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Beyond occurrence: A comprehensive review of microplastic pollution, risk dynamics, and management priorities in Bangladesh’s aquatic ecosystems
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This review pulls together existing research on tiny plastic particles polluting Bangladesh's rivers, lakes, and seafood, finding high contamination levels across water, sediment, and fish or shellfish. Marine animals had the most plastic buildup, and worryingly, children who eat contaminated seafood may absorb over three times more microplastics than adults. This highlights an urgent need for better monitoring and pollution control to protect food safety.
Microplastics (MPs) are emerging contaminants that threaten aquatic ecosystems due to their persistence, bioavailability, and ecotoxic potential. Although studies on MPs in Bangladesh have increased, evidence remains fragmented across environmental matrices, limiting comprehensive risk assessment and management. This review systematically synthesizes the occurrence, characteristics, sources, and risks of MPs in Bangladesh's aquatic environments using a quantitative evidence synthesis approach. The Mean ± Standard Error of the Mean (SEM) of MPs were 26.69 ± 6.52 MPs/L in surface water, 805.24 ± 301.21 MPs/kg in sediment, and 16.78 ± 3.33 MPs/individual in biota. Dominant MPs characteristics included particle sizes of 0.1–0.5 mm, fibrous shapes, transparent/blue/black colors, and polymers such as polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS). Pollution load index (PLI) values indicated high contamination in surface water (36.75), sediment (25.68), and biota (13.65), while the polymer hazard index (PHI) indicated high to very high polymer-associated hazard levels. Marine organisms showed the highest MPs accumulation (1.26 MPs/g), followed by estuarine, pond, and riverine species. Estimated daily intake (EDI) suggested children are exposed to MPs at levels 3.21 times higher than adults through contaminated biota consumption. These findings support standardized monitoring, source-specific mitigation, and evidence-based microplastic management in Bangladesh.
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Unveiling the microplastic crisis: Insights into Bangladesh's aquatic ecosystems - origins, impact, and solutions
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This review examines the growing microplastic crisis in Bangladesh's rivers, estuaries, and coastal waters, finding that the country's rapid urbanization and limited waste management have led to widespread contamination. Microplastics were documented in water, sediment, and fish across multiple Bangladeshi water systems. Since over 160 million people in Bangladesh depend on these water resources for drinking, farming, and fishing, the contamination poses a significant public health concern.
Microplastic Pollution in Bangladesh: A Structured Review of Sources, Impacts, and Policy Responses
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This review pulls together existing research on microplastic pollution in Bangladesh's rivers, lakes, and coastal waters, showing that tiny plastic fragments from textiles, industry, and everyday waste are building up in water and food sources like fish. Since people are exposed to microplastics mainly by eating contaminated food (and possibly breathing them in), this matters because it means plastic pollution isn't just an environmental issue, it's likely entering our bodies through the food chain. The authors call for stronger policies, like banning single-use plastics and improving waste management, to reduce this exposure before more is understood about its long-term health effects
Microplastic Contamination Across Bangladesh’s Aquaculture and Fisheries Value Chain: A Structured Review of Farm Inputs, Aquatic Biota, Seafood Products, Dietary Exposure, and Research Gaps
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Tiny plastic particles called microplastics are showing up throughout Bangladesh's fish and seafood supply, from fish farm water and feed to the fish themselves and the seafood people eat. This review pulls together findings from 24 studies to map out where contamination is happening and how much might end up on our plates, though it also finds big gaps in research on how this actually affects human health. The takeaway: while we know microplastics are getting into the seafood chain, scientists still don't have enough data to say exactly how risky this is for consumers, meaning more research is urgently needed.
Microplastics pollution in Bangladesh: current scenario and future research perspective
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Microplastics have been found throughout Bangladesh's aquatic and terrestrial environments, where they threaten biodiversity and enter the food chain. This review synthesizes the available evidence and calls for stronger national monitoring programs and policies given Bangladesh's vulnerability to plastic pollution from its dense population and major rivers.
Microplastics pollution in aquatic ecosystems of Bangladesh — A critical review on research trends and future perspectives
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This review found widespread microplastic contamination across all aquatic compartments in Bangladesh, with average concentrations of 4.92 particles/L in water and 118.40 particles/kg in sediment. Polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene fibers and fragments predominated, with freshwater fish accumulating the most microplastics per organism.
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