Microplastics: An In-Depth Analysis of Its Fate, Environmental Impact, Implications, and Innovative Remediation Strategies

Microplastic pollution is now recognized as a global threat, significantly impacting all components of freshwater ecosystems. These tiny plastic particles are widespread and persistently found in freshwater sources. They also act as carriers for various harmful substances, such as industrial additives and urban pollutants. Ultimately, microplastic-contaminated effluents enter water bodies and are directly ingested by organisms within those ecosystems. Microplastics pose environmental toxicity by disrupting aquatic ecosystems and accumulating in the food chain. In humans, they may cause inflammation, oxidative stress, and potential endocrine disruption upon exposure. Therefore, this review primarily focuses on the origins, ecotoxicological impacts, and effects of microplastics on aquatic organisms, along with their various bioremediation approaches. Apart from that, the present article also thoroughly discussed the nanotechnology approach to degrade microplastic with recent innovation and advancement. This is the first review article to explore a range of bioremediation methods integrated with nanocatalytic degradation of microplastics, supported by recent and innovative case studies. In addition, the article also discusses the present innovation and future direction in the field of microplastic research by taking examples of incorporating artificial intelligence, machine learning, internet of things and application of genetic engineering for sustainable and innovative microplastic research for present and future research.