Microplastic-radionuclide complexes: Diffusion mechanisms and multidimensional threats

Global marine microplastics and pollution radionuclides have emerged as significant research focal points in the field of environmental science, with their potential ecological risks and health threats being complex and far-reaching. Meanwhile, in recent years, the discharge of radioactive nuclear wastewater has also attracted global attention. Microplastics can facilitate the transregional migration and diffusion of radionuclides, while radionuclides can exacerbate the toxic effects of microplastics on living organisms. The combined threat posed by microplastics-radionuclide complexes (MRC) to both ecosystems and human health is compounded. The potential impact of MRC contamination is multi-dimensional, long-term, and global in scope. MRCs can spread to global oceans through ocean currents and may evaporate into the atmospheric circulation, forming radioactive rainfall and polluting terrestrial water sources and soil. The infiltration of groundwater systems further expands the scope of pollution and threatens terrestrial ecosystems. In addition, the potential impacts of wastewater with MRCs have multidimensional, long-term, and global characteristics, involving complex issues such as ecological chain collapse, health risk escalation, and economic cost surges. This paper discusses the current contamination status of MRC, elucidates the adsorption processes, mechanisms, and toxic effects associated with MRC, and critically highlights the knowledge gaps and challenges in MRC research. A comprehensive understanding of the environmental behavior and potential threats posed by MRC is essential for developing effective identification and removal techniques.