Potential for Plastics to Transport Hydrophobic Contaminants

Adsorption of Gases in Multimolecular Layers

Brunauer, S., Emmett, P. H., & Teller, E. (1938) · Journal of the American Chemical Society · doi:10.1021/ja01269a023 · Cited by 28,156

Fouling of floating plastic debris under Biscayne Bay exposure conditions

Ye, S., & Andrady, A. L. (1991) · Marine Pollution Bulletin · doi:10.1016/0025-326x(91)90249-r · Cited by 366

Microplastics in the marine environment

Andrady, A. L. (2011) · Marine Pollution Bulletin · doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2011.05.030 · Cited by 8,105

Accumulation and fragmentation of plastic debris in global environments

Barnes, D. K. A., Galgani, F., Thompson, R. C., & Barlaz, M. (2009) · Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences · doi:10.1098/rstb.2008.0205 · Cited by 6,126

Microplastics as contaminants in the marine environment: A review

Cole, M., Lindeque, P., Halsband, C., & Galloway, T. S. (2011) · Marine Pollution Bulletin · doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2011.09.025 · Cited by 6,023

Plastic pollution in the world’s oceans: more than 5 trillion plastic pieces weighing over 250,000 tons afloat at sea

Eriksen, M., Lebreton, L. C. M., Carson, H. S., Thiel, M., Moore, C. J., Borerro, J. C., Galgani, F., Ryan, P. G., & Reisser, J. (2014) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0111913 · Cited by 4,710

Accumulation of microplastic on shorelines woldwide: Sources and sinks

Browne, M. A., Crump, P., Niven, S. J., Teuten, E., Tonkin, A., Galloway, T., & Thompson, R. (2011) · Environmental Science & Technology · doi:10.1021/es201811s · Cited by 4,548

Microplastics in Freshwater and Terrestrial Environments: Evaluating the Current Understanding to Identify the Knowledge Gaps and Future Research Priorities

Horton, A. A., Walton, A., Spurgeon, D. J., Lahive, E., & Svendsen, C. (2017) · Science of The Total Environment · doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.01.190 · Cited by 3,756

Transport and release of chemicals from plastics to the environment and to wildlife

Teuten, E. L., Saquing, J. M., Knappe, D. R. U., Barlaz, M. A., Jonsson, S., Björn, A., Rowland, S. J., Thompson, R. C., Galloway, T. S., Yamashita, R., et al. (2009) · Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences · doi:10.1098/rstb.2008.0284 · Cited by 2,938

Microplastic ingestion by zooplankton

Cole, M., Lindeque, P., Fileman, E., Halsband, C., Goodhead, R., Moger, J., & Galloway, T. S. (2013) · Environmental Science & Technology · doi:10.1021/es400663f · Cited by 2,763

Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Aquatic Environments: Aggregation, Deposition, and Enhanced Contaminant Transport

Alimi, O. S., Farner Budarz, J., Hernandez, L. M., & Tufenkji, N. (2018) · Environmental Science & Technology · doi:10.1021/acs.est.7b05559 · Cited by 2,668

Distribution and importance of microplastics in the marine environment: A review of the sources, fate, effects, and potential solutions

Auta, H. S., Emenike, C. U., & Fauziah, S. H. (2017) · Environment International · doi:10.1016/j.envint.2017.02.013 · Cited by 2,649

Microplastics in freshwater systems: A review of the emerging threats, identification of knowledge gaps and prioritisation of research needs

Eerkes-Medrano, D., Thompson, R. C., & Aldridge, D. C. (2015) · Water Research · doi:10.1016/j.watres.2015.02.012 · Cited by 2,638

Ingested Microscopic Plastic Translocates to the Circulatory System of the Mussel, Mytilus edulis (L.)

Browne, M. A., Dissanayake, A., Galloway, T. S., Lowe, D. M., & Thompson, R. C. (2008) · Environmental Science & Technology · doi:10.1021/es800249a · Cited by 2,263

The impact of debris on marine life

Gall, S. C., & Thompson, R. C. (2015) · Marine Pollution Bulletin · doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.12.041 · Cited by 2,187

Occurrence of Microplastics in the Gastrointestinal Tract of Pelagic and Demersal Fish from the English Channel

Lusher, A. L., McHugh, M., & Thompson, R. C. (2013) · Marine Pollution Bulletin · doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2012.11.028 · Cited by 2,075

Microplastic pollution in the surface waters of the Laurentian Great Lakes

Eriksen, M., Mason, S., Wilson, S., Box, C., Zellers, A., Edwards, W., Farley, H., & Amato, S. (2013) · Marine Pollution Bulletin · doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2013.10.007 · Cited by 1,937

Airborne microplastics: consequences to human health?

