PET microplastics as a Grand Challenge: Effects of PET Microplastics on Model Organisms and Exploring Detection and Degradation Strategies for Environmental Remediation

Despite the growing production of plastics, there is a serious gap in knowledge on its effect on human health. Microplastics are damaging to locomotor behavior, the gut-brain axis, and other functions of the central nervous system. In this review, we look at the evolution of microplastic detection methods, adverse effects associated with exposure to Polyethylene Terephthalic microplastics, or PET-MP, and the potential of chemical recycling as an efficient and beneficial recycling process. We found that, although detection methods have improved in terms of accuracy, there is still much to be optimized, such as tedious processes, long detection times, and lack of versatility in microplastics that can be detected. We found that PET microplastics significantly increased spontaneous activity in Drosophila Melanogaster and negatively affected gut microbiota, which can potentially impair learning and memory. There are still major gaps in understanding the effect of PET microplastics on organisms, as most research is catered towards polyethylene microplastics. Lastly, we looked at the presence of PET-MP in terms of a Grand Challenge and looked at potential solutions for remediation. We found that methods such as glycolysis and hydrolysis, which use chemical agents to depolymerize PET-MP as a way of recycling, hold lots of potential for environmental remediation.