Primary Microplastics in the Oceans: A Global Evaluation of Sources
... Land-based sources of microplastics, including wastewater, runoff and rivers, account for about 70 percent of Marine microplastics sources [6] . Due to their large contribution, current research on Marine microplastics has focused more on land-based microplastics [7][8][9] . ...
... The International Maritime Organization (IMO) recently noted that greywater emissions from ships can be a source of microplastics at sea [18] . The microplastic component of ships' grey water comes mainly from synthetic chemical fibrous microplastics in laundry water and microplastic particles added to personal toiletry products, which account for 34.8% and 2% of global sources of primary microplastics released into the ocean, respectively [9] . Microplastics are present in textiles in the form of microfibers and are separated at every step of the textile life cycle, especially during the laundry process [9] . ...
... The microplastic component of ships' grey water comes mainly from synthetic chemical fibrous microplastics in laundry water and microplastic particles added to personal toiletry products, which account for 34.8% and 2% of global sources of primary microplastics released into the ocean, respectively [9] . Microplastics are present in textiles in the form of microfibers and are separated at every step of the textile life cycle, especially during the laundry process [9] . Evidence show that a person can release about 2.98×10 8 polyester microfibers into the water by washing, or about 1.03×10 9 polyester microfibers into the air by wearing polyester clothing every year [19] . ...
This paper deeply discusses the microplastic pollution of ship gray water which is getting more and more attention at present. This paper begins with an overview of the potential sources of microplastics and the current management measures. Then, the research progress on the qualitative and quantitative analysis techniques of Marine gray water microplastics, Marine input estimation and type distribution of microplastics in domestic and foreign literature is reviewed in detail. On this basis, the paper puts forward suggestions for future research directions, including establishing the analysis method of gray water composition based on actual ships, strengthening the research on the basic data of microplastics, formulating the inventory of gray water microplastics discharge from ships, and promoting the improvement and development of the control policy of gray water discharge from ships. These suggestions aim to provide scientific basis and strategic guidance for the treatment of ships' grey water microplastics pollution.
... Interestingly, only a small fraction, about 6%, of the visible fabric pieces in the ocean, corresponds to the total mass of fiber particles that are entering the ocean. Around 34.8% of secondary microplastics enter the ocean through garment washing, while approximately 28.3% of microfiber particles come from the abrasion of tyres [4,14]. These extracted tiny microplastics are sometimes consumed by marine animals such as sea turtles, fish, sharks, and blue whales. ...
... The report also found that around two-tenths million tons of microfibers are released annually during the manufacturing process and household laundering. Release of this humongous amount of plastic debris creates a sure threat for marine life [14]. Another scientific study revealed that the nature and quantity of microfiber discharge largely depends on the characteristics of the clothing, and approximately 300 milligrams of particles are discharged per kilogram of washed garment, which equals to 1,500,000 particles. ...
Microfibers (MF) are tiny components having diameters less than 10 μm and lengths and 5 to 20 mm, respectively. Secondary microplastics, also referred to as MF, are ubiquitous in marine and freshwater environments. MF don’t biodegrade easily, hence they can be ingested by marine organisms and potentially end up in the food chain. Microfibers are emerging pollutants due to their adverse effect on the ecosystem and widespread distribution in the environment. The ocean receives approximately 13 million tons of MF annually from all available sources. Microfiber pollution is mainly caused by activities such as washing clothes, drainage systems, disposal of clothes in landfills, and dumping of garments. These sources play a vital role behind the uncontrolled microfiber drainage to marine territory. Besides laundering, some other crucial sources are flakes, chips, mattresses, the friction of tyres, plastic bags, bottles, bottle caps, etc. Textile microfiber pollutants originate mainly from synthetic microfibers (SMF) composed of non-biodegradable polymers like polyester, nylon, rayon, acrylic, spandex, polyethylene terephthalate, or polypropylene. Among all marine environment pollutants, polyester is the dominant microfiber pollutant. Each year, among all microfiber sources, around 5 million tons of microfibers are introduced into the world’s oceans only from textile sources, to be more specific, synthetic and plastic items used in textile products which are released through laundry. The modern world is focusing to solve this emerging challenge for the betterment of the future. This chapter will briefly discuss the common sources of microfibers and their pathway to and adverse effect on the ecosystem. This chapter will also give an insight into the present microbial enzyme methods used to degrade microfibers and future strategies for the reduction of microfiber pollution.
... It can be inferred from the results of the NIPPS ( Table 3) that inadequate waste management was the primary contributor to plastic pollution in Mexico, which coincides with previous global reports (Boucher and Friot, 2017). Up to 17 % of municipalities lack collection services, and only 2 % of the disposal sites fulfill all the requirements to be considered as controlled. ...
... The applied models for calculating emissions of plastic pollution did not allow us to quantify the contributions of various microplastic sources, however the analyzed sources coincide with those reported before (Boucher and Friot, 2017). Untreated wastewater was identified as a potential source of microplastics, given that only 49 % goes to a treatment plant before discharge. ...
... Microplastic pollution is an emerging and threatening environmental problem that creates complex environmental and health consequences (Boucher and Friot 2017). Microbeads are a type of primary microplastic found in many personal care products and cosmetics. ...
... However, in Sri Lankan context solid waste ends up in open garbage dumps rather than recycling facilities (Bandara and Hettiaratchi 2010). Hence, most plastics will undergo fragmentation in garbage dumps due to photo-degradation, oxidation, or weathering and create secondary microplastics (Boucher and Friot 2017). Similarly, 23% dispose of garbage into garbage pits and only 4% bury their waste in their lands, which creates secondary microplastics. ...
Personal care products and cosmetics have become an essential part of present society. Since the composition of these products directly correlates with public health and the environment, understanding consumer behaviors and attitudes is a significant aspect in controlling their negative impacts. The present study surveyed 300 consumers in Sri Lanka to attain insights into the selection, usage, disposal, and participants' attitudes and knowledge of these products. The majority of the respondents were female (58%) and 71% were between the ages of 18 and 65. Most of them (48%) selected products by their evaluations and 34% were highly concerned about the ingredients. Removal of applied products was mainly done by washing (97%) and in many households, generated wastewater ended up in wastewater gullies (69%). The remaining plastic packages were discarded into municipal garbage trucks (42%) or burned (31%). Alarmingly, 29% of the participants have experienced some kind of adverse reaction by using these products during their lifetime. Therefore, proper monitoring, waste management, and regulation of these products could be beneficial to control many related health and environmental consequences.
... Percentage of common sources of primary and secondary microplastics globally[39] ...
