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Shapes of typical microplastics collected from inland waters (Qinghai Lake and Three Gorges Reservoir) in China (a, sheet; b, film; c, line/fiber; d, fragment; e, pellet/granule; f, foam)
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The presence of microplastics in marine environment is increasingly reported and has been recognized as an issue of emerging concern that might adversely affect wildlife and cause potential risk to the health of marine ecosystems. In addition, preliminary works demonstrated that microplastics are ubiquitously present in many inland waters with conc...
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Citations
... Only when MPs are exposed to the elements can their color change (Wu et al., 2018). High solar radiation and microplastic color may contribute to microplastic abundance. ...
... The spectra for PET were identified by the peaks at 1240 and 1409, which was evidence of C-O and aromatic skeleton stretching, whilst the peak at 1713 was due to carbonyl group vibrations. The omnipresence of PP and PE in surface water samples of this study was not a surprise, as the two polymers are the most extensively manufactured across the globe and have been documented in other freshwater environments (Wu et al. 2018). Consumer items like plastic bags, bottles, and Tupperware are PE, PS, and PP products. ...
The omnipresence of microplastic (MP) particles in environmental matrices of rivers is on the rise and has become a focal point of aquatic research. The study investigated the spatiotemporal distribution of MPs and adsorption of heavy metals (HMs) in the Buffalo River of South Africa. The findings of the study showed that a sum of 874 MPs was enumerated from the samples collected in the river system. The MP particles ranged between 0.35–0.75 particles·L ⁻¹ during the dry winter and 0.3–0.9 particles·L ⁻¹ in wet summer seasons in surface water. The range in sediments was 3–32 particles·kg ⁻¹ and 2–23 particles·kg ⁻¹ during the dry winter and wet summer seasons, respectively. The results showed that temporal rainfall patterns had a significant ( p = 0.009 < 0.05) influence on MP abundances in sediments. Fibers and fragments were the main shapes, while polyethylene and polypropylene were ubiquitous. HMs such as nickel, copper, and iron with concentrations of 36.49 ± 3.96, 14.33 ± 0.87, and 356.47 ± 73.66 µg·g ⁻¹ were adsorbed on surfaces of the microplastics, with iron being strongly correlated with the 3 mm and 1 mm size fractions and copper with the 2 mm fraction. The study has provided insights into the influence of climatic conditions on MP abundances and how plastics adsorb chemical pollutants such as HMs in environmental conditions. Moreover, the study has yielded baseline data on MP pollution in Buffalo River, which is helpful to the relevant authorities of the country’s ongoing River Health Program.
... All the particles were examined under a stereomicroscope (Olympus SZ61TR). Microplastics are classified into six shapes: fibers, fragments, films, sheets, granules, and foams (Wu et al. 2018). Fig. 2 shows the shapes of the microplastics obtained from the WWTP. ...
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) are significant contributors to the release of microplastics into aquatic environments. Due to the limited information available in Thailand, examining microplastics from WWTPs could assist the Thai government in establishing guidelines for future microplastic control. This study identified microplastics in various WWTPs across Bangkok, Thailand, during two seasons: the dry period (February to May 2022) and the wet period (June to October 2022). The findings revealed a higher abundance of microplastics during the wet season compared to the dry season. In both influent and effluent, fibers were the predominant shape, making up approximately 86.65% during the dry period and 94.37% during the wet period. Fragments, films, granules, and foam were also detected in all samples. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE), and polypropylene (PP) were the most common polymers present in the microplastic samples. The study also highlighted that the removal efficiency of microplastics from WWTPs ranged from 16.7% to 85.4% during the dry period and from 27.6% to 81.0% during the wet period. These results underscore the importance of long-term monitoring and quantification of microplastics in different WWTP systems in Bangkok. This data can be utilized to estimate microplastic loading in WWTPs and develop effective strategies for microplastic removal from wastewater.
... However, the extensive use of single-use plastics generates significant waste, leading to persistent environmental pollution. Plastic debris diminishes the esthetic and recreational value of ecosystems and poses long-term risks due to its low recovery rate and poor biodegradability, resulting in bioaccumulation in organisms and the environment [2][3][4][5]. Plastic debris in the marine environment was first reported in the 1970s [6] and has since spread rapidly due to increasing global production. Over just a few decades, plastic waste has infiltrated terrestrial ecosystems, inland waters, oceans, remote islands, and even deep-sea regions. ...
