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Sources, impacts and distribution of microplastics in different environmental matrices: a review
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This comprehensive review maps the sources, distribution, and environmental impacts of microplastics across marine, riverine, terrestrial, and atmospheric matrices, noting that riverine ecosystems and soil environments remain understudied relative to marine systems. The review underscores that microplastics permeate every environmental compartment — including drinking water sources and food commodities — making ubiquitous human exposure unavoidable without systemic interventions in plastic production and waste management.
Plastic, a groundbreaking invention of the 20th century, has become an indispensable part of our lives due to its exceptional qualities and affordability. However, the ever-increasing demand for plastic has led to a surge in plastic production and subsequent pollution. Microplastics (MPs), defined as plastics smaller than 5 mm, have emerged as a significant and escalating threat to the environment. They enter the environment through various primary and secondary sources, contributing to pollution in water, air, sediment, and the food chain. MPs pose a particular risk to marine, river, and estuarine ecosystems, affecting surface water quality and posing health risks to organisms dependent on these water sources. While marine environments have been extensively studied for microplastic pollution, riverine ecosystems have received less attention, despite their significance as a source of drinking water and support for aquaculture. MPs also pervade terrestrial environments, accumulating in plants and soils, with potential ecological consequences. Additionally, MPs have been detected in food commodities, raising concerns about human exposure and health risks. This review highlights the ubiquity of MPs, their sources, and impacts on various environmental matrices. It emphasizes the urgent need to develop approaches and techniques to prevent water pollution caused by MPs and to further investigate the potential health effects of human exposure to these contaminants.
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