Prata, J. C. (2018) · Environmental Pollution · doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2017.11.043 · Cited by 1,852

Plastics in soil: Analytical methods and possible sources

Bläsing, M., & Amelung, W. (2018) · Science of The Total Environment · doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.08.086 · Cited by 1,655

Microplastics in freshwater ecosystems: what we know and what we need to know

Wagner, M., Scherer, C., Alvarez-Muñoz, D., Brennholt, N., Bourrain, X., Buchinger, S., Fries, E., Grosbois, C., Klasmeier, J., Marti, T., et al. (2014) · Environmental Sciences Europe · doi:10.1186/s12302-014-0012-7 · Cited by 1,543

Contributing to marine pollution by washing your face: Microplastics in facial cleansers

Fendall, L. S., & Sewell, M. A. (2009) · Marine Pollution Bulletin · doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2009.04.025 · Cited by 1,525

Trophic level transfer of microplastic: Mytilus edulis (L.) to Carcinus maenas (L.)

Farrell, P., & Nelson, K. (2013) · Environmental Pollution · doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2013.01.046 · Cited by 1,507

Impacts of biofilm formation on the fate and potential effects of microplastic in the aquatic environment

Rummel, C. D., Jahnke, A., Gorokhova, E., Kühnel, D., & Schmitt-Jansen, M. (2017) · Environmental Science & Technology Letters · doi:10.1021/acs.estlett.7b00164 · Cited by 1,444

Plastic accumulation in the North Atlantic subtropical gyre

Law, K. L., Morét-Ferguson, S., Maximenko, N. A., Proskurowski, G., Peacock, E. E., Hafner, J., & Reddy, C. M. (2010) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1192321 · Cited by 1,377

Studies of the Effects of Microplastics on Aquatic Organisms: What Do We Know and Where Should We Focus Our Efforts in the Future?

de Sá, L. C., Oliveira, M., Ribeiro, F., Rocha, T. L., & Futter, M. N. (2018) · Science of The Total Environment · doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.07.207 · Cited by 1,316

Emergence of Nanoplastic in the Environment and Possible Impact on Human Health

Lehner, R., Weder, C., Petri-Fink, A., & Rothen-Rutishauser, B. (2019) · Environmental Science & Technology · doi:10.1021/acs.est.8b05512 · Cited by 1,242

Potential Health Impact of Environmentally Released Micro- and Nanoplastics in the Human Food Production Chain: Experiences from Nanotoxicology

Bouwmeester, H., Hollman, P. C. H., & Peters, R. J. B. (2015) · Environmental Science & Technology · doi:10.1021/acs.est.5b01090 · Cited by 1,180

Microplastic Moves Pollutants and Additives to Worms, Reducing Functions Linked to Health and Biodiversity

Browne, M. A., Niven, S. J., Galloway, T. S., Rowland, S. J., & Thompson, R. C. (2013) · Current Biology · doi:10.1016/j.cub.2013.10.012 · Cited by 1,160

Microplastics are taken up by mussels (Mytilus edulis) and lugworms (Arenicola marina) living in natural habitats

Van Cauwenberghe, L., Claessens, M., Vandegehuchte, M. B., & Janssen, C. R. (2015) · Environmental Pollution · doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2015.01.008 · Cited by 1,084

Widespread distribution of microplastics in subsurface seawater in the NE Pacific Ocean

Desforges, J.-P. W., Galbraith, M., Dangerfield, N., & Ross, P. S. (2014) · Marine Pollution Bulletin · doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2013.12.035 · Cited by 1,045

Investigating microplastic trophic transfer in marine top predators

Nelms, S. E., Galloway, T. S., Godley, B. J., Jarvis, D. S., & Lindeque, P. K. (2018) · Environmental Pollution · doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2018.02.016 · Cited by 1,039

Physical Adsorption of Charged Plastic Nanoparticles Affects Algal Photosynthesis

Bhattacharya, P., Lin, S., Turner, J. P., & Ke, P. C. (2010) · The Journal of Physical Chemistry C · doi:10.1021/jp1054759 · Cited by 1,021

Microplastic contamination of river beds significantly reduced by catchment-wide flooding

Hurley, R., Woodward, J., & Rothwell, J. J. (2018) · Nature Geoscience · doi:10.1038/s41561-018-0080-1 · Cited by 1,003

Effects of Microplastic on Fitness and PCB Bioaccumulation by the Lugworm Arenicola marina (L.)

