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Progress in the Research on Bioavailability of Nanoplastics to Freshwater Plankton
Summary
A review of recent research finds that nanoplastics can be taken up by freshwater phytoplankton and zooplankton, transferred up the food web, and cause toxic effects — but significant gaps remain in understanding how much actually enters organisms in real-world settings. Because plankton underpin aquatic food webs and nutrient cycling, nanoplastic contamination at this foundational level could have cascading consequences for freshwater ecosystem health.
The present review critically examines the advancements in the past 5 years concerning the re-search on the bioavailability of the nanoplastics (NPLs) to freshwater plankton. With a specific emphasis on two bioavailability components: uptake availability and toxico-availability, we dis-cuss the recent progress in the understanding of the adsorption, absorption, trophic transfer and biological effects in phyto- and zooplankton induced by NPLs exposure. The influence of the plankton on the NPLs bioavailability via excretion of the biomolecules and formation of eco-corona is also examined. In spite of the important research developments, there are still con-siderable knowledge gaps with respect to NPLs biouptake and trophic transfer by plankton, as well as a potential adverse effect in natural aquatic systems. As plankton play a critical role in primary production, nutrient cycling and food web structure, understanding the interaction be-tween NPLs and plankton is essential in assessing the potential implications of the nanoplastics pollution for aquatic ecosystem biodiversity and services.