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Fate of microplastics under the influence of climate change
Summary
This paper discusses how climate change is reshaping the fate of microplastics in the environment through mechanisms like melting ice releasing stored particles, increased rainfall washing debris into waterways, and stronger winds redistributing contamination. Researchers found that rising temperatures also accelerate the chemical breakdown of microplastics, potentially releasing additional harmful substances. The study frames microplastic pollution within the broader context of planetary boundaries, suggesting the two environmental crises are deeply interconnected.
Plastic pollution and climate change are two major environmental focuses. Having the forming potential due to ambient plastic pollution, the environmental fate of microplastics shall be inevitably impacted by global warming. This manuscript discusses the destiny of environmental microplastics and characterizes their fate considering the framework of the planetary boundary. The major routes for microplastic discharge include the release of microplastic stored in the ice into the sea when the ice melts as a result of global temperature increase, flushing of the plastic/microplastic debris from the shorelines into the adjacent water bodies as a result of increased rainfall, redistribution of the microplastics away from the source of plastic debris as a result of increased wind, and accumulation of microplastics in the soil as a result of drought. A perspective on the impact of climate change and microplastic pollution on aquatic and soil organisms was discussed as well.
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