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Sources, Effects, and Fate of Microplastics in Aquatic Environment

2025 1 citation ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 53 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Biswanath Mahanty, Mohd. Zafar, Shishir Kumar Behera, Tejas R. Atri, Tejas R. Atri, Eldon R. Rene

Summary

This chapter provides an overview of microplastic sources, transport, and occurrence in aquatic environments along with their effects on aquatic organisms. The review highlights that microplastics can absorb and transport toxic compounds, are readily absorbed into living cells, and interfere with physiological processes, posing significant ecological and health concerns.

The proliferation of plastics across various domains of human life has expeditiously increased the environmental accumulation of microplastics (MPs). Their capacity to absorb and transport toxic compounds, ease of absorption into living cells, and interference with physiological processes all pose potential ecological and health problems. In order to mitigate the impacts of microplastics in aquatic environments, a holistic approach is required. This chapter (1) summarizes the updated data on the sources, transport, and occurrence of MPs in the aquatic environment, (2) provides the detailed effects of MPs on aquatic organisms, and (3) evaluates the environmental fate of MPs in aquatic ecosystems.

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