Microplastics are present in every environment and serve as a substratum for the adherence of microbes which ultimately leads to the formation of biofilms. Microplastics are the major substratum for facilitating the formation of biofilms, where due to horizontal gene transfer (HGT) the colonising bacteria can exchange the antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Currently, the spread of ARGs through microplastics is getting research attention. The widespread use of plastics and antibiotics and their mismanagement are leading to the spread of ARGs especially in the aquatic environments. Antibiotic resistance associated with microplastics is a serious emerging threat to both the environment and human health. Further studies are needed to enhance our understanding of how these pollutants interact with the environment. Additionally, finding effective management systems is crucial to reduce the associated risks. This review article focuses on how these antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) interact with the microplastics present in the environment, especially in the aquatic environment; and how their ingestion, especially through seafood or contaminated water, leads to the transfer of ARB to humans, causing potential health risks.
... It is a government-owned port that is under the jurisdiction of the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) and has three (3) International Standard Organization (ISO) certifications namely the Integrated Management System (IMS) that ensures the provision of world-class quality service as a commitment that is: ISO 9001:2015 (Quality Management System), ISO 14001:2015 (Environmental Management System) and ISO 45001:2018 (Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems). Despite having these IMS certifications, solid waste management specifically plastic waste leakage remains a serious challenge due to poor implementation, financial constraints [17] , lack of awareness and less cooperation by the public [18] , and insufficient facilities for collection and disposal [19]- [22] . ...
Plastic wastes from ports may be leaked into oceans if it is not properly managed owing to its proximity to the sea, such as in the case of the port of Zamboanga in the Philippines - a government port with international standard certifications wherein plastic waste management remains a challenge to its management. This study aims to determine plastic leakage intervention options through the conduct of a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and to propose the most preferred intervention using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) by incorporating the subjective judgment of different port key stakeholders and decision-makers. There were four criteria used for this AHP model to quantify the relative preference of each intervention namely environmental and health effectiveness (EHE), financial affordability (FA), implementability (IM), and social acceptability (SA). There were five (5) proposed possible management intervention alternatives, these are the memorandum order (MO) on proper waste segregation and collection, personnel training (PT) on plastic waste management, waste container labeling (WCL), provision of waste containers (PWC), procurement of garbage truck (GT), and establishment of a material recovery facility (MRF). The results of the AHP model suggest that most of the port’s key stakeholders and decision-makers prioritize the MRF and PT among other management interventions
... Plastics and their degradation products enter the oceans from some point and nonpoint sources, e.g., improper disposal, sewage systems, losses from marine activities, tourism activities, industrial effluents, roadside dust (car tires, grease, etc.), beachfront hotels, motels, and restaurants driven by discharge from rivers, atmospheric runoff, and stormwater activities (Corcoran et al., 2015;Li et al., 2016;Rochman et al., 2019). The main sources of synthetic fibers in aquatic ecosystems come from the washing process of synthetic textiles, which contributes about 35 % of the global release of MP to the oceans (Boucher and Friot, 2017). The number of research publications on MP has increased over the past decade, but these have tended to focus on beach systems because they are relatively easy to study. ...
... The quantification of the mass flows of plastic to the environment has often been done using rather simple models that were based only on very broad product sectors and were mostly not polymer-specific. Microplastic emission assessments have been performed for example for Germany (Bertling et al., 2018) or the whole world (Boucher and Friot, 2017). Several emission assessments have focused only on the release of macroplastic to the oceans (Lebreton et al., 2017), based mainly on quantifying mismanaged waste. ...
Confronting the pervasive challenge of plastic pollution, our study pioneers a dynamic release model to quantify the historic and current plastic emissions. Utilizing Dynamic Probabilistic Material Flow Analysis (DPMFA) coupled to a release model, we comprehensively tracked emissions of macro-and microplastics in Switzerland from 1950 to 2022, covering 35 product categories and 183 release pathways for seven polymers (LDPE, HDPE, PP, PS, EPS, PVC, PET). The plastic usage exhibited a "Peak Plastic" around the year 2010 with a subsequent decrease in per capita use of plastics from 120±5 to 107±5 kg/cap in 2022. Over the considered timeframe, 27 ±1 kg/cap of macroplastics and 4 ± 1 kg/cap of microplastics were released to the environment, with the most substantial contributions coming from LDPE and PET. The overall emission factor was 0.66±0.07 % for mac-roplastics and 0.010±0.01 % for microplastics. The model can provide a crucial framework for crafting targeted interventions toward sustainable plastic lifecycle management.
... The cantilever was photothermally driven at resonance using the BlueDrive system, with drive amplitudes in the bulk solution maintained at <0.2 nm. For a typical dataset, the xyz scan volume was set to 3 × 3 × 5 nm 3 , which corresponds to 128 × 128 × 2500 pix 3 . The tip-sample force gradient k <z> is calculated using the equations by Söngen et al. based on a harmonic oscillator approximation for the cantilever 80 ...
Microplastics are being increasingly detected in the atmosphere at altitudes relevant to mixed-phase cloud formation. However, the extent to which microplastics, along with their dynamic surface properties resulting from environmental weathering, could influence atmospheric microphysical processes remains largely unexplored. Here, through a series of ice nucleation experiments and droplet freezing assays, we highlight the capability of model polyethylene microplastics to induce heterogeneous ice nucleation via immersion freezing under atmospherically relevant conditions. We find that sunlight-induced weathering of the microplastic surface influences the structure of surface-bound water molecules and dictates the ice nucleation activity of the microplastics. Using polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, and polyethylene terephthalate as models, we demonstrate that the ice nucleation ability of microplastics is intrinsically linked to their underlying chemistry. Our findings underscore the need to establish a connection between microplastics and atmospheric processes, as the behavior of microplastic pollutants in the atmosphere holds the potential to influence their environmental transport as well as atmospheric microphysical processes.
... There are specific data linking the use of organic waste materials to synthetic fibers in soil. But most studies investigating plastic in soil simply report its presence and do not examine its origin or abundance [114]. ...
... Synthetic materials like polyester, polyamides, derived from petroleum, are popular in the textile industry because of their durability, costeffectiveness, and availability [7,8]. However, synthetic textiles release microplastics during washing, contributing to 35 % of primary microplastics in the ocean, amounting to 2-13 million tons annually [9,10]. Additionally, the polymer chains of the plastics break down into smaller fragments such as fiber, film fragment, scrubber, flake etc. producing secondary microplastics, when disposed of in landfills [11]. ...
