Microplastics and Potentially Toxic Elements: Potential Human Exposure Pathways through Agricultural Lands and Policy Based Countermeasures

Microplastics (MPs) have been identified as an emerging soil pollutant and a global environmental concern. Scientists recently paid attention to the contamination of by MPs their detrimental impacts on systems are largely unknown. considered be vectors for other contaminants, such potentially toxic elements (PTEs) organic contaminants. PTEs persistent contaminants often released into soils in large quantities. adsorb PTEs, mainly via electrostatic attraction surface complexation, increase mobility soils. These complexes can easily absorbed plants; hence, accumulation plants enhanced both microplastic PTE contaminated Furthermore, there is high risk food chains due crops grown PTE-contaminated Consequently, countermeasures including policy- governance-based approaches that target circular economy well reduce, reuse, recycle (3R) applications being discussed around world minimize MPs.