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The Fate of Micro/Nano Plastic Pollutants in the Natural Environment
Summary
This review explains how micro- and nanoplastics form through physical, chemical, and biological breakdown of larger plastic debris, and then traces their fate across land, water, and living organisms at every level of the ecological hierarchy. The authors discuss methods for identifying and classifying these particles and summarize the ecotoxicological risks they pose as they accumulate and interact with other pollutants. It provides a broad-level framework for understanding where microplastics end up in nature and why that matters for both ecosystem and human health.
Micro- and nanoplastics are formed due to various chemical, mechanical, biological, and physical abrasions caused to the plastic particles in the environment. These have emerged as a considerable form of contaminant and have been gaining research interest. The fate of these emerging contaminants, potentially associated risks, and ecotoxicity are being studied considerably by researchers across the globe. The pollutants have been found at every stratum of the living hierarchy. This chapter will highlight the difference between micro- and nanoplastics by describing the techniques and methods used in their classifications and identification. It is also essential to understand and discuss their effect on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, along with their accumulation in the food chain and their impact on human health and toxicity. The toxic nature of various additives in plastics and the effect of the accumulation of pollutants like organic contaminants and heavy metals, along with microbial contaminants, on these micro- and nanoplastics has shown a detrimental effect on humans and other species as well as the ecosystem. It has shown an increase in mortality in various species, along with modified mobility. An integrated approach to studying, mitigating, and understanding the inter-relationship between these pollutants is an essential part of the framework of the ecosystem and human society. Plastic waste generation has shown no signs of reduction shortly due to the demand and supply chain. Thus, it becomes an undisputed part of the environment and various ecosystems, and hence, it becomes imperative to understand its anthropic persistence.
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