Besseling, E., Wegner, A., Foekema, E. M., van den Heuvel-Greve, M. J., & Koelmans, A. A. (2013) · Environmental Science & Technology · doi:10.1021/es302763x · Cited by 1,012

Presence of microplastics and nanoplastics in food, with particular focus on seafood

(CONTAM), E. P. O. C. I. T. F. C. (2016) · EFSA Journal · doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2016.4501 · Cited by 958

Early microbial biofilm formation on marine plastic debris

Lobelle, D., & Cunliffe, M. (2011) · Marine Pollution Bulletin · doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2010.10.013 · Cited by 962

Adsorption behavior of organic pollutants on microplastics

Fu, L., Li, J., Wang, G., Luan, Y., & Dai, W. (2021) · Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety · doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2021.112207 · Cited by 932

(Micro)plastic crisis: Un-ignorable contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions and climate change

Shen, M., Huang, W., Chen, M., Song, B., Zeng, G., & Zhang, Y. (2020) · Journal of Cleaner Production · doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.120138 · Cited by 870

Single and combined effects of microplastics and pyrene on juveniles (0+ group) of the common goby Pomatoschistus microps (teleostei: gobiidae)

Oliveira, M., Ribeiro, A., Hylland, K., & Guilhermino, L. (2013) · Ecological Indicators · doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2013.06.019 · Cited by 722

Microplastics in the aquatic environment: Evidence for or against adverse impacts and major knowledge gaps

Burns, E. E., & Boxall, A. B. A. (2018) · Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry · doi:10.1002/etc.4268 · Cited by 713

The effect of wind mixing on the vertical distribution of buoyant plastic debris

Kukulka, T., Proskurowski, G., Morét‐Ferguson, S., Meyer, D. W., & Law, K. L. (2012) · Geophysical Research Letters · doi:10.1029/2012gl051116 · Cited by 713

Marine microplastics as vectors of major ocean pollutants and its hazards to the marine ecosystem and humans

Amelia, T. S. M., Khalik, W. M. A. W. M., Ong, M. C., Shao, Y. T., Pan, H.-J., & Bhubalan, K. (2021) · Progress in Earth and Planetary Science · doi:10.1186/s40645-020-00405-4 · Cited by 641

Microplastics in aquatic environments: implications for Canadian ecosystems

Anderson, J. C., Park, B. J., & Palace, V. P. (2016) · Environmental Pollution · doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2016.06.074 · Cited by 624

Large Accumulation of Micro-sized Synthetic Polymer Particles in the Sea Surface Microlayer

Song, Y. K., Hong, S. H., Jang, M., Kang, J.-H., Kwon, O. Y., Han, G. M., & Shim, W. J. (2014) · Environmental Science & Technology · doi:10.1021/es501757s · Cited by 609

Microbes on a bottle: substrate, season and geography influence community composition of microbes colonizing marine plastic debris

Oberbeckmann, S., Osborn, A. M., & Duhaime, M. B. (2016) · PLOS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0159289 · Cited by 572

Interactions between microplastics, pharmaceuticals and personal care products: Implications for vector transport

Atugoda, T., Vithanage, M., Wijesekara, H., Bolan, N., Sarmah, A. K., Bank, M. S., You, S., & Ok, Y. S. (2021) · Environment International · doi:10.1016/j.envint.2020.106367 · Cited by 561

Microplastic and macroplastic ingestion by a deep diving, oceanic cetacean: The True's beaked whale Mesoplodon mirus

Lusher, A. L., Hernandez-Milian, G., O'Brien, J., Berrow, S., O'Connor, I., & Officer, R. (2015) · Environmental Pollution · doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2015.01.023 · Cited by 551

Spatial and seasonal variation in diversity and structure of microbial biofilms on marine plastics in Northern European waters

Oberbeckmann, S., Loeder, M. G. J., Gerdts, G., & Osborn, A. M. (2014) · FEMS Microbiology Ecology · doi:10.1111/1574-6941.12409 · Cited by 540

Is there any consistency between the microplastics found in the field and those used in laboratory experiments?

