Existence and fate of microplastics in terrestrial environment: A global fretfulness and abatement strategies

Widespread use of plastics in consumer products, packaging, cosmetics, and industrial and agricultural production has resulted in the ubiquitous occurrence of microplastics in terrestrial environment. Compared to the marine environment, only limited studies have investigated the microplastics pollution and associated risk in terrestrial environment. The present review summarizes the global distribution of microplastics in terrestrial environment, their transport pathways and fate, risk to ecosystem and human health, and abatement strategies. Small particle sizes (<500 μm); fragment, fiber, and film shapes; transparent and white color; polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) polymers were the major characteristics of the microplastics found in terrestrial environment. Microplastics in soils negatively affect soil organisms, while the impact of microplastics in terrestrial environment on human health is poorly understood, which needs to be explored further as there is clear evidence on their presence in human bodies. The removal of microplastics from soil environment is quite complex and costly, thus prevention of their releases is preferable. Among the existing abatement options, biodegradation, which harnesses bacterial strains to degrade microplastics through enzymatic hydrolysis, hold promise for terrestrial environment. Strengthening global cooperation, implementing timely policies on plastic use and recycle, and developing new technologies for control of microplastics are recommended to reduce the pollution in terrestrial environment. Global effort on reducing plastic wastes and enhancing their management is imperative, while substitution with biodegradable plastics could help minimize future accumulation of microplastics in terrestrial environment.