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Status of Microplastic Pollution in Natural Water Bodies
Summary
This review summarises the current state of microplastic contamination across natural water bodies worldwide, finding that between 4 and 14 million tonnes of plastic enter the oceans every year. Fish ingest microplastics directly or through contaminated prey, and accumulation in their stomachs, guts, and intestines causes behavioral changes, organ stress, and increased mortality. The review highlights how plastic pollution is disrupting aquatic food webs in ways that ultimately threaten the seafood humans consume.
The presence of microplastics in the environment has been declared as an emerging pollutant because the production of plastic is increasing tremendously throughout the world without proper management. Microplastics (MPs) are small plastic particles (size <5mm) released directly from the use of cosmetic products, or indirectly through the degradation of large plastic items under environmental conditions. Nowadays, it is estimated that annually between 4 and 14 million tonnes of plastic go into the seas and are hazardous to aquatic life. Fishes may ingest microplastics either directly or from the prey containing these particles. MPs were found between the stomach, gut, and intestine of the fish. These MPs accumulated in the fish body which causes serious health issues leading to mortality of the fish. MPs can cause various eco-toxicological effects on fish like behavioral change, cytotoxicity, neurotoxicity effects, liver stress, etc.
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