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Microplastic Pollution in Aquatic Ecosystems: Environmental Behaviour, Biological Impacts, and Public Health Implications- A Comprehensive Review
Summary
This review paper summarizes existing research showing that tiny plastic particles called microplastics are now found throughout our water systems and food chain, including in seafood and drinking water that people consume. The research shows these particles can cause inflammation and disrupt hormones in the body, but scientists still need better methods to study long-term health effects. Understanding microplastic pollution is important because it affects the safety of our food and water supply.
Microplastics and nanoplastics are pervasive contaminants in freshwater and marine systems. Here, the current evidence on their major sources and pathways, phytochemical characteristics, environmental fate (transport, fragmentation, biofouling, and sedimentation), and ecological effects across trophic levels is synthesized. We also summarize human exposure routes (seafood, drinking water, and inhalation), health-relevant toxicological mechanisms (e.g., inflammation, oxidative stress, and endocrine disruption), and the current state of analytical detection and monitoring (e.g., FTIR/Raman spectroscopy and pyrolysis-GC/MS), including key limitations to comparability. Finally, we review regulatory and mitigation approaches and highlight research priorities such as harmonized definitions, method inter-comparisons, realistic chronic exposure studies, and quantitative risk-assessment frameworks. Addressing these gaps is essential for evidence-based regulation and reducing microplastic inputs to aquatic environments and the food chain.