Microplastics—small pieces of plastic less than 5 millimeters in length—are becoming ubiquitous ecological pollutants. Research has shown that these tiny particles are potentially harmful in their own right, and it’s unclear what effect they have on the pollutants attached to them. Now, researchers report in ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology Letters that UV filters in products like sunscreen can make metallic chromium more toxic when attached to microplastics. Because microplastics can accumulate other environmental pollutants, such as heavy metals or organic molecules, on their surfaces, they may pose more problems for wildlife, plants or humans than initially thought. Previous research has shown that heavy metals can easily attach to microplastics, a combination that could cause potential harm to aquatic life. But in addition to sticking to other pollutants, microplastics and the mixture of substances on them interact, changing their chemical properties.
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