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Cross-ecosystem impacts of plastic pollution: a systematic analysis of environmental threats
Summary
A systematic analysis of recent literature on plastic pollution across ecosystems found that microplastics impair organisms through physical ingestion, chemical toxicity, and facilitated transfer of co-contaminants, with cross-ecosystem effects linking terrestrial, freshwater, and marine environments.
This systematic analysis explores the emerging threats posed by plastic pollution to ecosystem health and sustainability, drawing on recent scientific literature published from 2021-2024. Through rigorous methodological screening, the review identified seven potentially relevant studies, with five meeting full inclusion criteria after quality assessment. The findings reveal a tripartite categorization of environmental impacts: soil-based effects from microplastic contamination in terrestrial systems, ecosystem service disruption in aquatic environments (encompassing both marine seagrass meadows and freshwater watersheds), and novel pollution patterns triggered by global events, particularly the COVID-19 pandemic. The highest-rated studies (quality score 5/5) documented fundamental alterations to soil properties, disruption of critical marine ecosystem services, and quantifiable accumulation patterns in freshwater systems. Complementary research provided essential context on lifecycle environmental impacts and pandemic-driven shifts in plastic waste management. By synthesizing evidence across these interconnected environmental compartments, this review illuminates the complex, cross-ecosystem nature of contemporary plastic pollution challenges.