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A critical review on nanoplastics and its future perspectives in the marine environment
Summary
This review provides a comprehensive look at nanoplastics, plastic particles smaller than one micrometer, and their fate in marine environments. Researchers found that nanoplastics can originate from the breakdown of larger plastic debris and may carry harmful chemical additives and absorbed pollutants on their surfaces. The evidence indicates that due to their extremely small size, nanoplastics can cross biological barriers and accumulate in marine organisms, raising concerns about food chain contamination.
Nanoplastics (plastic particles smaller than 1 μm) are the least-known type of marine litter. Nanoplastics (NPs) have attracted much interest in recent years because of their prevalence in the environment and the potential harm they can cause to living organisms. This article focuses on understanding NPs and their fate in the marine environment. Sources of NPs have been identified, including accidental release from products or through nano-fragmentation of larger plastic debris. As NPs have a high surface area, they may retain harmful compounds. The presence of harmful additives in NPs poses unique practical challenges for studies on their toxicity. In this review, several methods specifically adapted for the physical and chemical characterization of NPs have been discussed. Furthermore, the review provides an overview of the translocation and absorption of NPs into organisms, along with an evaluation of the release of potential toxins from NPs. Further, we have provided an overview about the existing methods suggested for the possible degradation of these NPs. We conclude that the hazards of NPs are plausible but unknown, necessitating a thorough examination of NPs' sources, fate, and effects to better mitigate and spread awareness about this emerging contaminant.
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