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Humans continually engage with an environment rich in potentially harmful chemicals. These are introduced to our bodies through inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact. These chemicals exist in various forms, such as air and environmental pollutants, agricultural chemicals, organic solvents, and heavy metals.
Air pollutants, primarily gases, pose significant threats to respiratory health, leading to conditions like hypoxia, lung cancer, and in extreme cases, death.
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Protocol for Microplastics Sampling on the Sea Surface and Sample Analysis
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(Micro)Plastics Are Toxic Pollutants.

Judith S Weis1, Juan José Alava2

  • 1Department of Biological Sciences, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07102, USA.

Toxics
|November 24, 2023
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Microplastics are toxic pollutants due to their chemical composition and ability to release harmful substances into organisms. This review supports their classification as toxic, urging policy changes to address plastic pollution.

Keywords:
bioaccumulationbiofilmleachingmicroplasticsplasticssorptiontoxicity

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Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Toxicology
  • Ecotoxicology

Background:

  • Plastics, particularly microplastics, are increasingly recognized for their harmful effects on organisms, extending beyond physical impacts.
  • There is a growing scientific consensus to classify microplastics as persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) substances.
  • Understanding the toxicological profile of microplastics is crucial for environmental and health risk assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review and elaborate on the evidence supporting the classification of microplastics as "toxic pollutants".
  • To highlight the chemical contaminants associated with microplastics and their release mechanisms.
  • To inform global policy initiatives for addressing plastic pollution.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review synthesizing existing research on microplastic toxicity.
  • Analysis of studies detailing chemical composition and adsorption of environmental contaminants by microplastics.
  • Examination of research on the biological impacts of microplastic-associated chemicals on various organisms.

Main Results:

  • Microplastics inherently contain toxic chemicals and adsorb external pollutants like PCBs, pesticides, metals, and PAHs.
  • Released chemicals from ingested microplastics can negatively affect animal development, physiology, gene expression, and behavior.
  • Leachates, weathering, and biofilm formation significantly influence microplastic-biota interactions.

Conclusions:

  • Microplastics, due to their chemical load and release potential, should be designated as toxic pollutants.
  • Global policies, such as the UN Environment Assembly's treaty, must consider the hazardous chemical aspect of plastics.
  • Effective regulation requires acknowledging microplastics as vectors of toxic chemical pollution.