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Microplastics and Ecotoxicity: a Review
Summary
This short review summarizes how microplastics harm aquatic microorganisms, including bacteria, algae, and protozoa, drawing on the statistic that over 5 trillion plastic pieces currently contaminate the ocean. It covers the main types and size ranges of plastic waste and their ecotoxic effects on microbial communities. Understanding impacts on microbes matters because these organisms form the base of aquatic food webs and drive nutrient cycling that supports all marine life.
This review article mainly focuses on ecotoxicity of microplastics in aquatic microbes. According to current statistics, a whopping 5.25 trillion plastic pieces are being dumped in the ocean and ocean is the main zone where wastes are being dumped, if this continues further it is really necessary to look into how it is affecting the microorganisms present in that water body . With a population of 8 billion it’s obvious that a lot of waste is generated but is dumping a large portion of it in water bodies a wise choice? This is the main focus of this article. Apart from this the types of plastics waste and their size ranges will be discussed along with details of the ecotoxicity with a few examples for an understanding of why the need of the hour is focusing on waste reduction in micro levels too. INDEX Keywords: Microplastics, microorganisms , ecotoxicity
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