Microplastic-mediated environmental behavior of metal contaminants: mechanism and implication.

Publisher: Springer Country of Publication: Germany NLM ID: 9441769 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1614-7499 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 09441344 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Environ Sci Pollut Res Int Subsets: MEDLINE

Publication: <2013->: Berlin : Springer
Original Publication: Landsberg, Germany : Ecomed

Microplastics* ; Environmental Pollutants*; Metals ; Environmental Monitoring ; Metals, Heavy ; Water Pollutants, Chemical ; Ecosystem

Microplastics (MPs) and metals are currently two of the most concerning environmental pollutants due to their persistent nature and potential threats to ecosystems and human health. This review examines the intricate interactions between MPs and metals in diverse environmental compartments, including aquatic, terrestrial, and atmospheric environments by focusing on the complex processes of adsorption and desorption and the mechanisms that govern these interactions. MPs act as carriers and concentrators of metals in aquatic and terrestrial environments, affecting the bioavailability and toxicity of these contaminants to aquatic and terrestrial organisms. This review highlights the existing challenges and constraints associated with current analytical methods, including microscopy, spectroscopy, and isotherm models in studying microplastic-heavy metal interactions. Moreover, we identified the knowledge gaps and future research directions that can enhance our understanding of the dynamic interplay between MPs and metals in various environmental settings.
(© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Acosta-Coley I, Mendez-Cuadro D, Rodriguez-Cavallo E, de la Rosa J, Olivero-Verbel J (2019) Trace elements in microplastics in Cartagena: a hotspot for plastic pollution at the Caribbean. Mar Pollut Bull 139:402–411. (PMID: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.12.016)
Ali W, Jeong H, Lee J-S, Zinck P, Souissi S (2024) Biodegradable microplastics interaction with pollutants and their potential toxicity for aquatic biota: a review. Environ Chem Lett 22:1185–1220. (PMID: 10.1007/s10311-024-01703-9)
Almeida CMR, Manjate E, Ramos S (2020) Adsorption of Cd and Cu to different types of microplastics in estuarine salt marsh medium. Marine Pollution Bulletin. 151.
Andrady AL (2017) The plastic in microplastics: a review. Mar Pollut Bull 119:12–22. (PMID: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.01.082)
Aralappanavar VK, Mukhopadhyay R, Yu Y, Liu J, Bhatnagar A, Praveena SM, et al. (2024) Effects of microplastics on soil microorganisms and microbial functions in nutrients and carbon cycling – a review. Sci Total Environ 924.
Arshad K, Aqeel M, Noman A, Nazir A, Mahmood A, Rizvi ZF et al (2023) Ecological health risk assessment of microplastics and heavy metals in sediments, water, hydrophytes (Alternanthera philoxeroides, Typha latifolia, and Ipomoea carnea), and fish (Labeo rohita) in Marala wetlands in Sialkot Pakistan. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30:41272–41285. (PMID: 10.1007/s11356-023-25142-1)
Bagde PS, Mathew R, Jose R, Ranjeet K, Nikhil VG. (2023) Characteristics and risk assessment of microplastic mediated heavy metal transport in black clam Villorita cyprinoides from a Ramsar wetland of South India. J Hazard Mater Lett 4.
Bargagli R, Rota E (2022) Microplastic interactions and possible combined biological effects in antarctic marine ecosystems. Animals. 13.
Besseling E, Quik JTK, Sun M, Koelmans AA (2017) Fate of nano- and microplastic in freshwater systems: a modeling study. Environ Pollut 220:540–548. (PMID: 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.10.001)
Bour A, Hamann Sandgaard M, Syberg K, Palmqvist A, Carney Almroth B. (2021) Comprehending the complexity of microplastic organismal exposures and effects, to improve testing frameworks. J Hazard Mater 415.
Brennecke D, Duarte B, Paiva F, Caçador I, Canning-Clode J (2016) Microplastics as vector for heavy metal contamination from the marine environment. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 178:189–195. (PMID: 10.1016/j.ecss.2015.12.003)