The textile sector is a significant contributor to worldwide pollution, especially through the generation of microplastics. This study addresses the critical issue of microplastic pollution and focuses on identifying potential sources of microplastics from degraded domestic textiles. The samples were collected from shed or worn-out fibers of domestic textiles and analyzed using advanced analytical techniques. To repurpose these fibers for potential environmental applications, the microplastics were chemically and thermally activated using KOH, ZnCl 2 , and H 2 O 2 at 500 • C and then applied for cationic and anionic dye remediation. The results showed that ZnCl 2-activated polyurethane and polyester fibers provided the best efficiency for anionic (87.69 % removal, adsorption capacity 52.13 mg/g) and cationic (97.69 % removal, adsorption capacity 208.40 mg/g) dye reme-diation, and the percentage of Zn immobilization during adsorption was 99.92 % and 99.91 %, respectively. The activated microplastics before and after treatment were also characterized to understand the remediation by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy analysis. In this investigation, upcycling old textile microplastic, for the first time, not only addresses the escalating microplastic pollution from landfills and other disposal sites but also provides remediation in wastewater treatment. The findings provide new insights into microplastic pollution from domestic textiles and offer a solution to managing this waste, providing new insights into managing textile waste and reducing its environmental impact.
... Small plastic measuring 0.1 μm to <5 mm were further defined as microplastics (Kroon et al., 2018). Boucher and Friot (2017) divided microplastic sources into primary and secondary sources. The p rimary sources are small particles, such as pellets, which are used in the cosmetics industry and as b asic materials in the plastics industry (Wu et al., 2017). ...
Highlight Research 1. Microplastics were counted and identified based on their shape, size, and color 2. The particles were clarified using FTIR and confirmed to be microplastics based on the type of polymer. 3. The tissue destruction method is more effective with heating treatment. 4. Methods to prevent contamination are implemented so that the research results are guaranteed to be accurate. Abstract Microplastics can be ingested by marine organisms, including fish. Although it has been widely reported, further information regarding microplastic contamination in commercial fish is still needed. This study aimed to analyze the presence and concentration of microplastics in the digestive tract of the mackerel R. kanaguarta and red snapper L. gibbus and to identify the shape, size, color, and type of microplastic polymer. Digestion of the organic materials was performed using a 10% KOH solution, which was then filtered using a vacuum filtration system. The particles were observed using an Olympus microscope and clarified using FTIR. The results of the research showed that R. kanaguarta and L. gibbus landed at the Beba Fish Landing Base (PPI Beba) Takalar were contaminated with microplastics with a microplastic concentration in R. kanaguarta 0.21 ± 0.06 particles/g and L. gibbus 0.11 ± 0.04 particles/g. The microplastics found were fiber and fragment of varying colors, such as black, white, red, and yellow. The size of microplastics was dominant in the size class < 2 mm. The FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of polypropylene (PP), Ethylene/Propylene Copolymer, Nylon, Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polyester (PES). This study showed that both commercial fish species were contaminated with microplastics. These findings suggest that microplastics are widespread and contaminate commercial fish caught from Takalar waters. Further research is still needed on other seafood from this region, and analysis of polymer types such as FTIR is important to carry out as one of the standard methods in microplastic research.
... Queste a loro volta vengono distinte secondo la loro origine in microplastiche primarie e microplastiche secondarie (Cole et al. 2011). Le microplastiche primarie sono particelle intenzionalmente prodotte in ambito industriale, generalmente sotto forma di sfere o pellet microscopici (Boucher et al. 2017;Fig. 3). ...
Riassunto: L'inquinamento da microplastiche è un problema globale emerso il secolo scorso a causa della produzione massiva di plastiche e della loro persistenza in ambiente. Gli ambienti acquatici sono particolarmente sensibili a questi inquinanti. Sebbene il problema sia meglio noto nei sistemi marini, elevate concentrazioni di microplastiche si trovano anche in laghi e fiumi. Anche i due più grandi laghi del Cantone Ticino, il Lago di Lugano e il Lago Maggiore, sono inquinati da microplastiche e questo problema ha provocato preoccupazioni nelle comunità locali. Di conseguenza qui, come in altri Cantoni della Svizzera, sono stati avviati diversi programmi di monitoraggio e ricerca per comprendere meglio il destino e gli effetti delle microplastiche e definire dei piani di mitigazione. Tuttavia, i ricercatori, i politici e la popolazione dovrebbero lavorare insieme con l'obiettivo di ridurre l'uso e la dispersione delle plastiche in ambiente, al fine di proteggere gli ecosistemi acquatici.
Parole chiave: Cantone Ticino, contaminanti emergenti, fiumi, laghi, microplastiche
Microplastics in freshwater environments: sources, effects, and management
Abstract: Microplastic pollution became global issue in the last century, due to the high production and persistence of plastic waste in the environment. Aquatic environments are particularly sensitive to plastic pollution. Although best known from marine systems, high microplastic concentrations also occur in inland waters. Even the two largest lakes of Canton Ticino, lakes Lugano and Maggiore, are heavily affected by this problem, raising concerns among the stakeholders and public of the surrounding communities. As a result, several monitoring and research programs started in this region and in Switzerland to better understand the fate and effects of microplastics and devise mitigation plans. Scientists, policymakers, and the population should work together to reduce the use and dispersion of plastics in the environment, for the conservation of aquatic ecosystems.
... It is estimated that between 4.8 and 12.7 million metric tonnes of secondary MPs are introduced into the oceans every year. 7 Various levels of MPs have also been detected in fresh water. For example, in the Jinjiang River Basin, the average concentration of MPs in surface water and groundwater was 1.6 and 2.7 particles per L, respectively. ...
Microplastics (MPs) can cause adverse effects and pose potential threats to humans and the environment. In addition, dissolved organic matter leached from MPs (MP-DOM) is also a critical issue due to its ecotoxicity and potential to form disinfection by-products (DBPs) during the disinfection process of water treatment plants. However, limited information is available on the dynamic transformation of MP-DOM during UV irradiation and subsequent disinfection, which may further influence the formation of DBPs in MP-DOM. Herein, PSMPs-DOM were leached in aqueous solutions under UV irradiation and the samples were then chlorinated. PSMPs-DOM before and after chlorination were characterized by multiple spectral technologies and methods. With prolonged irradiation time, the aromaticity, molecular weight, humic-like substances and oxygen-containing functional groups of PSMPs-DOM increased, suggesting the continuous transformation of PSMPs-DOM. After chlorination, the aromaticity, molecular weight and humic-like substances of PSMPs-DOM decreased, among which the changes of C2 and oxygen-containing functional groups were more significant. Besides, the PSMPs-DOM formed under prolonged irradiation exhibited higher chlorine reactivity, owing to the more aromatic structures and unsaturated bonds. TCM, DCBM, DBCM and TBM were detected in all chlorinated PSMPs-DOM samples, while the PSMPs-DOM formed at the later stage of irradiation exhibited lower THMs formation potential. The correlation results showed that the conversion of humic-like substances in PSMPs-DOM affected the THMs formation potential, with photo-induced humic-like substance being a more dominant factor. This study provided more information on the relationship between the compositional transformation of MP-DOM and their potential to form DBPs, which may facilitate the assessment of potential toxicity associated with MPs-containing water, as well as the development of more effective water treatment methods.
