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Microplastics (MPs) Act as Sources and Vector of Pollutants‐Impact Hazards and Preventive Measures

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Abstract

Currently, people are paying more and more attention to the interaction between microplastics (MPs) and chemical substances (including metals and organic substances), so it is necessary to understand the relationship between MPs and chemical substances. In this review, we explored (1) MPs may become a source of chemical substances. (2) MPs can also be used as a carrier for attaching pollutants. (3) No matter what role MPs play, MPs and the attached chemical substances will have harmful effects on biological systems. However, because the current research is not deep enough, more experimental areas are needed to explore the interaction mechanism and the principle of toxicity. In addition, laws and policies need to be developed that actively promote and strive to develop biodegradable alternative microplastics to reduce the harm of microplastics and their additives to the environment.

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Acknowledgements

This research was funded by the Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. LY20B070011), the Science and Technology Program of Zhejiang Food and Drug Administration, China (Grant No. 2,021,002) and the Science and Technology Program of Zhoushan, Zhejiang Provincial, China (Grant No. 2019C31042).

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  1. College of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China

    Yingfei Sheng, Xueying Ye, Ying Zhou & Ruojia Li

  2. Environmental Microplastic Pollution Research Center, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China

    Ying Zhou

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Sheng, Y., Ye, X., Zhou, Y. et al. Microplastics (MPs) Act as Sources and Vector of Pollutants‐Impact Hazards and Preventive Measures. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 107, 722–729 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-021-03226-3

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