Cao Y, Zhao M, Ma X, Song Y, Zuo S, Li H, et al. (2021) A critical review on the interactions of microplastics with heavy metals: mechanism and their combined effect on organisms and humans. Sci Total Environ 788.
Catarino AI, Macchia V, Sanderson WG, Thompson RC, Henry TB (2018) Low levels of microplastics (MP) in wild mussels indicate that MP ingestion by humans is minimal compared to exposure via household fibres fallout during a meal. Environ Pollut 237:675–684. (PMID: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.02.069)
Che S, Huang M, Ma H, Wan Z, Feng J, Ding S, et al. (2024) Toxic effects of nanopolystyrene and cadmium on the intestinal tract of the Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis). Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 270.
Chen CC, Zhu X, Xu H, Chen F, Ma J, Pan K (2021a) Copper adsorption to microplastics and natural particles in seawater: a comparison of kinetics, isotherms, and bioavailability. Environ Sci Technol 55:13923–13931. (PMID: 10.1021/acs.est.1c04278)
Chen X, Chen X, Liu Q, Zhao Q, Xiong X, Wu C (2021b) Used disposable face masks are significant sources of microplastics to environment. Environ Pollut 285:117485. (PMID: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117485)
Clark NJ, Khan FR, Crowther C, Mitrano DM, Thompson RC. (2023) Uptake, distribution and elimination of palladium-doped polystyrene nanoplastics in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) following dietary exposure. Sci Total Environ 854.
de Sa LC, Oliveira M, Ribeiro F, Rocha TL, Futter MN (2018) Studies of the effects of microplastics on aquatic organisms: what do we know and where should we focus our efforts in the future? Sci Total Environ 645:1029–1039. (PMID: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.07.207)
de Souza Machado AA, Lau CW, Kloas W, Bergmann J, Bachelier JB, Faltin E et al (2019) Microplastics can change soil properties and affect plant performance. Environ Sci Technol 53:6044–6052. (PMID: 10.1021/acs.est.9b01339)
Deng J, Guo P, Zhang X, Su H, Zhang Y, Wu Y, et al. (2020) Microplastics and accumulated heavy metals in restored mangrove wetland surface sediments at Jinjiang Estuary (Fujian, China). Marine Pollut Bull 159.
Ding H, Liao S, Tu D, Hua P, Zhang J. (2023) Trade drives leakage of life-cycle carbon dioxide emissions from plastics in China over 2010–2021. J Clean Prod 417.
Ding T, Wei L, Hou Z, Li J, Zhang C, Lin D. (2022) Microplastics altered contaminant behavior and toxicity in natural waters. J Hazard Mater 425.
Dong Y, Gao M, Qiu W, Song Z. (2021) Effect of microplastics and arsenic on nutrients and microorganisms in rice rhizosphere soil. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 211.
Dong Y, Gao M, Song Z, Qiu W. (2020) As(III) adsorption onto different-sized polystyrene microplastic particles and its mechanism. Chemosphere 239.
Elseblani R, Cobo-Golpe M, Godin S, Jimenez-Lamana J, Fakhri M, Rodríguez I, et al. (2023) Study of metal and organic contaminants transported by microplastics in the Lebanese coastal environment using ICP MS, GC-MS, and LC-MS. Sci Total Environ. 887.
Gan Q, Cui J, Jin B (2023) Environmental microplastics: classification, sources, fates, and effects on plants. Chemosphere. 313.
Gao X, Hassan I, Peng Y, Huo S, Ling L. (2021) Behaviors and influencing factors of the heavy metals adsorption onto microplastics: a review. J Clean Prod 319.
Godoy V, Blázquez G, Calero M, Quesada L, Martín-Lara MA. (2019) The potential of microplastics as carriers of metals. Environ Pollut 255.
Guo J-J, Huang X-P, Xiang L, Wang Y-Z, Li Y-W, Li H, et al. (2020a) Source, migration and toxicology of microplastics in soil. Environ Intl 137.
Guo J, Rong H, He L, Chen C, Zhang B, Tong M. (2024) Effects of arsenic on the transport and attachment of microplastics in porous media. J Hazard Mater 471.
Guo X, Hu G, Fan X, Jia H. (2020b) Sorption properties of cadmium on microplastics: the common practice experiment and a two-dimensional correlation spectroscopic study. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 190.
