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Microplastic Pollution in Aquatic and Terrestrial Ecosystems: Health Impacts and Remediation Strategies: A Systematic Review
Summary
Tiny plastic bits called microplastics, shed from things like tires, laundry, and cosmetics, are everywhere in our water and soil, and this review of 54 existing studies confirms they can soak up pollutants and work their way into our food chain. While scientists agree this poses a real risk to both nature and human health, the research is still inconsistent, so the long-term effects on our bodies aren't fully understood yet. The takeaway: microplastic exposure is likely unavoidable in daily life, but more standardized research is needed before we know exactly how worried to be.
Microplastics are plastic particles smaller than 5 mm that have become a growing environmental concern due to their persistence and widespread distribution. They originate from diverse sources, including laundry detergents, vehicle tires, cosmetic microbeads, and the degradation of larger plastics through ultraviolet radiation and saline exposure. This systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines to summarize current knowledge on the environmental and human health effects of microplastics. A comprehensive literature search was performed in ScienceDirect, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases, yielding 2694 initial records. After applying exclusion criteria and removing duplicates, 111 studies were selected for full reading, and 54 articles were ultimately included in the analysis. The results reveal that microplastics can absorb and release pollutants, leading to the contamination of water and soil and enabling them to enter the food chain, thereby posing potential risks to both ecosystems and human health. However, significant discrepancies were found among the databases regarding the amount and quality of available data, highlighting the need for standardized research approaches. In conclusion, understanding the sources, distribution, and impacts of microplastics is crucial to developing strategies to mitigate their release, and further research is essential to assess their long-term effects and to guide environmental policy.