Microplastics: a review of their impacts on different life forms and their removal methods

The effects of Micro/Nano-plastics exposure on plants and their toxic mechanisms: A review from multi-omics perspectives

In recent years, plastic pollution has become a global environmental problem, posing a potential threat to agricultural ecosystems and human health, and may further exacerbate global food security problems. Studies have revealed that exposure to micro/nano-plastics (MPs/NPs) might cause various aspects of physiological toxicities, including plant biomass reduction, intracellular oxidative stress burst, photosynthesis inhibition, water and nutrient absorption reduction, cellular and genotoxicity, seed germination retardation, and that the effects were closely related to MP/NP properties (type, particle size, functional groups), exposure concentration, exposure duration and plant characteristics (species, tissue, growth stage). Based on a brief review of the physiological toxicity of MPs/NPs to plant growth, this paper comprehensively reviews the potential molecular mechanism of MPs/NPs on plant growth from perspectives of multi-omics, including transcriptome, metabolome, proteome and microbiome, thus to reveal the role of MPs/NPs in plant transcriptional regulation, metabolic pathway reprogramming, protein translational and post-translational modification, as well as rhizosphere microbial remodeling at multiple levels. Meanwhile, this paper also provides prospects for future research, and clarifies the future research directions and the technologies adopted.

Microplastics and associated chemicals in drinking water: A review of their occurrence and human health implications

Microplastics (MPs) have entered drinking water (DW) via various pathways, raising concerns about their potential health impacts. This study provides a comprehensive review of MP-associated chemicals, such as oligomers, plasticizers, stabilizers, and ultraviolet (UV) filters that can be leached out during DW treatment and distribution. The leaching of these chemicals is influenced by various environmental and operating factors, with three major ones identified: MP concentration and polymer type, pH, and contact time. The leaching process is substantially enhanced during the disinfection step of DW treatment, due to ultraviolet light and/or disinfectant-triggered reactions. The study also reviewed human exposure to MPs and associated chemicals in DW, as well as their health impacts on the human nervous, digestive, reproductive, and hepatic systems, especially the neuroendocrine toxicity of endocrine-disrupting chemicals. An overview of MPs in DW, including tap water and bottled water, was also presented to enable a background understanding of MPs-associated chemicals. In short, certain chemicals leached from MPs in DW can have significant implications for human health and demand further research on their long-term health impacts, mitigation strategies, and interactions with other pollutants such as disinfection byproducts (DBPs) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). This study is anticipated to facilitate the research and management of MPs in DW and beverages.