Guo X, Liu Y, Wang J. (2020c) Equilibrium, kinetics and molecular dynamic modeling of Sr2+ sorption onto microplastics. J Hazard Mater 400.
Guo X, Pang J, Chen S, Jia H (2018) Sorption properties of tylosin on four different microplastics. Chemosphere 209:240–245. (PMID: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.06.100)
Guo X, Wang J. (2021) Projecting the sorption capacity of heavy metal ions onto microplastics in global aquatic environments using artificial neural networks. J Hazard Mater 402.
Ho W-K, Law JC-F, Lo JC-W, Chng IK-X, Hor CH-H, Leung KS-Y (2022) Sorption behavior, speciation, and toxicity of microplastic-bound chromium in multisolute systems. Environ Sci Technol Lett 10:27–32. (PMID: 10.1021/acs.estlett.2c00689)
Holmes LA, Turner A, Thompson RC (2014) Interactions between trace metals and plastic production pellets under estuarine conditions. Mar Chem 167:25–32. (PMID: 10.1016/j.marchem.2014.06.001)
Holzer M, Mitrano DM, Carles L, Wagner B, Tlili A (2022) Important ecological processes are affected by the accumulation and trophic transfer of nanoplastics in a freshwater periphyton-grazer food chain. Environ Sci Nano 9:2990–3003. (PMID: 10.1039/D2EN00101B)
Horton AA, Newbold LK, Palacio-Cortes AM, Spurgeon DJ, Pereira MG, Carter H et al (2020) Accumulation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers and microbiome response in the great pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis with exposure to nylon (polyamide) microplastics. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 188:109882. (PMID: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2019.109882)
Hüffer T, Praetorius A, Wagner S, von der Kammer F, Hofmann T (2017) Microplastic exposure assessment in aquatic environments: learning from similarities and differences to engineered nanoparticles. Environ Sci Technol 51:2499–2507. (PMID: 10.1021/acs.est.6b04054)
Li M, Wu D, Wu D, Guo H, Han S (2021) Influence of polyethylene-microplastic on environmental behaviors of metals in soil. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28:28329–28336. (PMID: 10.1007/s11356-021-12718-y)
Lin J, Yan D, Fu J, Chen Y, Ou H (2020) Ultraviolet-C and vacuum ultraviolet inducing surface degradation of microplastics. Water Res 186:116360. (PMID: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116360)
Lin W-H, Kuo J, Lo S-L (2021) Effect of light irradiation on heavy metal adsorption onto microplastics. Chemosphere. 285.
Liu G, Dave PH, Kwong RWM, Wu M, Zhong H (2021) Influence of microplastics on the mobility, bioavailability, and toxicity of heavy metals: a review. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 107:710–721. (PMID: 10.1007/s00128-021-03339-9)
Liu M, Song X, Wang Q, Li S, Kou S, Gao Z et al. (2022) Sorption behavior and mechanisms of thallium to microplastics. Front Marine Sci. 9.
Nguyen T-B, Ho T-B-C, Huang CP, Chen C-W, Chen W-H, Hsieh S et al. (2022) Adsorption of lead(II) onto PE microplastics as a function of particle size: influencing factors and adsorption mechanism. Chemosphere. 304.
Ouyang X, Duarte CM, Cheung S-G, Tam NF-Y, Cannicci S, Martin C et al (2022) Fate and effects of macro- and microplastics in coastal wetlands. Environ Sci Technol 56:2386–2397. (PMID: 10.1021/acs.est.1c06732)
Padha S, Kumar R, Dhar A, Sharma P (2022) Microplastic pollution in mountain terrains and foothills: a review on source, extraction, and distribution of microplastics in remote areas. Environ Res. 207.
Pandey D, Banerjee T, Badola N, Chauhan JS (2022) Evidences of microplastics in aerosols and street dust: a case study of Varanasi City India. Environ Sci Pollut Res 29:82006–82013. (PMID: 10.1007/s11356-022-21514-1)
Parashar N, Hait S (2023) Plastic rain—atmospheric microplastics deposition in urban and peri-urban areas of Patna City, Bihar, India: distribution, characteristics, transport, and source analysis. J Hazard Mater. 458.
Qiongjie W, Yong Z, Yangyang Z, Zhouqi L, Jinxiaoxue W, Huijuan C (2022) Effects of biofilm on metal adsorption behavior and microbial community of microplastics. J Hazard Mater. 424.
