increase in the soil; however, in areas subjected to drought, microplastics would have a neutral or slightly positive effect on ecosystem functioning.

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“…Whereas, adsorption refers to a process where molecules are confined at the interface between fluid and solid phases as an adherent physical form [93]. Sorption is directly related to properties of the solid, a chemical, and the surface-to-volume ratio of the solid which for microplastic particles is quite large [94]. Apart from surface area, plastics exhibit a range of properties and dimensions, implying the relevance of absorption and adsorption to understanding the importance to the understanding of microplastics' fate and effect.…”

Section: Sorptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Neutral charged areas of the microplastic surface offer attractive settings for deposition of chemicals due to attractive hydrophobic forces. This is in contrast with hydrophilic or charged compounds that are attracted to the negative-charged areas on the microplastic surface through electrostatic interactions and aquatic media characteristics [94,96]. Organic chemicals associated with microplastic debris are typically in the semi-volatile or non-volatile categories such as polychlorinated biphenyls and some organic pesticides [97,98].…”

Section: Chemicalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Importance of Biofilms to the Fate and Effects of Microplastics

Glaser¹

2020

Bacterial Biofilms

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Microplastics are global pollutants in water media ranging from drinking water to freshwater streams to oceanic pollutant gyres. Besides the obvious appearance involving a scattered presence in the environmental landscape, microplastics are ubiquitous across modern society in products, food, and beginning to have strong economic effects too. Ingestion of microplastics is virtually unavoidable for each of us as we consume food, breathe air, or drink liquids. For example, beer has been found to be contaminated with plastic materials having the dimensions of microand nanoparticles. In the environment, the formation of biofilms on microplastics is widely observed and this can significantly alter properties important to environmental and human health. Significant research has been conducted on the role of biofilms in the fate and effect of microplastics on environmental and human health, with a general message to avoid contact with microplastics in the environment until more complete strategies for cleanup are developed.

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Interaction of chemical contaminants with microplastics: Principles and perspectives

Cited by 362 publications

References 111 publications

Microplastics in Wastewater

Microplastics in Wastewater

Effects of Microplastics and Drought on Ecosystem Functions and Multifunctionality

The Importance of Biofilms to the Fate and Effects of Microplastics

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