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A Critical Review of Microplastic Effects on Wildlife and Biodiversity with Notes on Current Analytical Detection Techniques
Summary
This systematic review examines how microplastics affect wildlife and biodiversity, noting that most research has focused on marine invertebrates while land animals and vertebrates remain understudied. The evidence shows that microplastics can cause physical harm, chemical toxicity, and behavioral changes across many species. Understanding wildlife impacts matters for human health because microplastics move through food webs that ultimately include the foods people eat.
Microplastics are plastic particles of various shapes that are typically less than 5 mm in size. Microplastics have emerged as a significant environmental and health concern due to their persistence, bioavailability, and potential toxicity. These particles contain chemical compounds that may cause adverse effects on both the environment and living organisms. Extensive research has been conducted on the impact of microplastics. However, studies have largely focused on invertebrates and marine species, leaving significant gaps in understanding their effects on other wildlife groups. Hence, this review aims to comprehensively assess the general effects of microplastic pollution on wildlife and biodiversity, as well as the detection techniques used. Under a thorough systematic review of the SCOPUS database, the impacts of microplastic exposure on wildlife can be categorized into physiological, behavioral, toxicological, ecological, emerging areas, and effects on population growth. The findings reveal that 32% of reviewed studies focus on ecological impacts, primarily centered on invertebrates rather than fish, plants, mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles. In addition, this review identifies key trends and critical knowledge gaps across all animal groups. As standardized methods for identifying microplastics have yet to be established, emerging detection techniques such as spectroscopic methods like Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (Py-GCMS) are still evolving. Further research is needed to fully understand the impact of microplastics on wildlife, which could influence long-term conservation management.