“Hook & Loop” Interactions between Fibrous Microplastics and Zooplankton

Summary

This study investigated the physical 'hook and loop' interactions between fibrous microplastics and zooplankton, exploring how fiber shape leads to entanglement rather than just ingestion. Fibrous microplastics — the dominant form in most marine environments — interact with small zooplankton differently than spherical particles, potentially impairing feeding, movement, and reproduction in these ecologically critical organisms.