Feifei Feng, Wenqi Ye, et al. from institutions including Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, have conducted a review study entitled “Factors influencing the migration and distribution of microplastics in the environment”. This study was published in Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering, 2025, 19(10): 142.

Microplastics (MPs), as emerging environmental pollutants with diameters less than 5 mm, are ubiquitously distributed in aquatic, terrestrial, and atmospheric systems. Classified by chemical composition, particle size, and origin, they pose substantial harm to ecosystems and human health through bioaccumulation, composite pollution, and cross-media migration. However, the synergistic mechanisms underlying their cross-media migration and fate remain unclear. The aim of this review was to synthesize current insights into the complex interplay of factors influencing MP behavior. The researchers systematically summarized the key drivers including the intrinsic properties of MPs (size, shape, aging state) and environmental factors (physical: hydrological parameters, soil texture, meteorological factors, lighting and temperature; chemical: pH, inorganic ions, organic matter; biological: microorganisms, root organisms). These interconnected factors collectively dictate MP transport pathways, retention hotspots, and long-term ecological trajectories. Importantly, the review established a unified framework for the environmental interactions of microplastics, and proposed regulatory strategies including source control (banning primary MPs, developing biodegradable alternatives) and process interruption (using constructed wetlands, biochar, plant shelterbelts).

For more detailed information, the full paper is available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-025-2062-z.