... The maintenance of RMs incurs high costs and has environmental impacts. The wear and degradation of these materials, whether due to natural use or removal for renewals, contribute to microplastic pollution, with RMs estimated to account for about 5% to 10% of the total microplastic pollution in the environment [10,11]. Therefore, extending the life service of RMs by improving their durability could not only reduce maintenance costs by minimizing the frequency of reapplication but also significantly decrease their environmental impact. ...
Road markings (RMs) typically consist of a paint layer and a retroreflective layer. They play a crucial role in road safety by offering visibility and guidance to drivers. Over their lifetime, dirt particles, oils, and greases are adsorbed on the RM surface, reducing their visibility and service life. A self-cleaning ability has been widely studied in several substrates. However, for RMs, this represents a breakthrough and a sustainable advance, while having the potential to increase their service life and enhance road safety. In this context, nanotechnology can be a strong ally through the application of semiconductor materials, such as TiO2, to develop the self-cleaning ability. In addition to this novelty in RMs, quantifying this ability in terms of pollutant removal efficiency is also a challenge. In this sense, artificial intelligence (AI) and colorimetry can be combined to achieve improved results. The aims of the work herein reported were to assess the self-cleaning capability in an RM paint through the mass incorporation of semiconductors, evaluate their photocatalytic efficiency using traditional (spectrophotometric) and modern (AI-enhanced) colorimetry techniques, and compare the results obtained using both techniques. To this end, a water-based acrylic RM paint was modified through the mass incorporation of 0.5%, 1%, 2%, and 3% of nano-TiO2, and a pollutant model widely used, Rhodamine B, was applied onto their surface. The samples were irradiated with a light source that simulates sunlight for 0, 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h. Visual analysis and spectrophotometric and artificial intelligence-enhanced colorimetry techniques were used and compared to evaluate the pollutant removal. The results confirm that RM paints with 2% and 3% nano-TiO2 incorporated have a significantly higher pollutant removal ability and that both colorimetric techniques used are suitable for this assessment.
... • Plastic waste inputs from the land into the ocean (Jambeck et al., 2015) • River plastic emissions to the world's oceans (Lebreton et al., 2017) • Production, use, and fate of all plastics ever made (Geyer et al., 2017) • Primary Microplastics in the Oceans: A Global Evaluation of Sources, (Boucher et al. , 2017) • Among them, the methodology for this plastic waste inventory specifically draws upon two existing waste flow assessment (WFA) methodologies, which are described below. ...
A material flow analysis (MFA)-based approach was utilized to create the inventory. This approach enables the tracking of plastic waste flows from generation sources (e.g., households and businesses), through both formal and informal waste management systems, and to their final disposal or recovery. It also evaluates potential leakage points where plastic waste might enter the environment during collection, handling, sorting, and landfill disposal. The inventory specifically targets macro plastics (plastic items and fragments over 5 mm in size) generated by municipal sources.
... Esto puede suceder a través de todo tipo de influencias externas, por ejemplo, a través de la influencia de los rayos UV, las bacterias o la fricción (Degradación Fotolítica, Biológica y Mecánica) y resultan en elementos altamente contaminantes y dañinos para la salud ambiental y humana (Castañeta et al. 2020 Los microplásticos también pueden llegar directamente al ambiente: a través de la abrasión de neumáticos, fibras textiles sintéticas que se liberan cuando se lava la ropa, productos de cuidado como peelings que contienen partículas microplásticas. Las aguas residuales industriales son también una de las principales fuentes de insumos (Boucher et al. 2017). ...
Los enormes problemas ligados al crecimiento poblacional como lo son la producción de alimentos,
el suministro de agua y la disposición de desechos, son los temas medulares de la crisis ambiental
actual, la cual, reconozcámoslo o no, nos afecta como colectivo global. Pero en el legítimo intento
de resolver esas dificultades, nos olvidamos de la pérdida global de la biodiversidad que, sin temor a
exagerar, puede decirse es el sello distintivo que muestra la evolución del planeta. Biodiversidad que
nos provee, agua, aire limpio, alimentos, materiales para la construcción y espacios para solazar el
espíritu. Voces connotadas en la comunidad científica internacional advierten que la sexta extinción
masiva de la Biodiversidad mundial ya está en marcha. Aseguran que desde el año 1500, La Tierra
podría haber perdido entre el 7,5 y 13% de los dos millones de especies conocidas en el planeta; es
decir, en ese lapso se han perdido entre 150000 y 260000 especies. De acuerdo a esta argumentación,
a las cinco extinciones masivas conocidas de la Biodiversidad, causadas por fenómenos naturales
extremos, ahora en esta sexta la especie humana desempeña un papel protagónico. Y no sólo hablamos
de especies, vemos desvanecerse literalmente ante nuestros ojos, ecosistemas completos. La
erradicación física de éstos la mayoría de las veces ocurre cuando son sustituidos por montañas o
islas de plástico, montañas de neumáticos, urbanismos y carreteras; o son abrazados por fuegos
incontrolables, derrames de crudo o vertidos de aguas servidas entre otros. Venezuela como país
megadiverso no escapa a esa situación y de allí que todos aquellos quienes hacen investigación en el
recién creado Instituto de Biodiversidad, Conservación y Gestión de Recursos Ambientales de la
UNELLEZ “Oswaldo Barbera” (INBIO-UNELLEZ), y el ya bien consolidado y merecidamente
reconocido Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas (IVIC), fueran convocados para llevar
adelante la nada fácil tarea de organizar el Primer Congreso Venezolano de Biodiversidad. Tarea difícil
de cumplir, además en lo logístico y operativo, por hallarnos en ese momento en pleno auge de la
pandemia del Covid 19. No obstante, hoy puede decirse con entereza que la respuesta del equipo
organizador y los investigadores del país, y también de otros allende nuestras fronteras fue
absolutamente cónsona con la trascendencia del tema. Se presentaron 18 conferencias magistrales, 87
resúmenes de carteles, 11 publicaciones en extenso y se llevaron a cabo tres cursos postcongreso. Para
dejar constancia de ello, se ha editado este número especial de BioLlania que recoge lo sustancial de
ese importante evento. Esperamos que en el futuro se produzcan muchos más eventos de este tipo, y
que éstos conduzcan a servir de guía en las esferas de toma de decisiones para que así, como país mega
diverso aportemos al conocimiento y protección de ese bien común que es la Biodiversidad.
