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Plastics and the Environment

Annual Review of Environment and Resources 2023 97 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 55 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Imogen E. Napper, Imogen E. Napper, Imogen E. Napper, Imogen E. Napper, Imogen E. Napper, Imogen E. Napper, Imogen E. Napper, Imogen E. Napper, Richard C. Thompson Imogen E. Napper, Imogen E. Napper, Imogen E. Napper, Imogen E. Napper, Imogen E. Napper, Imogen E. Napper, Imogen E. Napper, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Imogen E. Napper, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Imogen E. Napper, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Imogen E. Napper, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Imogen E. Napper, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Imogen E. Napper, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson

Summary

This broad review covers the current state of knowledge about plastic pollution in the environment, from its sources and degradation pathways to its effects on ecosystems and organisms. Researchers note that despite a decade of intense study, major knowledge gaps remain, particularly around the impacts of tire wear particles and textile fibers, which are among the largest sources of microplastics. The study calls for standardized methods and more research on real-world environmental concentrations.

Polymers

rubber

Study Type Environmental

Plastics are persistent and pervasive throughout the environment and have now been reported from the deepest parts of the ocean to the tops of the highest and most remote mountains. There is a body of information on the sources, degradation, and transport of plastics as well as a variety of research investigating the ecotoxicological and wider ecological consequences of plastic ingestion and accumulation. Such knowledge has been obtained with developments in field and laboratory methods for plastic identification and then well-publicized in the media and wider public communications. However, although there has been a large focus on plastic pollution within the past decade, there is plenty that we do not yet know. Even within the past five years, sources of microplastics (1 μm–5 mm) to the environment have been confirmed that had not previously been considered, for example, road paints and tire wear particles. Initial research focused on plastic in the marine environment, but understanding on the accumulation and impacts in terrestrial and freshwater environments is growing. There is a substantial lack of basic science focused on the efficiency of solutions aimed at mitigating plastic pollution. This review highlights some recent (past five years) research on plastics in the environment, including investigations in accumulation, sources, distribution, impacts, solutions and provides directions for future work.

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