Rai M, Pant G, Pant K, Aloo BN, Kumar G, Singh HB et al. (2023) Microplastic pollution in terrestrial ecosystems and its interaction with other soil pollutants: a potential threat to soil ecosystem sustainability. Resources. 12.
Rezaei Rashti M, Esfandbod M, Adhami E, Srivastava P (2014) Cadmium desorption behaviour in selected sub-tropical soils: effects of soil properties. J Geochem Explor 144:230–236. (PMID: 10.1016/j.gexplo.2014.01.023)
Rochman CM (2016) Strategies for reducing ocean plastic debris should be diverse and guided by science. Environ Res Lett. 11.
Seeley ME, Song B, Passie R, Hale RC (2020) Microplastics affect sedimentary microbial communities and nitrogen cycling. Nature Communications. 11.
Selvam S, Jesuraja K, Venkatramanan S, Roy PD, Jeyanthi Kumari V. (2021) Hazardous microplastic characteristics and its role as a vector of heavy metal in groundwater and surface water of coastal south India. JJ Hazard Mater. 402.
Song YK, Hong SH, Eo S, Jang M, Han GM, Isobe A et al (2018) Horizontal and vertical distribution of microplastics in Korean coastal waters. Environ Sci Technol 52:12188–12197. (PMID: 10.1021/acs.est.8b04032)
Su L, Sharp SM, Pettigrove VJ, Craig NJ, Nan B, Du F, et al. (2020) Superimposed microplastic pollution in a coastal metropolis. Water Research. 168.
Tan M, Liu L, Zhang M, Liu Y, Li C (2021) Effects of solution chemistry and humic acid on the transport of polystyrene microplastics in manganese oxides coated sand. J Hazard Mater 413:125410. (PMID: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.125410)
Tang N, Li X, Gao X, Liu X, Xing W (2022) The adsorption of arsenic on micro- and nano-plastics intensifies the toxic effect on submerged macrophytes. Environ Pollut. 311.
Tang S, Lin L, Wang X, Yu A, Sun X. (2021) Interfacial interactions between collected nylon microplastics and three divalent metal ions (Cu(II), Ni(II), Zn(II)) in aqueous solutions. J Hazard Mater. 403.
Tesán Onrubia JA, Djaoudi K, Borgogno F, Canuto S, Angeletti B, Besio G, et al. (2021) Quantification of microplastics in North-Western Mediterranean harbors: seasonality and biofilm-related metallic contaminants. J Marine Sci Eng. 9.
Vedolin MC, Teophilo CYS, Turra A, Figueira RCL (2018) Spatial variability in the concentrations of metals in beached microplastics. Mar Pollut Bull 129:487–493. (PMID: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.10.019)
Wang B, Wang C, Hu Y. (2022a) Sorption behavior of Pb(II) onto polyvinyl chloride microplastics affects the formation and ecological functions of microbial biofilms. Sci Total Environ. 832.
Wang F, Wang X, Song N. (2021a) Polyethylene microplastics increase cadmium uptake in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) by altering the soil microenvironment. Sci Total Environ. 784.
Wang F, Yang W, Cheng P, Zhang S, Zhang S, Jiao W et al (2019) Adsorption characteristics of cadmium onto microplastics from aqueous solutions. Chemosphere 235:1073–1080. (PMID: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.06.196)
Wang F, Zhang X, Zhang S, Zhang S, Sun Y (2020a) Interactions of microplastics and cadmium on plant growth and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities in an agricultural soil. Chemosphere. 254.
Wang L, Guo C, Qian Q, Lang D, Wu R, Abliz S et al. (2023) Adsorption behavior of UV aged microplastics on the heavy metals Pb(II) and Cu(II) in aqueous solutions. Chemosphere. 313.
Wang X, Wei N, Liu K, Zhu L, Li C, Zong C et al (2022b) Exponential decrease of airborne microplastics: From megacity to open ocean. Sci Total Environ 849:157702. (PMID: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157702)
Wang X, Zhou H, Chen Z, Meng X (2022c) Synchrotron-based X-ray diffraction and absorption spectroscopy studies on layered LiNixMnyCozO2 cathode materials: a review. Energy Storage Materials 49:181–208. (PMID: 10.1016/j.ensm.2022.04.012)
Wang Y, Wang X, Li Y, Li J, Liu Y, Xia S, et al. (2021b) Effects of exposure of polyethylene microplastics to air, water and soil on their adsorption behaviors for copper and tetracycline. Chem Eng J. 404.
