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Microplastic ingestion in aquatic and soil biota: A comprehensive review of laboratory studies on edible size and intake pattern
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This comprehensive review of 169 lab studies found that microplastics smaller than 300 micrometers can be consumed by a wide range of aquatic and soil organisms at the base of the food chain. Even organisms as small as 1 micrometer in body size were found to ingest microplastics. Since these tiny creatures are the foundation of food webs, their consumption of microplastics creates a direct pathway for plastic particles to accumulate up the chain and eventually reach humans through food.
Microplastic contamination is ubiquitous and can be transferred through the food chain to humans. However, studies on microplastic size have mainly focused on large animals with a body length >20 mm. To address this gap, we conducted a comprehensive review of 169 laboratory studies to determine the edible size of microplastics for macrofauna and flora in aquatic and soil biota. Our findings indicate that microplastics with a size of <300 μm and 1 μm, respectively, are edible for these organisms, which are positioned at the base of the food chain. We also analyzed intake and depuration patterns and identified factors affecting microplastic ingestion. Our study fills an important knowledge gap by identifying the range of microplastic sizes that can enter the food chain and be transferred to humans. The study findings have strong implications for the ecological risk assessment of microplastics and suggest a starting point for mitigating this threat.
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Researchers tested how 11 types of freshwater and marine invertebrates, including worms, snails, clams and mussels, ingested a mixture of different-sized microplastic particles in lab experiments. The amount and size of plastic found in each animal varied by species, with most ingested particles measuring between about 5.5 and 27.7 micrometers, and animals egested more particles than remained in their bodies after 24 hours.
Occurrence and pathways of microplastics, quantification protocol and adverseeffects of microplastics towards freshwater and seawater biota
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This review examines the occurrence, pathways, and adverse effects of microplastics on freshwater and marine organisms, highlighting how these particles can enter the food chain through seafood consumption. The study suggests that microplastic ingestion causes health hazards in aquatic animals and points to gaps in understanding how microplastics affect human health along the food supply chain.
Microplastic pollution: exploring trophic transfer pathways and ecological impacts
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Researchers reviewed how microplastics — tiny plastic fragments under 5 mm — move through food chains across aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, turning up in everything from table salt and drinking water to fish and earthworms. The review highlights how microplastics disrupt nutrient cycling and accumulate across trophic levels, calling for stronger management strategies to curb this global pollutant.
What do we know about how the terrestrial multicellular soil fauna reacts to microplastic?
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This review analyzed published studies on how multicellular soil organisms (including earthworms, mites, springtails, and nematodes) ingest and respond to microplastics, finding that most studies used unrealistically high concentrations and that ecologically relevant effects on soil fauna remain poorly characterized.
Ecotoxicological effects of micro- and nanoplastics on terrestrial food web from plants to human beings
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This review examined the ecotoxicological effects of micro- and nanoplastics across the terrestrial food web, from plants to humans. Researchers found that plants can take up these particles through roots and leaves, soil organisms are affected by altered soil properties, and the potential for transfer through the food chain raises concerns about human dietary exposure to micro- and nanoplastics.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.