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Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Aquatic Systems
Summary
This review examines the sources, distribution, and ecological impacts of micro- and nanoplastics in aquatic systems worldwide. Researchers found that only about nine percent of plastic waste is recycled globally, with the remainder contributing to environmental contamination that eventually reaches rivers, lakes, and oceans. The study highlights the broad range of harmful effects these particles can have on aquatic organisms and ecosystems, from physical ingestion to chemical leaching.
The predilection for having a sustainable and well-developed economy, with amelioration in population and living standards, focused only on successful development and implementation, not on the billions of waste generated. Plastics are one such material that has pioneered sophisticated living standards since their discovery and has been augmented with industrialization and commercialization. However, with the overall consumption, only approximately 9% of the million tons of waste plastics generated undergo recycling. The uncontrolled littering of these materials results in a critical system, outpacing the expertise to access these materials beyond planetary boundaries. The non-biodegradable and toxic nature of plastic materials leads to the generation of micro- and nanoplastics, polluting the ecosystem cognate with it. This chapter focuses on the presence of nano/microplastics in aquatic ecosystems, primarily focusing on their toxicity and subsequent effects on the marine environment and its flora and fauna.