Wang Z, Dong H, Wang Y, Ren R, Qin X, Wang S (2020b) Effects of microplastics and their adsorption of cadmium as vectors on the cladoceran Moina monogolica Daday: implications for plastic-ingesting organisms. J Hazard Mater 400:123239. (PMID: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.123239)
Wei XF, Bohlen M, Lindblad C, Hedenqvist M, Hakonen A (2021) Microplastics generated from a biodegradable plastic in freshwater and seawater. Water Res 198:117123. (PMID: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117123)
Yan M, Wang L, Dai Y, Sun H, Liu C (2021) Behavior of microplastics in inland waters: aggregation, settlement, and transport. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 107:700–709. (PMID: 10.1007/s00128-020-03087-2)
Yang H, Dong H, Huang Y, Chen G, Wang J (2022) Interactions of microplastics and main pollutants and environmental behavior in soils. Sci Total Environ. 821.
Yang J, Cang L, Sun Q, Dong G, Ata-Ul-Karim ST, Zhou D (2019) Effects of soil environmental factors and UV aging on Cu2+ adsorption on microplastics. Environ Sci Pollut Res 26:23027–23036. (PMID: 10.1007/s11356-019-05643-8)
Yang L, Zhang Y, Kang S, Wang Z, Wu C (2021) Microplastics in soil: a review on methods, occurrence, sources, and potential risk. Sci Total Environ. 780.
Yue Y, Li X, Wei Z, Zhang T, Wang H, Huang X et al. (2023) Recent Advances on multilevel effects of micro(nano)plastics and coexisting pollutants on terrestrial soil-plants system. Sustainability. 15.
Zhang S, Han B, Sun Y, Wang F (2020) Microplastics influence the adsorption and desorption characteristics of Cd in an agricultural soil. J Hazard Mater 388:121775. (PMID: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.121775)
Zhang S, Sun Z, Zheng T, He C, Lin D (2024) Nanoplastics increase algal absorption and toxicity of Cd through alterations in cell wall structure and composition. Water Res. 254.
Zhang X, Li Y, Ouyang D, Lei J, Tan Q, Xie L et al (2021) Systematical review of interactions between microplastics and microorganisms in the soil environment. J Hazard Mater 418:126288. (PMID: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.126288)
Zhang Y, Zhu C, Liu F, Yuan Y, Wu H, Li A (2019) Effects of ionic strength on removal of toxic pollutants from aqueous media with multifarious adsorbents: a review. Sci Total Environ 646:265–279. (PMID: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.07.279)
Zhang Z, Zulpiya M, Wang P (2022) Occurrence and sources of microplastics in dust of the Ebinur lake Basin, northwest China. Environ Geochem Health 45:1461–1474. (PMID: 10.1007/s10653-022-01279-9)
Zhao S, Zhang Z, Chen L, Cui Q, Cui Y, Song D et al. (2022) Review on migration, transformation and ecological impacts of microplastics in soil. Appl Soil Ecol 176.
Zhou Y, Liu X, Wang J (2019a) Characterization of microplastics and the association of heavy metals with microplastics in suburban soil of central China. Sci Total Environ 694.
Zhou Y, Liu X, Wang J. (2020a) Ecotoxicological effects of microplastics and cadmium on the earthworm Eisenia foetida. J Hazard Mater. 392.
Zhou Y, Xu BF, Wang PY et al (2019b) Study on the adsorption of trace arsenic and plumbum ion by microplastics[J]. J Zhejiang Univ Technol 47(6):648–653.
Zhou Y, Yang Y, Liu G, He G, Liu W. (2020b) Adsorption mechanism of cadmium on microplastics and their desorption behavior in sediment and gut environments: the roles of water pH, lead ions, natural organic matter and phenanthrene. Water Res. 184.
Zhu G, Yue K, Ni X, Yuan C, Wu F (2023) The types of microplastics, heavy metals, and adsorption environments control the microplastic adsorption capacity of heavy metals. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30:80807–80816. (PMID: 10.1007/s11356-023-28131-6)
Zou J, Liu X, Zhang D, Yuan X (2020) Adsorption of three bivalent metals by four chemical distinct microplastics. Chemosphere. 248.

2023YFC3711500 he National Key Research and Development Program of China

Keywords: Analytical methods; Bioavailability; Intricate interactions; Metal; Microplastic

0 (Microplastics)
0 (Environmental Pollutants)
0 (Metals)
0 (Metals, Heavy)
0 (Water Pollutants, Chemical)

Date Created: 20240621 Date Completed: 20240716 Latest Revision: 20241024

20241025

10.1007/s11356-024-34042-x

38904875