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Microplastic Accumulation in Marine Food Webs Using Ecotoxicological Assessment and Biomagnification Analysis Techniques
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This review summarizes existing research on how tiny plastic particles move through ocean food chains, from small organisms to larger ones. It covers methods scientists use to detect and measure plastics, and describes reported health effects in marine animals, including gut damage, stress, and nervous system problems, plus how plastics can carry other harmful chemicals.
Microplastic (MP) and nanoplastic (NP) pollution represents a pervasive and irreversible environmental crisis within the Anthropocene, demanding a rigorous understanding of synthetic particle transport, behavior, and fate in marine trophic hierarchies. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the multidimensional frameworks utilized to assess microplastic bioaccumulation, trophic transfer, and biomagnification across marine ecosystems. By examining standardized mathematical indices alongside stable isotope analysis (δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C), this paper highlights how pairing isotopic niches with mass‑balance trophodynamic modeling specifically Ecopath with Ecosim and the Ecotracer module clarifies complex contamination pathways and differentiates true biomagnification from transient kinetics. Furthermore, we evaluate critical analytical methodologies, comparing extraction protocols, such as closed‑vessel microwave‑assisted acid digestion, with spectroscopic (μ‑FTIR, μ‑Raman) and thermal characterization techniques (Py‑GC/MS, TED‑GC‑MS) necessary for generating accurate ecosystem‑scale data. Ecotoxicological assessments reveal a complex "particle–environment–organism" cascade. Internalized small particles disrupt biological systems across multiple scales, provoking gut blockages, oxidative stress, immune suppression, and reproductive failure. Notably, translocation to neural tissues triggers neuroinflammation and behavioral aberrations across diverse marine taxa and mammalian models. Finally, this review underscores the "Trojan Horse" vector effect, detailing how weathered microplastics adsorb hydrophobic organic contaminants and heavy metals, accelerating systemic chemical toxicity. Ultimately, this synthesized framework bridges the gap between empirical chemical identification and dynamic ecosystem modeling to improve marine risk management.
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This review examines how microplastics and the chemical contaminants they carry move through aquatic food chains from small organisms up to larger predators. Researchers found that microplastics can transfer toxic additives and absorbed pollutants to organisms that ingest them, with potential implications for seafood safety and ultimately human health.
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This ecotoxicological review examines the effects of microplastics on living organisms across multiple trophic levels and their transfer through food webs, covering evidence from aquatic and terrestrial environments. The authors highlight the cumulative risks posed by microplastic ingestion and tissue accumulation.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.