•Microplastic concentration is lower in catchments with less intensive urbanization.•Microplastic concentration is higher in sediments with a greater proportion of sand.•Polyethylene and ...polypropylene are the most common polymers in stormwater drains.
Microplastics (MPs) are small plastic pieces with size less than 5 mm that have entered and polluted the environment. While many investigations including several critical reviews on MPs in the ...environment have been conducted, most of them are focused on their occurrences in marine environment. Current understanding on the occurrences, behaviors, and impacts of MPs in the terrestrial environment is far from complete. A systematic review of the literature was thus conducted to promote the research on MPs in the environment. This work is designed to provide a comprehensive overview that summarizes current knowledge and research findings on environmental occurrences, fate and transport, and impacts of MPs. In addition to discussing the occurrences, characteristics, and sources of MPs in the ocean, freshwater, sediments, soils, and atmosphere, the review also summarizes both the experimental and modeling data of the environmental fate and transport of MPs. Research findings on the toxic effects, bioaccumulation, and bioavailability of MPs in the environment are also covered in this critical review. Future perspectives are discussed as well.
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•Occurrences, characteristics, and sources of MPs in various environmental media are reviewed.•Experimental and modeling data of the environmental fate and transport of MPs are summarized.•Toxic effects, bioaccumulation, and bioavailability of MPs in the environment are discussed.•Existing knowledge gaps and future research directions are discussed.
Microplastics and human health Vethaak, A Dick; Legler, Juliette
Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science),
02/2021, Volume:
371, Issue:
6530
Journal Article
Given the global abundance and environmental persistence, exposure of humans and (aquatic) animals to micro- and nanoplastics is unavoidable. Current evidence indicates that micro- and nanoplastics ...can be taken up by aquatic organism as well as by mammals. Upon uptake, micro- and nanoplastics can reach the brain, although there is limited information regarding the number of particles that reaches the brain and the potential neurotoxicity of these small plastic particles.Earlier studies indicated that metal and metal-oxide nanoparticles, such as gold (Au) and titanium dioxide (TiO
) nanoparticles, can also reach the brain to exert a range of neurotoxic effects. Given the similarities between these chemically inert metal(oxide) nanoparticles and plastic particles, this review aims to provide an overview of the reported neurotoxic effects of micro- and nanoplastics in different species and in vitro. The combined data, although fragmentary, indicate that exposure to micro- and nanoplastics can induce oxidative stress, potentially resulting in cellular damage and an increased vulnerability to develop neuronal disorders. Additionally, exposure to micro- and nanoplastics can result in inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity and altered neurotransmitter levels, which both may contribute to the reported behavioral changes.Currently, a systematic comparison of the neurotoxic effects of different particle types, shapes, sizes at different exposure concentrations and durations is lacking, but urgently needed to further elucidate the neurotoxic hazard and risk of exposure to micro- and nanoplastics.
Microplastic (MP) pollution is a raising global concern in recent years due to its wide distribution. Additionally, most of the MPs have undergone extensive weathering in the environment, and ...weathered MPs may exhibit different physicochemical properties from pristine ones. The review reveals the change in physicochemical properties (e.g. size, color, crystallinity, mechanical property and oxygen-containing groups) and the release of additives and MP-derived intermediates (i.e. oligomers and oxygenated compounds) during weathering processes. Weathering further affects the sorption behavior of MPs for environmental pollutants because of the changed crystallinity, specific surface area and oxygen functional groups. The interaction mechanisms of pristine and weathered MPs with pollutants are summarized, and how weathering processes affect sorption behavior is critically revealed. Because of the changed size, color and surface charges, weathered MPs might be ingested by aquatic organisms in different ways from the pristine ones. The detailed effects of weathering on the ingestion of MPs are discussed, and the potential toxicity of leachates from weathering processes is evaluated. In addition, the environmental components (e.g. natural organic matter and salinity) and biofilm correlated to the sorption behavior of MPs are reviewed. As for the knowledge gap, further studies should focus on the long-term weathering of MPs and the relationships between weathering properties and sorption capacities toward pollutants. The potential risks of weathered MPs and leachates on organisms should be explored.
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•Weathering significantly changes the physicochemical properties of microplastics.•Surface area, oxygen groups and crystallinity critically affect sorption of pollutants.•Effects of weathering on the risks of microplastics and leachates are revealed.•NOM, salinity and biofilms involved in the environmental behavior are reviewed.
Microplastic pollution is becoming a major issue for human health due to the recent discovery of microplastics in most ecosystems. Here, we review the sources, formation, occurrence, toxicity and ...remediation methods of microplastics. We distinguish ocean-based and land-based sources of microplastics. Microplastics have been found in biological samples such as faeces, sputum, saliva, blood and placenta. Cancer, intestinal, pulmonary, cardiovascular, infectious and inflammatory diseases are induced or mediated by microplastics. Microplastic exposure during pregnancy and maternal period is also discussed. Remediation methods include coagulation, membrane bioreactors, sand filtration, adsorption, photocatalytic degradation, electrocoagulation and magnetic separation. Control strategies comprise reducing plastic usage, behavioural change, and using biodegradable plastics. Global plastic production has risen dramatically over the past 70 years to reach 359 million tonnes. China is the world's top producer, contributing 17.5% to global production, while Turkey generates the most plastic waste in the Mediterranean region, at 144 tonnes per day. Microplastics comprise 75% of marine waste, with land-based sources responsible for 80–90% of pollution, while ocean-based sources account for only 10–20%. Microplastics induce toxic effects on humans and animals, such as cytotoxicity, immune response, oxidative stress, barrier attributes, and genotoxicity, even at minimal dosages of 10 μg/mL. Ingestion of microplastics by marine animals results in alterations in gastrointestinal tract physiology, immune system depression, oxidative stress, cytotoxicity, differential gene expression, and growth inhibition. Furthermore, bioaccumulation of microplastics in the tissues of aquatic organisms can have adverse effects on the aquatic ecosystem, with potential transmission of microplastics to humans and birds. Changing individual behaviours and governmental actions, such as implementing bans, taxes, or pricing on plastic carrier bags, has significantly reduced plastic consumption to 8–85% in various countries worldwide. The microplastic minimisation approach follows an upside-down pyramid, starting with prevention, followed by reducing, reusing, recycling, recovering, and ending with disposal as the least preferable option.
This study involved an assessment of the levels of microplastic pollution in seven small-scale estuaries in Shanghai for the first time. The abundance of microplastics ranged from 13.53 ± 4.6 to ...44.93 ± 9.41 particles L−1, with a mean abundance of 27.84 ± 11.81 particles L−1. Microplastics collected from samples were classified into four types (fiber, film, granule, and fragment), and granules were the most abundant type. Up to 99.5% of microplastics were <2 mm in diameter. The microplastics had a variety of colors, with black being the dominant color. Polypropylene (37.5%) and polyethylene (50%) were the main types of microplastic component validated. Our study showed severe microplastic pollution in small-scale estuaries, and the associated rivers need urgent attention for microplastic pollution prevention.
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•The high microplastic abundances were found in small-scale estuaries of Shanghai.•Granular, black and diminutive were the main features of the found microplastics.•Management strategies over microplastics were put forward for Chinese contexts.
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