Microplastic (MP) pollution in inland water bodies, such as rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, is a growing environmental concern, yet research on its ecological impacts in freshwater ecosystems remains limited compared to marine environments. Microplastics, defined as particles smaller than 5 mm, have been detected in freshwater systems globally, and their presence is widespread across diverse aquatic habitats. This review examines the sources, distribution, persistence, and ecological consequences of microplastics in freshwater ecosystems, emphasizing their bioaccumulation in organisms from plankton to fish, and the potential risks to human health through microplastic-contaminated fish consumption. Ingestion of microplastics by aquatic organisms can cause physical harm, such as entanglement, and chemical toxicity, including oxidative stress and the accumulation of harmful substances. The trophic transfer of microplastics through the food web raises concerns about higher-level organisms, including humans. Despite these risks, significant knowledge gaps exist regarding the long-term effects of microplastics on freshwater ecosystems. The review calls for improved monitoring, mitigation strategies, and regulatory frameworks to address this issue. Further research is needed to understand the full extent of microplastic pollution in freshwater environments and its impacts on both biodiversity and human health.
... This ubiquity of plastics signifies a hallmark of the anthropocene era. To align plastics with their intended applications, various chemical additives based on polymers are employed, resulting the variations in structure and performance within polymer categories, contingent on the type and quantity of additives used (Wu et al., 2018).The enhanced synthetic polymers, commonly referred to as plastics, possess diverse attributes including broad molecular mass, malleability, cost-effectiveness, high strength-to-weight ratio, and resistance to water, often derived from the petrochemical sources (Prata et al., 2021). ...
Microplastics (MPs) pollution in soil have emerged as a significant environmental concern, infiltrating ecosystems and posing threats to ecological, plants, human, and animal health. We aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of microplastics, exploring their types, sources, pathways, and impacts across different environmental compartments. Begins with an introduction to microplastics, this review offers details on their classification and examines their omnipresence in aquatic and across other environments highlighting their persistent nature and complex pathways. It culminates the urban runoff, industrial discharges, anthropogenic activities, and agricultural inputs as major contributors, underscoring the need for targeted intervention strategies. The review underscores the detrimental effects of microplastics on aquatic life, soil fertility, and food safety, while also addressing the broader societal implications, including economic costs and public health concerns. Sampling and detection methods for microplastics are critically reviewed, covering advanced techniques and technologies that enable accurate identification and quantification of these pollutants. Overall, underscoring the dynamic nature of the microplastic pollution by synthesizing current knowledge and advancements, this review calls for the long-term monitoring and adaptive management strategies for future research, policy-making, and public initiatives towards a sustainable and microplastic-free environment.
Graphical Abstract
... Visual, microscopic, and tweezers-assisted assessments were employed to evaluate shape, size and color. Microplastic shapes were categorized into five groups: fiber, film, pellet, foam, and fragment [24]. Size classification was conducted based on length (L), with categories including L < 50 µm, 50 < L < 100 µm, 100 < L < 500 mm, and L > 500 µm, aided by digital microscope images and provided scales. ...
Microplastic (MP) contamination in indoor environments has become a growing concern due to its potential health risks and environmental implications. Since humans spend a significant portion of their lives indoors, exposure to MPs through various pathways, including settled dust, air, water, and food, is a substantial concern. Ventilation, air conditioning, and filtration systems play a crucial role in improving indoor air quality. This study investigated the effectiveness of Air Purifier Units (APUs) in reducing MP concentrations in office environments within a Malaysian university. The efficiency of APUs can vary depending on factors such as purifier type, filtration method, airflow rate, and room size. The results demonstrated a 35% average reduction in MP counts when APUs were operational, regardless of whether air vents were open or closed. Specifically, with air vents open, MP counts decreased from 1273.8 to 825.5 when the APU was on. Similarly, with air vents closed, counts dropped from 1272.4 to 831.5. These findings were further validated through statistical analysis using the Shapiro-Wilk test for normality and the Kruskal-Wallis test, Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test, and Dunn’s test for group comparisons. The study’s findings highlight the significant impact of APUs in mitigating airborne MP exposure, contributing to improved indoor air quality and reducing potential health risks associated with MP inhalation. These results provide valuable insights for building managers, policymakers, and individuals seeking to create healthier indoor environments.
... The presence of microplastics in the marine environment is a problem that is receiving more attention and is now acknowledged as one of the growing concerns since it could harm animals and pose hazards to the health of marine ecosystems. Additionally, early research has shown that microplastics are widely distributed in much inland water, with a higher concentration than in the coastal environment (Wu et al., 2018). Microplastics have become prevalent environmental contaminants in both freshwater and marine ecosystems (Limonta et al., 2019). ...
