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Microplastic ingestion in aquatic and soil biota: A comprehensive review of laboratory studies on edible size and intake pattern
Summary
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.