Dr. Alberto Quintero
Altos de Pipe, Edo. Miranda, febrero 2023
... It is suspected that the wastewater contains MPFs derived from clothes washing. Moreover, 35% of the primary MPs emitted into the ocean were reported to be coming from laundry wastewater [89] and has been attracting attention in recent years. In addition, findings on MPFs at sewage treatment plants have also been reported in Finland [90]. ...
Increasing production and inadequate management of plastic waste have resulted in the accumulation of plastic debris in the global biogeochemical cycles. In natural environments, these plastics become micronized by various physicochemical reactions, leading to the formation of microplastics. This review provides a concise literature account of the current state of MP contamination in sea sediments worldwide. We report on the capacity of the adopted sampling, pretreatment, and identification methods and provide recommendations for sustainable long-term deep-sea sediment monitoring programs. Our systematic review showed that for MP contamination in marine sediments, the number density of MPs with a minimum particle size of 0.1 mm ranges from 10 to 1,000 items/kg-dry weight. On the other hand, the number density of MPs with a minimum particle size of 0.01 mm ranges from 100 to 10,000 items/kg-dry weight. In all 31 papers analyzed, the percentage of fragments and fibers was over 50%. Polyethylene, used in containers and packaging, and polyester, a fiber used in clothing, were the most common polymer components. Analysis of sediment cores can reveal the history of MPs contamination. In addition, the deep-sea sediments have been identified as the endpoints of MPs that occur in the environment.
... It is predicted that the global consumption of plastics will increase even further, reaching 34 billion metric tonnes by 2050 (Bui et al., 2020). Each year, 10% of plastic garbage is dumped into the oceans and according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) (Fu & Wang, 2019;Kova et al., 2017;Schmidt et al., 2020), less than 10% of plastic garbage is collected and recycled (Boucher & Friot, 2017;Chandra et al., 2020). Plastics are widely utilized in a wide range of applications, including packaging, electrical and electronic equipment, construction, beverages and textiles, in part because of their low weight and excellent strength-toweight ratio among other materials (Abejón et al., 2020). ...
... PES clothing has been shown to shed more than 1 900 MP fibers every washing cycle (Browne et al., 2011). After being moved vertically, the MP fibers were eventually submerged in the sediments (Boucher and Friot, 2017). Furthermore, fishing operations might cause another possible MPs (fragment and fiber) source. ...
Microplastic (MP) contamination is becoming a major worldwide concern, affecting
terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. This study investigated the source, distribution, and abundance of MPs
in sediments from Dongshan Bay, Fujian, South China, emphasizing particularly the coastline region’s
susceptibility to tidal impacts in four study sites. The concentrations of MPs in the sediments in the four
sites were high from 7.4 to 283.1 items/kg (dry weight). There were notable differences in abundance
between the locations and tide levels. Tides influenced the distribution of MPs greatly; however, the
estuary areas showed greater MPs abundance during high tide, due possibly to enhanced water turbulence
and riverine inputs. Low tide indicated higher concentrations in coastal locations owing to accumulation.
Popular varieties, including nylon, polypropylene, and polyethylene, were identified by polymer research,
pointing to the origins from fishing, packaging, and mariculture industries. Potential sources were
determined using the PCA-K-means statistical analysis, by linking the origins of MPs to domestic
activities, fishing, mariculturing, shipping, and packing. Fishing and packing were shown in the Sankey
diagram as the two main sources, but their effects varied with research locations and tidal regimes. This
study clarified the intricate dynamics of MPs pollution, highlighting the impact of tides on its dispersal
and the variety of sources that contribute to this widespread environmental problem in coastal areas.
Keyword: microplastic (MP); tide; source; sediment; Dongshan Bay
... When they wash down the drain, microbeads-tiny plastic particles-found in several personal care items may find their way into the marine ecosystem (Gall and Thompson 2015). According to Boucher and Friot (2017), washing synthetic clothing that contains polyester, nylon, or acrylic might release minute fibres that may wind up in the marine environment. MPs particles reach the marine environment by land runoff, such as storm water and agricultural runoff (Jambeck et al. 2015). ...
Microplastics (MPs) are impacting coastal and ocean ecosystem and also have been linked with ‘blue economy’, which
accounts major portion to the total economy of a nation. The ocean serves as a sink for MPs, receiving them from rivers,
runoff, industrial effluents, and direct waste discharge. Consequently, marine organisms are impacted, leading to indirect
economic losses, and causing irreparable damage to the blue economy. In addition, the presence of chemicals and microorganisms
on MPs is causing detrimental effects on marine organisms, leading to economic repercussions. Coastal tourism,
a key aspect of the blue economy, relies on a sustainable and visually appealing environment, which is being threatened
by rising marine debris, primarily plastic waste generated by tourists. The clean-up cost is very high, whereas the existing
removal technologies do not have higher efficiency and are not that much cost effective. Thus, this study reviews the country
wise economic effect of plastic pollution, along with existing policies, regulations and the management strategies to control
MPs in marine system considering its potential impacts on sectors associated with marine resources vis-à-vis blue economy.
... Small plastic particles, so-called microplastics (MPs), are released into the environment due to a broad range of human activities, such as the use of cosmetics, abrasion from synthetic clothing, loss of virgin plastic pellets, tyre wear, or fragmentation from larger plastic objects (Auta et al., 2017;Boucher & Friot, 2017;De Falco et al., 2019). As a result, all environmental compartments contain MPs, from the atmosphere (Evangeliou et al., 2020) to soil (Horton et al., 2017), and freshwater and marine environments (Ivar Do Sul & Costa, 2014;Wagner et al., 2014). ...