The use of cosmetic products is expanding globally, and with it, so is the range of chemical substances employed in their production. As a result, there is also a higher risk of intoxication, allergic reactions, prolonged chemical exposure, adverse effects, and indiscriminate use. Cosmetic products can contain more than 10,000 ingredients. Most users of synthetic cosmetics are unaware of the harmful effects if they even are. However, it is linked to many diseases like cancer, congenital disabilities, reproductive impairments, developmental systems, contact dermatitis, hair loss, lung damage, old age, skin diseases and reactions, allergies, and harm to human nails. Many beauty products also create a high demand for natural oils, leading to extensive and intensive cultivation, harming natural habitats through deforestation, and contaminating soil and water through pesticides and fertilizers. The adverse effects of hazardous substances in synthetic cosmetics extend beyond human health and influence ecosystems, air quality, and oceans. Thus, this review aims to assess the environmental and health impacts of cosmetics using published scientific articles. The study used a systematic review based on Scopus, Science Direct, Web databases, Scholar Google, and PubMed. The results of this review showed that the formulation of cosmetics until the disposal of their containers could adversely affect environmental and human health.
... Microplastic is defined as plastic particles that have a size parameter of less than 5 mm to 1 μm (Kristanti et al., 2016). Major types of MPs found in environment were include polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), PS, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), cellophane (CP), polyamide (PA) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) (Mishra et al., 2019;Wu et al., 2017). The MPs was found in concentration of 49 items/ L in Manas River Basin, Northwest China , 88 items/L in Jinhae Bay, South Korea (Song et al., 2015), 4017 items/L in Baram River, Malaysia (Choong et al., 2021) and 4830 items/L in Nibung River, Indonesia (Qodriati et al., 2023). ...
... MPs have been reported in all the major rivers, lakes and freshwater sources across the globe (C. Alimi et al., 2018;Peller et al., 2020;Wu et al., 2018). Surface water samplings of the Yangtze River shows the highest MPs concentration in the world with a reported 4,137 particles/m 3 (C. ...
Microplastics (MPs) are tiny plastic particles ranging from 1 to 5000 μm in size and are of particular concern nowadays because of their ecological risk & health concerns. MPs are prevalent environmental contaminants and have been reported in various ecosystems such as soil, air, water, and road dust. However, a thorough understanding of their distribution across various environmental matrices remains elusive. Therefore, this review aims to fill this knowledge gap by examining the abundance of MPs and different techniques utilized for their identification and characterization including sampling, extraction, identification, characterization, and quantification methods. MPs possess a large surface area and exhibit hydrophobic properties, providing a substrate for environmental pollutants such as Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). The primary mechanisms through which pollutants attached to MPs are hydrophobic interactions, electrostatic attraction, hydrogen bonding, halogen bonding, and π-π interactions. Therefore, a better understanding of these interactions is crucial for determining the fate and transport of MPs and co-contaminants in the environment. Researchers commonly deploy techniques such as stereomicroscopy and spectroscopy for the characterization and quantification of MPs. However, size and chemical properties of MPs pose a challenge in their quantification, thereby necessitating the development of standardized analytical methods. Use of bio-indicators for MPs biomonitoring has gained popularity in recent years as an affordable option over conventional techniques however research in this area is limited. With this intention, the present review is designed to provide information about the status of the field and advance our knowledge of MPs in various environmental matrices.
... The microplastics observed were of three main types: lines and not segmented, film-like with flat-shaped characters resembling sheets, A. Aunurohim et al. Environmental Advances 17 (2024) 100587 and fragment-like with irregular-shaped characters resembling chunks of particles (Willis et al., 2017;Wu et al., 2018). No microplastics of the pellet/bead or foam types were found (Fig. 8). ...
In recent years, microplastics (MPs) have emerged as a prominent environmental problem in waters and environments, including lake waters. Microplastics in freshwater, such as those in floating net cages (FNC), can be consumed by Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), one of the commercially available cultivated fish in Indonesia. This study aims to determine the prevalence of microplastics and compare their characteristics in the surface water, flesh, and gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of Nile Tilapia (O. niloticus) at Lake Ranu Grati, Pasuruan, East Java, Indonesia. Visual characteristics of MPs were observed using a stereo microscope, and polymers were analysed by ATR-FTIR (Attenuated Total Reflection-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy). The abundance of MPs from water sample locations in Lake Ranu Grati reached 1116 MPs particles. In the water samples, the inner and outer sides of the FNC are dominated by the MPs with a size range of 251–500 µm and 1001-2000 µm in the milieu of Ranu Grati Lake. The most common MPs' types and colours are fibre and black, dominated by Polyethylene (PE). In 25 O. niloticus samples, 576 particles of MPs were found in the flesh and 724 particles in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). This study found no significant variation in microplastic abundance between flesh and GIT samples (p>0.05; Mann-Whitney U test). Microplastics in Nile Tilapia flesh samples were dominated by blue fibres with a size range of 101–250 µm, and the polymer found was PA (polyamide). Meanwhile, in the GIT samples, microplastics were dominated by black fibre, with a size range of 251–500 µm, and the polymer found was PA (polyamide).
