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Understanding Environmental and Socio‐economic Risks Associated with Microplastics
Summary
This book chapter reviews the environmental, health, and socioeconomic risks associated with microplastics, examining their cytotoxicity, immune disruption, and presence across food chain trophic levels. It also discusses economic costs of microplastic pollution and outlines mitigation strategies at individual and policy levels.
Research on microplastics and their harmful effects has become a major area of attention for environmental agencies in recent years. Due to their small size, multicolored, and abundant qualities, microplastics are present at many trophic levels of the food chain and in different organs of the animals. As a result, they possess cytotoxicity and detrimental effects on the immune systems of humans and animals. Thus, developing comprehensive measures to reduce pollution, advance environmental justice, and protect human health and ecosystem integrity requires an understanding of the interrelated social, economic, and environmental implications of microplastics. In this regard, this chapter aims to provide an overview of the literature on this quickly developing subject, with particular attention to the effects of microplastics on human health and the environment. Moreover, the socio-economic impacts associated with microplastics have been elucidated. At last, a short discussion on mitigation technologies and a way forward was highlighted to minimize the effects of microplastics on human and aquatic life.
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