Microplastics (MPs) are released into the environment through human activities and are transported by rivers from land to sea. Biofilms, which are ubiquitous in aquatic ecosystems such as rivers, may play an essential role in the fate of MPs and their ingestion by biofilm protists. To assess this, biofilms were naturally grown on clay tiles in the River Rhine, Germany, and analysed in a combined field and laboratory study. Compared to the ambient river water, biofilms grown for 6, 12, and 18 months in the River Rhine contained up to 10 times more MPs. Between 70% and 78% of all MPs were smaller than 50 μm. In laboratory experiments, clay tiles covered with 1‐month‐old naturally grown biofilm retained 6–12 times more MPs than clay tiles without biofilm coverage. Furthermore, the ingestion of MPs of 6 and 10 μm by the ciliate Stentor coeruleus was confirmed, and a positive correlation between ingestion rates and ambient MP concentrations was found. The results are relevant for particle transport models in riverine systems, risk assessment of MPs regarding their distribution and fate in the aquatic environment, and the effects of MPs on micro‐ and macroorganisms.
... It has been estimated that a single 5 kg washing machine can release almost 6,000,000 synthetic fibers per laundry cycle (De Falco et al., 2018). Washing synthetic textiles is the largest contributor (35%) of primary microplastics to the oceans (Boucher & Friot, 2017). ...
This study aimed to investigate microplastic pollution in the coast of Mangrol, Gujarat, India, by examining four common species of fish (Formio niger, Atropus atropus, Megalaspis cordyla, and Rastrelliger kanagurta) for microplastics in their digestive tracts. The stomach and intestines of the fish were removed and placed in a solution containing 10% (w/v) KOH. This was followed by an incubation period of 24 hours at a temperature of 60 °C. Results showed that 47% of the specimens had ingested microplastics, with an average of 1.07 pieces per specimen. Fibers were the most abundant type of microplastic found, with blue being the dominant colour. Rastrelliger kanagurta was found to be the most contaminated fish, with an average of 1.53 ± 0.31 MP/individual. Overall, microplastic contamination in fish was found to be low. These findings provide important insights into the state of microplastic pollution in the marine environment and its potential impact on marine biota in the Mangrol coast.
... 275 million metric tons (MT) of plastic waste were generated in 192 coastal countries in 2010, with 4.8 to 12.7 million MT entering the ocean (Jambeck et al., 2015). The global release of primary microplastics (microplastics directly released into the environment as small plastic particles) into the ocean was estimated at 1.5 (0.8-2.5) million tons per year (Mtons/year) and primary microplastics released even outweigh that of secondary microplastics originating from the degradation of large plastic wastes (Boucher and Friot, 2017). ...
... In the literature in general, MPs are defined as small plastic fragments, measuring less than 5 mm (Montagner, C. et al. 2021) , and can be classified as primary, those manufactured in micro dimensions, added to products in the cosmetics and personal hygiene sectors, and secondary, resulting from physical (photodegradation) and chemical (oxidation) degradation of larger plastics (Rojo-Nieto and Montoto Martínez 2017; Boucher and Friot 2017;Silva et al. 2021) . ...
Objective: The objective of this study is to verify the removal of MPs from the liquid medium through the application of the dissolved air flotation (FAD) technique. Theoretical Framework: FAD is a technology used to remove low-density solid particles from a liquid medium, with the introduction of air bubbles to the system, which aims to reduce the density of plastic particles and increase their rise speed. Method: In the flotest, coagulant dosage tests and FAD operational conditions were carried out. The suspension analyzed consisted of 2 L of water supply, 400 mg/L of PVC MPs, 5 mL/L of Tween-20 surfactant, aluminum sulfate coagulant in dosages of 2.5 to 6.0 mg/L and Turbidity was the parameter used to verify the removal of MPs. Results and Discussion: The optimal results obtained for coagulant dosage were 3.01 mg/L and the operational conditions of FAD, recirculation rate of 10% and flotation time of 15 min. Research Implications: The FAD technique used in the research is capable of efficiently removing MPs from liquid media above 90%. Originality/Value: This study contributes by using a technique that has a high PM removal rate, produces easy-to-treat sludge and is one of the most used in WWTP.
... Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents are among the several conduits that permit MPs to infiltrate the environment. A report on MPs in the aquatic environment revealed that 37% of the MPs entering the global oceans are released through WWTP effluents (Boucher and Friot, 2017). The characteristics of MPs, including ...
Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) discharges are major contributors to the release of microplastics (MPs) into the environment. This research work aimed to assess the performance of the novel living membrane bioreactor (LMBR), which utilizes a biological layer as a membrane filter for the removal of polyethylene (PE) MPs from wastewater. The impact of an intermittently applied low current density (0.5 mA/cm 2) on the reduction of MPs in the electrochemically enhanced LMBR (e-LMBR) has also been examined. The reactors were also compared to a conventional membrane bioreactor (MBR) and an electro-MBR (e-MBR). 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1 H NMR) was implemented for the MPs detection and quantification in terms of mass per volume of sample. The LMBR and MBR achieved comparable mean PE MPs reduction at 95% and 96%, respectively. The MPs mass reduction in the e-LMBR slightly decreased by 2% compared to that achieved in the LMBR. This potentially indicated the partial breakdown of the MPs due to electrochemical processes. Decreasing and inconsistent NH 4-N and PO 4-P removal efficiencies were observed over time due to the addition of PE MPs in the MBR and LMBR. In contrast, the integration of electric field in the e-MBR and e-LMBR resulted in consistently high values of conventional contaminant removals of COD (99.72-99.77 %), NH 4-N (97.96-98.67%), and PO 4-P (98.44-100.00%), despite the MPs accumulation. Integrating electrochemical processes in the e-LMBR led to the development of a stable living membrane (LM) layer, as manifested in the consistently low effluent turbidity 0.49 ± 0.33 NTU. Despite the increasing MPs concentration in the mixed liquor, applying electrochemical processes reduced the fouling rates in the e-LMBR. The e-LMBR achieved comparable efficiencies in contaminant reductions as those observed in the e-MBR, while using a low-cost membrane material.
A crescente preocupação com a poluição por microplásticos destaca a urgência em investigar seus efeitos na saúde humana, especialmente o acumulo na placenta e seus esfeitos. Estudos demonstram que as micro e nano partículas plásticas podem translocar-se pelo corpo, alcançando tecidos como a placenta, onde podem se acumular e impactar o desenvolvimento fetal. A exposição materna, como os de poliestireno, tem sido associada a anomalias cerebrais e restrição do crescimento fetal em modelos animais. Embora existam evidências sobre os efeitos agudos da exposição, há uma carência de estudos que explorem os impactos transgeracionais e em níveis de exposição ambientalmente relevantes. A necessidade de desenvolver métodos robustos para caracterizar essa exposição em humanos é imperativa, assim como a realização de investigações a longo prazo para entender quais as reais implicações na saúde das futuras gerações.
