Microplastics as vectors of pharmaceuticals in aquatic organisms – An overview of their environmental implications
dc.contributor.author
dc.date.accessioned
2022-07-26T10:03:08Z
dc.date.available
2022-07-26T10:03:08Z
dc.date.issued
2021-06
dc.identifier.issn
2666-0164
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dc.description.abstract
Microplastics (MPs) have been recognized as an environmental threat due to their persistence, ubiquity, and toxicity potential. Due to their small size, MPs are endowed with a large specific surface area, having the ability to sorb and accumulate other contaminants that co-exist with them in the aquatic environment as it is the case of pharmaceuticals. In this way, MPs can act as vectors, facilitating the contact of pharmaceuticals with aquatic organisms. Once ingested, MPs may desorb pharmaceuticals, increasing their bioavailability, which could promote their bioaccumulation and biomagnification through the food web as well as modulate their toxic effects. Microplastics may differently impact the toxicity of pharmaceuticals by potentiating (synergism) or decreasing (antagonism) it. This review aims at highlighting the role of MPs as vectors of pharmaceuticals to aquatic organisms and how the interaction of these emerging contaminants may influence the bioaccumulation and toxicity of pharmaceuticals on biota. Examples of different scenarios resulting from the exposure of aquatic life to MPs and pharmaceuticals are presented. Future studies should cover a broader range of polymer types and environmental realistic concentrations to better understand the impact of MPs on the bioaccumulation and toxicity of pharmaceuticals
dc.description.sponsorship
This work was funded by the Spanish State Research Agency of the
Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities and European
Fund for Regional Development (project PLAS-MED; FEDER-MCIU-AEI/
CTM2017-89701-C3-2-R). Authors thank Generalitat de Catalunya
through Consolidated Research Group (ICRA-ENV 2017 SGR 1124 &
2017 SGR 1404). ICRA researchers thank funding from CERCA program.
Lúcia H.M.L.M. Santos thanks the Juan de la Cierva program (IJCI-2017-
32747) and Sara Rodríguez-Mozaz thanks the Ramon y Cajal program
(RYC-2014-16707) from the Spanish State Research Agency of the
Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (AEI-MCIU)
dc.format.mimetype
application/pdf
dc.language.iso
eng
dc.publisher
Elsevier
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Reproducció digital del document publicat a: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cscee.2021.100079
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Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering, 2021, vol. 3, art. núm. 100079
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Articles publicats (D-EQATA)
dc.rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
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dc.subject
dc.title
Microplastics as vectors of pharmaceuticals in aquatic organisms – An overview of their environmental implications
dc.type
info:eu-repo/semantics/article
dc.rights.accessRights
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.type.version
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
dc.identifier.doi
dc.type.peerreviewed
peer-reviewed