Phuong, N. N., Zalouk-Vergnoux, A., Poirier, L., Kamari, A., Châtel, A., Mouneyrac, C., & Lagarde, F. (2016) · Environmental Pollution · doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2015.12.035 · Cited by 526

Interaction of chemical contaminants with microplastics: principles and perspectives

Fred-Ahmadu, O. H., Bhagwat, G., Oluyoye, I., Benson, N. U., Ayejuyo, O. O., & Palanisami, T. (2020) · Science of The Total Environment · doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135978 · Cited by 505

Suspended fine particulate matter (PM2.5), microplastics (MPs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in air: Their possible relationships and health implications

Akhbarizadeh, R., Dobaradaran, S., Amouei Torkmahalleh, M., Saeedi, R., Aibaghi, R., & Faraji Ghasemi, F. (2021) · Environmental Research · doi:10.1016/j.envres.2020.110339 · Cited by 465

Microbial degradation of low density polyethylene (LDPE): a review

Kumar Sen, S., & Raut, S. (2015) · Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering · doi:10.1016/j.jece.2015.01.003 · Cited by 456

Degradation of plastic carrier bags in the marine environment

O’Brine, T., & Thompson, R. C. (2010) · Marine Pollution Bulletin · doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2010.08.005 · Cited by 431

Microplastic ingestion by Daphnia magna and its enhancement on algal growth

Canniff, P. M., & Hoang, T. C. (2018) · Science of The Total Environment · doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.03.176 · Cited by 411

Assessment of microplastic toxicity to embryonic development of the sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus (Echinodermata: Echinoidea)

Nobre, C. R., Santana, M. F. M., Maluf, A., Cortez, F. S., Cesar, A., Pereira, C. D. S., & Turra, A. (2015) · Marine Pollution Bulletin · doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.12.050 · Cited by 400

Sorption Behavior and Mechanisms of Organic Contaminants to Nano and Microplastics

Wang, F., Zhang, M., Sha, W., Wang, Y., Hao, H., Dou, Y., & Li, Y. (2020) · Molecules · doi:10.3390/molecules25081827 · Cited by 314

Ingestion and egestion of microplastics by the cladoceran Daphnia magna: effects of regular and irregular shaped plastic and sorbed phenanthrene

Frydkjær, C. K., Iversen, N., & Roslev, P. (2017) · Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology · doi:10.1007/s00128-017-2186-3 · Cited by 269

Ingested microplastics (>100μm) are translocated to organs of the tropical fiddler crab Uca rapax

Brennecke, D., Ferreira, E. C., Costa, T. M. M., Appel, D., da Gama, B. A. P., & Lenz, M. (2015) · Marine Pollution Bulletin · doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.05.001 · Cited by 266

Microplastic in fish – A global synthesis

Wootton, N., Reis-Santos, P., & Gillanders, B. M. (2021) · Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries · doi:10.1007/s11160-021-09684-6 · Cited by 226

Microplastics are not important for the cycling and bioaccumulation of organic pollutants in the oceans—but should microplastics be considered POPs themselves?

Lohmann, R. (2017) · Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management · doi:10.1002/ieam.1914 · Cited by 204

Investigation and analysis of microplastics in sewage sludge and biosolids: A case study from one wastewater treatment works in the UK

Harley-Nyang, D., Memon, F. A., Jones, N., & Galloway, T. (2022) · Science of The Total Environment · doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153735 · Cited by 192

Assessment of microplastic-sorbed contaminant bioavailability through analysis of biomarker gene expression in larval zebrafish

Sleight, V. A., Bakir, A., Thompson, R. C., & Henry, T. B. (2017) · Marine Pollution Bulletin · doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.12.055 · Cited by 190

Transfer of PCBs from Microplastics under Simulated Gut Fluid Conditions Is Biphasic and Reversible

Mohamed Nor, N. H., & Koelmans, A. A. (2019) · Environmental Science & Technology · doi:10.1021/acs.est.8b05143 · Cited by 186

Source, Distribution and Emerging Threat of Micro-and Nanoplastics to marine Organism and Human Health: Socio-Economic Impact and Management Strategies

Mofijur, M., Ahmed, S. F., Rahman, S. M. A., Arafat Siddiki, S. Y., Islam, A. B. M. S., Shahabuddin, M., Ong, H. C., Mahlia, T. M. I., Djavanroodi, F., & Show, P. L. (2021) · Environmental Research · doi:10.1016/j.envres.2021.110857 · Cited by 172

Microplastics in lakes and rivers: An issue of emerging significance to limnology

D’Avignon, G., Gregory-Eaves, I., & Ricciardi, A. (2022) · Environmental Reviews · doi:10.1139/er-2021-0048 · Cited by 169