Microplastic (MPL) abundance in the environment and the biosphere is a grave problem that is confounded by many aspects, one vital aspect being the characterization of their heterogeneous matrix. Currently, spectroscopy, chromatography, and soxhelation aid in this matter. However, many of these techniques are time consuming for MPL characterization, which can include a large number of particles. Therefore, we propose a facile “Additive Analysis” algorithm that can provide the top ten matches for additives for an MPL. For our first trial, we used 2 MPL entries, from FLOPP-E (C2. Blue Fiber) and SLOPP-E (Polyester 12. Red Fiber), as a continuation of our previous work. For our second trial, we extended the use of the algorithm to a semi-randomly selected subset of MPL samples from FLOPP-E and SLOPP-E based on choosing 1 sample of each color for each polymer. Both trials’ reference used an in-lab digitization of the Hummel database for Fourier-transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and an open-source Raman spectroscopy database from Nava. We determined that the “C2. Blue Fiber” contains amounts of a metal-free phthalocyanine, potentially indicating the presence of degradation in context to the controls (t 10,.05 : .4879, p: .6387). For “Polyester 12. Blue Fiber,” we determined a high likelihood of significant amounts of quinone and azo-family colorants in the sample, negating a previous hypothesis of pyrrole presence (W: 0, p: .036364). For the second trial, 49/56 and 27/40 hits were generated out of the randomly selected samples, with a vast majority possessing hits (matching the color of the sample) within our most scrutinizing tolerance of 5 1/cm (77.6%/74.07%), respectively. For the FTIR portion, the top 3 IDs from tolerances of 5, 10, and 15 1/cm were benzenesulfonohydrazide (1st and 2nd Hit), titanium dioxide (4th Hit), and barium permanganate/barium sulfate (6th Hit). For the Raman portion, the top 3 IDs from tolerances of 5, 10, and 15 1/cm were PR210 (azo derivative – 2nd Hit), PB25 (azo derivative – 2nd Hit), and muscovite (mineral – 1st Hit). Lastly, the distribution for these hits appears to identify organic colorants (FTIR) and azo-derivative colorants (Raman) most dominantly. Our discussion concludes with the potential toxicological impacts of these top 6 IDs.
Plastics, colloquially also referred to as plastic (not to be confused with a sculpture or sculpture of a sculptor), are used extensively due to their durability. This results in problems with environmentally friendly disposal, with microplastics playing a particularly important role.
To fight plastic pollution and reach net‐zero ambitions, policy and industry set goals to increase the recycling of plastics and the recycled content in products. While this ideally reduces demand for virgin material, it also increases pressure on recyclers to find suitable endmarkets for the recyclate. This may lead to two effects: a multiplication of recycled content in applications already made of plastic and a substitution of non‐plastic materials with cheap, low‐quality recyclate. Both areas of application may be sources of microplastic (MP) pollution. Combined with the inherent degradation of recyclate during its lifecycle, but also during recycling, we expect the increase in recycled content will subsequently lead to an increase in MP pollution. We propose a framework to investigate the risk of MP generation through plastic applications throughout their subsequent lifecycle of production, use phase, and end of life. We apply the framework to two prominent examples of recyclate endmarkets, that is, textiles and wood–plastic, and point out where the degradation effects can cause higher release. To conclude, we outline a research agenda to support policymakers in their decision making on specifying targets for recycling and recycled content.
The ability of planktonic and neustonic organisms to feed on microplastics and subsequently transfer it through the marine food web has been studied extensively. However, there are no studies on microplastic in the Northwestern Black Sea. The present study assesses the diversity and spatial distribution of microplastics and ichthyoplankton in two surface layers: 0–5 cm (neuston surface layer; NL) and 5–20 cm (hyponeuston layer; HL). The sampling was undertaken in June 2020 – October 2021 in the coastal (CW) and open (OW) waters of the Northwestern Black Sea. Microplastics was observed at all studied sites and was composed of fibres (75 %) and fragments (25 %). Black and red fibres were the most abundant type of fibre, and black particles dominated the fragments. Four types of polymers were identified by Raman spectroscopy: polyethylene, polyester, polyurethane, polypropylene. The concentration of microplastics near the coast significantly exceeded that of open waters; the average microplastics concentration in the CW reached 136±74 (±SE) and 46±30 particles.m-3 in the NL and HL, respectively, whereas it reached 18±3 and 2±0.8 particles.m-3 in the NL and HL of the OW, respectively. In the NL, ichthyoplankton was found only at 31 % of the sites, and at only 24 % of sites in the HL. In total, 6 species of fish were recorded. The most abundant species was the European anchovy, one of the main commercial species in the Black Sea. The ratio of microplastics to ichthyoplankton was 0.34 (or 1:2.87) for both layers, where ichthyoplankton was present. When considering all studied sites, the ratio of microplastics to ichthyoplankton was 1.07 (or 1:0.93). As ichthyoplankton is an ephemeral component of the neuston community, but microplastics is omnipresent, we may consider that comparable densities of microplastics:ichthyoplankton favour their interrelation, negative effect, and transport through the food web.
Introduction
The Gulf of Trieste is prone to the accumulation of various pollutants and microplastics due to its geomorphological and hydrological characteristics. However, the distribution and sources of microplastics in this semi-enclosed area are poorly studied. The aim of our study was to determine the distribution and chemical composition of MP particles in the sediments of the Gulf of Trieste.
Methods
In this study, we collected 24 surface sediment samples using a Van Veen grab. Microplastics were extracted by density separation using NaCl. The size, shape, and color of the extracted microplastics were determined using an optical microscope, and the composition of the polymers was determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.
Results and discussion
The highest concentrations of up to 125 microplastic particles per 100 g dry sediment were found in coastal areas. Concentrations in the open sea were much lower, with an average of 3 particles per 100 g of sediment. Most of the microplastic was fibrous, made of polypropylene, 100–300 µm in size, and blue. This is the first study showing that microplastics are present in the sediments of the south-eastern part of the Gulf of Trieste. The findings suggest that microplastics exhibit a tendency to be retained within the sediment, leading to their accumulation primarily in a narrow coastal area rather than dispersing offshore. Our results will contribute to a better knowledge of the distribution and possible sources of plastics and microplastics in the Gulf of Trieste and even beyond in similar semi-enclosed marine areas.
