Micro(nano)plastics: A review on their interactions with pharmaceuticals and pesticides

This review provides an overview of the current knowledge addressing the interactions between micro(nano) plastics (MNPs) and pharmaceuticals or pesticides, highlights the main findings, and outlines research perspectives for future investigations. The available studies demonstrated that MNPs can act as pollutant carriers. The reviewed literature reveals that MNPs influence the toxicity of pharmaceuticals and pesticides in various environmental compartments, modulating the toxicity of pharmaceuticals and pesticides, either through antagonistic or synergistic interactions. MNPs have been shown to mostly confer protective effects against the toxicity of antibiotics, while exacerbating the toxic effects of certain pesticides. To ensure a more comprehensive understanding of the interactions between MNPs and pharmaceuticals/pesticides, future research should focus on several key aspects that include more environmentally relevant scenarios (e.g., concentrations, long-term exposures), elucidation of the underlying mechanisms of action at molecular and cellular levels,addressing effects on different species and also considering climate change scenarios.