The Effect of Microplastic on the Uptake of Chemicals by the Lugworm Arenicola marina (L.) under Environmentally Relevant Exposure Conditions

Besseling, E., Foekema, E. M., van den Heuvel-Greve, M. J., & Koelmans, A. A. (2017) · Environmental Science & Technology · doi:10.1021/acs.est.7b02286 · Cited by 153

Microplastics reduce short-term effects of environmental contaminants. Part I: effects of bisphenol a on freshwater zooplankton are lower in presence of polyamide particles

Rehse, S., Kloas, W., & Zarfl, C. (2018) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph15020280 · Cited by 138

Proceed with caution: The need to raise the publication bar for microplastics research

Provencher, J. F., Covernton, G. A., Moore, R. C., Horn, D. A., Conkle, J. L., & Lusher, A. L. (2020) · Science of The Total Environment · doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141426 · Cited by 133

Investigation on the adsorption and desorption behaviors of heavy metals by tire wear particles with or without UV ageing processes

Fan, X., Ma, Z., Zou, Y., Liu, J., & Hou, J. (2021) · Environmental Research · doi:10.1016/j.envres.2021.110858 · Cited by 135

The Role of Biodegradable Plastic in Solving Plastic Solid Waste Accumulation

Dilkes-Hoffman, L. S., Pratt, S., Lant, P. A., & Laycock, B. (2019) · Plastics to Energy · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-813140-4.00019-4 · Cited by 117

Characterising the deterioration of different plastics in air and seawater

Biber, N. F. A., Foggo, A., & Thompson, R. C. (2019) · Marine Pollution Bulletin · doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.02.068 · Cited by 101

Toxicity of microplastics and natural particles in the freshwater dipteran Chironomus riparius: Same same but different?

Scherer, C., Wolf, R., Völker, J., Stock, F., Brennhold, N., Reifferscheid, G., & Wagner, M. (2020) · Science of The Total Environment · doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134604 · Cited by 96

Passive buoyant tracers in the ocean surface boundary layer: 2. Observations and simulations of microplastic marine debris

Brunner, K., Kukulka, T., Proskurowski, G., & Law, K. L. (2015) · Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans · doi:10.1002/2015jc010840 · Cited by 87

Accelerated degradation of low-density polyethylene in air and in sea water

Andrady, A. L., Lavender Law, K., Donohue, J., & Koongolla, B. (2022) · Science of The Total Environment · doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151368 · Cited by 83

Plastic microbeads: Small yet mighty concerning

Miraj, S. S., Parveen, N., & Zedan, H. S. (2021) · International Journal of Environmental Health Research · doi:10.1080/09603123.2019.1689233 · Cited by 73

Native soil fungi associated with compostable plastics in three contrasting agricultural settings

Moore-Kucera, J., Cox, S. B., Peyron, M., Bailes, G., Kinloch, K., Karich, K., Miles, C., Inglis, D. A., & Brodhagen, M. (2014) · Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology · doi:10.1007/s00253-014-5711-x · Cited by 58

Upcycling of polyethylene terephthalate plastic waste to microporous carbon structure for energy storage

Mirjalili, A., Dong, B., Pena, P., Ozkan, C. S., & Ozkan, M. (2020) · Energy Storage · doi:10.1002/est2.201 · Cited by 46

Characterization of petroleum-based plastics and their absorbed trace metals from the sediments of the Marina Beach in Chennai, India

Suman, T. Y., Li, W.-G., Alif, S., Faris, V. R. P., Amarnath, D. J., Ma, J.-G., & Pei, D.-S. (2020) · Environmental Sciences Europe · doi:10.1186/s12302-020-00388-5 · Cited by 45

Clean, but not green: Emission assessment, forecast modelling and policy solutions for plastic microbeads from personal care products in India

Alex, R. K., Maes, T., & Devipriya, S. P. (2024) · Emerging Contaminants · doi:10.1016/j.emcon.2024.100326 · Cited by 28

In situ laboratory for plastic degradation in the Red Sea

Brümmer, F., Schnepf, U., Resch, J., Jemmali, R., Abdi, R., Kamel, H. M., Bonten, C., & Müller, R.-W. (2022) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-022-15310-7 · Cited by 14

Environmentally relevant concentrations of microplastics and phenanthrene show limited effects on the behaviour and physiology of green crab lineages

Cozzolino, L., Nicastro, K. R., McQuaid, C. D., Halldórsson, H. P., Lima, F. P., & Zardi, G. I. (2025) · Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety · doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2025.118829 · Cited by 2