Over the past few years, microplastics (MPs) pollution in the marine environment has emerged as a significant environmental concern. Poor management practices lead to millions of tons of plastic waste entering oceans annually, primarily from land-based sources like mismanaged waste, urban runoff, and industrial activities. MPs pollution in marine environments poses a significant threat to ecosystems and human health, as it adsorbs pollutants, heavy metals, and leaches additives such as plasticizers and flame retardants, thus contributing to chemical pollution. The review article provides a comprehensive overview of MPs pollution, its sources, and impacts on marine environments, including human health, detection techniques, and strategies for mitigating microplastic contamination in marine environments. The paper provides current information on microplastic pollution in marine environments, offering insights for researchers, policymakers, and the public, as well as promoting sustainable practices to protect the environment.
Microplastics (MPs) are impacting coastal and ocean ecosystem and also have been linked with ‘blue economy’, which accounts major portion to the total economy of a nation. The ocean serves as a sink for MPs, receiving them from rivers, runoff, industrial effluents, and direct waste discharge. Consequently, marine organisms are impacted, leading to indirect economic losses, and causing irreparable damage to the blue economy. In addition, the presence of chemicals and microorganisms on MPs is causing detrimental effects on marine organisms, leading to economic repercussions. Coastal tourism, a key aspect of the blue economy, relies on a sustainable and visually appealing environment, which is being threatened by rising marine debris, primarily plastic waste generated by tourists. The clean-up cost is very high, whereas the existing removal technologies do not have higher efficiency and are not that much cost effective. Thus, this study reviews the country wise economic effect of plastic pollution, along with existing policies, regulations and the management strategies to control MPs in marine system considering its potential impacts on sectors associated with marine resources vis-à-vis blue economy.
The yield potential of rice and wheat has doubled with Green revolution technologies, particularly in Asia. The system of high input production needs the best quality of pesticides, fertilizers, machines, and irrigation facilities. However, neglecting the ecological integrity of the land, water, and forest resources, and endangering natural resources cannot be carried on for long. Primitive and natural practices of agriculture might be able to play the leading role in designing a sustainable and eco-friendly system of agriculture that would increase the likelihood that rural people would accept it, develop it, and maintain its interventions and innovations. From this perspective, eco-friendly system are considered to be environment friendly, biodegradable, safe, economical, and renewable substitutes to use in the organic method of farming, also called eco-friendly farming. The answer to all the problems being faced by farmers in agriculture is Eco-friendly farming or Organic farming. This new system would keep agriculture more sustainable. Sample of 109 experts from agriculture and environment field were surveyed to know the benefits, issues and impact of eco-friendly farming in India. It is found that there is a significant impact of organic farming on the environment.
Microplastic defines as a tiny plastic particle that has a size of less than 5 mm and is ubiquitous in the environment. Due to the tiny size, this microplastic adversely affected the environment, notably aquatic life via ingestion, choking, and entanglement. This microplastic is arduous to degrade as it takes a thousand years due to the properties of plastic itself and consequently remains in nature. In dealing with microplastic issues, this paper reflects the occurrence, impact, toxicity, and degradation methods of microplastics in the environment including physical, chemical, and biological treatments. Here, the physical treatment methods include incineration treatment, ultraviolet (UV), and photocatalytic. The incineration process contributes to environmental pollution due to the release of toxic gases into the atmosphere. In addition, chemical treatments for plastic waste are the degradation process involving chemical additives such as ethylene glycol (EG), nano-magnesium oxide (MgO), diethylene glycol (DEG), and calcium or zinc (Ca/Zn) stearate as a catalyst. These treatments depend on the chemicals that can affect human health and the ecosystem. The biodegradation treatment using bacterial and fungal species can consume the microplastic without disrupting the surrounding environment and biota. It includes recent findings on the biodegradation of microplastic under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Thus, biodegradation can be considered the best option to degrade microplastic as green and sustainable technology.
Environmental scientists and other stakeholders have paid serious attention to soil pollution by microplastics in the last ten years. In soils, the microplastic particles act as a vector for the toxic persistent organic pollutants and potentially toxic metals that are easily sorbed by plants and enter the food chain. Microplastics are emerging as persistent terrestrial pollutants due to mismanagement and indiscriminate use. Microplastic contaminants affect the physicochemical characteristics of the soil as well as the feeding patterns of the soil biota. Sewage sludge, bio waste compost additions, plastic mulching, wastewater irrigation, landfill leachate, and air deposition are the causes of microplastics in soils. The amount of microplastics particles per kilogram of soil ranged from zero to thirteen thousand pieces. There are 523 times as many microplastic particles in the soil as there are in the ocean. Plant growth and seed germination are slowed down by the microplastic in the soil. Microplastics also affect the soil's enzymatic activities. The environmental sources of microplastic include plastic pellets, city dust, abrasion of road markings, tires, synthetic textiles, personal care products, and cosmetics. Human consumption through food can have a variety of harmful effects, including cytotoxicity, immunotoxicity, pulmonary toxicity, and reproductive toxicity. The current study describes the origins, distribution, and effects of microplastics on plants, soil biota, and human health in the soil environment. Bangladesh J. Nuclear Agric, 38(1): 1-19, 2024
Microplastics and nanoplastics are ever-present environmental contaminants with inevitable exposure to humans. Recently, research evaluating the effect of micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) on human health, and more specifically their contribution to the risk of malignancies has increased. Nonetheless, current knowledge about the effect of these particles is limited. Thus, in the present work, we are providing a thorough review of microplastic shapes, routes of exposure to humans, pathogenic mechanisms, and types of cancers proven to be associated. Importantly, there are several ways MNPs can enter the body, including, ingestion, inhalation, dermal contact, iatrogenic and medical instruments, and through the placenta during the prenatal period. The exposure causes endocrine disruption, gut epithelium impairment, gut dysbiosis, and immune system impairment and, subsequently, inflammation, cell death, genotoxicity, and gene mutations. Digestive system tract malignancies, including hepatocellular carcinoma, pancreatic, gastric, and colorectal cancers are reported to be associated with MNPs exposure as ingestion is one important way of exposure. Lung, skin, renal, and hematological malignancies, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CML), and cancers of the reproductive system, including breast, ovarian, and prostatic are other types of malignancies. Nevertheless, knowledge of MNPs contamination effects is still limited and highly influenced by particle properties, exposure concentration, types of additives, affected tissues, and individual susceptibility. Due to the constant exposure, these particles must be considered to be an alarming issue that their effects cannot be negligible. Therefore, future research projects are encouraged to dive into the carcinogenic effects of these invisible plastic particles as the mentioned cancers are among the most prevalent types of cancers, as well.
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