Microplastics carry chemical, biological contaminants: Review

Microplastics can carry both chemical and biological contaminants, transporting toxic chemicals, microorganisms, and antibiotic resistance genes through water, soil, food webs, and across environmental boundaries, in addition to causing pollution, a new review shows. While microplastics are known for harmful effects in organisms and ecosystems, their environmental impact may extend far beyond the plastic particles themselves, researchers said. The review, published in the journal Energy and Environment Nexus, also introduces a three-tiered framework for understanding the physical, chemical and biological factors that determine when these tra…