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Identifying Knowledge Gaps on Ecotoxicological Assessment of Micro/Nanoplastics with Aquatic Keystone Species
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This review identifies knowledge gaps in the ecotoxicological assessment of micro- and nanoplastics across aquatic and terrestrial organisms, highlighting inconsistencies in particle characterization, exposure concentrations, and endpoint selection that limit cross-study comparisons and risk assessment.
The pollution of aquatic environments by micro/nanoplastics (M/NPs) has been a growing public concern in recent years. This situation has the potential to threaten and affect both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems simultaneously. Therefore, extensive research has been conducted over the past few years to determine the toxicity of M/NPs. This article investigated the global scientific literature on M/NPs’ toxicity on Daphnia magna by integrating social network analysis with bibliometrics. A total of 100 publications were downloaded and analyzed with the majority being academic journal articles. Network maps and graphics displayed the correlations between keywords, countries, and journals. Moreover, the type, size, and exposure time of M/NPs were also evaluated to expose current research trends. The results demonstrate that PS and PE are the primary polymer types employed in most toxicity studies. Researchers in China and Germany have provided a great contribution. The Journal of Environmental Pollution published the highest number of research articles. The top publishing countries and the top-cited publications and authors will likely pave the way for standardization in both microplastic and nanoplastic research.
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