Microplastics in the Environment: Sources, Detection Techniques, and Analytical Challenges

The environmental concerns about microplastics are growing among scientists, policymakers, and the public.Plastic particles smaller than 5 mm are known as microplastics, and they come from a variety of primary sources, including personal care products and industrial abrasives.Additionally, they come from secondary sources like the degradation of larger plastics.A growing number of these particles have been found in soil, aquatic systems, and even atmospheric samples, highlighting the urgent need for further research into the origin, fate, and impacts of these particles.In this review, we provide an overview of the sources, types, and processes that lead to microplastics entering soil and water systems, focusing primarily on how wastewater, agricultural inputs, and industrial discharges contribute to their growth.Several sampling strategies are discussed across environmental matrices, highlighting the challenges associated with collecting samples that are representative and contaminationfree.In the section on microplastics, a wide range of analytical techniques is discussed, including microscopy, spectroscopy, thermal analysis, chromatography, and mass spectrometry.Although significant progress has been made, several analytical challenges remain, including the lack of standardized methods, the identification of nanoplastics, and the limitations of quantification.Various emerging technologies, including machine learning, biosensors, and advanced imaging tools, are also explored for their potential to enhance current approaches.With this review, we aim to synthesize recent advancements and persistent challenges to support the development of more robust, sensitive, and harmonized approaches to microplastic analysis, ultimately leading