Microplastics as emerging pollutants: ecological insights from aquatic systems and impacts on human health – A review

Micro plastics (MPs) have emerged as a significant environmental concern due to their minute size and their ability to act as vectors for toxic pollutants, including synthetic dyes, heavy metals, and organic contaminants. Their pervasive presence in aquatic systems has positioned them as a critical hazard to both aquatic ecosystems and human health. MPs exhibit diverse physical and chemical properties, with polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, and polyethylene terephthalate being the most frequently identified polymer types in aquatic environments. This review is organized into three core sections to comprehensively address the issue of MP pollution. The first section categorizes and describes the types of MPs found in aquatic systems, their interactions with aquatic organisms, and their subsequent accumulation in the human body. The second section elucidates the deleterious effects of MPs on aquatic organisms, detailing their modes of entry, bioaccumulation, and bio-magnification within the food web. The third section focuses on remediation strategies and proposes evidence-based recommendations for mitigating MP pollution and its ecological and health impacts.By synthesizing findings from studies on MP types and their adverse effects on aquatic and human health, this review highlights the devastating effects of MPs on aquatic species, how they contaminate our food, and their dangerous influence on human health. It also integrates insights from research on interaction of MPs with human cell lines and tissues, along with advances in remediation techniques. This review underscores the urgent need for effective interventions to address microplastic pollution and its far-reaching ecological and public health implications.