0
Article Tier 2 Environmental Sources Food & Water Human Health Effects Marine & Wildlife Policy & Risk Sign in to save

Occurrence, Bioaccumulation, and Risk Assessment of Microplastics in the Aquatic Environment: A Review

Water 2023 46 citations

AI summary Read the abstract

This review summarizes current knowledge on microplastic occurrence, bioaccumulation, and health risks in aquatic environments worldwide. Microplastics can absorb other pollutants and transfer them through the food chain, accumulating in organisms at higher levels. The authors call for standardized risk assessment methods and better monitoring to understand the full scope of microplastic threats to ecosystems and human health.

Study Type Environmental

Microplastics (MPs) are emerging as environmental pollutants and are widely distributed in aquatic environments. They are characterized by long life cycles, ease of migration, ability to adsorb other environmental pollutants, small size, and ease of ingestion by aquatic organisms, thereby threatening the growth, life, and health of aquatic organisms. MPs are biologically transferable and can accumulate in organisms at high trophic levels via food chains, thereby negatively impacting the ecological environment and human health. Moreover, the bioaccumulation of MPs is an important parameter for scientific risk assessments. This paper reviews the current status of MP pollution and its bioaccumulation in marine, freshwater, and other water environments. Furthermore, it proposes relevant recommendations for future research on the bioaccumulation of MPs in conjunction with previous studies to provide basic support for risk assessment and environmental management.

More Papers Like This

Article Tier 2

Microplastics in the Aquatic Environment: Occurrence, Persistence, Analysis, and Human Exposure

AI summary Read the abstract

This review synthesizes global research on microplastic occurrence in aquatic environments, from rivers and lakes to wastewater and seafood, and examines how these particles eventually reach humans. Researchers found that microplastics are now ubiquitous in freshwater and marine systems, with trophic transfer and biomagnification serving as key routes of human exposure. The study highlights the need for standardized sampling and analysis methods to enable better comparison across studies and more accurate risk assessment.

Article Tier 2

Microplastics in aquatic food chain : sources, measurement, occurrence and potential health risks

AI summary Read the abstract

This review examines the sources, measurement methods, occurrence, and potential health risks of microplastics throughout aquatic food chains, finding that while microplastics are ubiquitous in fish, shellfish, and other aquatic food sources, the data needed for a comprehensive human dietary exposure and risk assessment are not yet available. Researchers identify standardization of detection methods as a critical prerequisite for meaningful risk evaluation.

Article Tier 2

Microplastics in aquatic environments: Occurrence, accumulation, and biological effects

AI summary Read the abstract

This review compiled evidence on microplastic occurrence, accumulation, and biological effects in global aquatic environments, covering uptake by organisms across trophic levels and the role of microplastics as vectors for persistent organic pollutants. The authors highlight concentration-dependent toxicity and the need for ecologically relevant exposure scenarios in laboratory studies.

Article Tier 2

Exploring bioaccumulation patterns and ecological risks of microplastics in aquatic ecosystems

AI summary Read the abstract

This review comprehensively examined microplastic bioaccumulation and ecological risk in aquatic ecosystems, covering sources, environmental pathways, and the risks microplastics pose to organisms across trophic levels in rivers, lakes, and marine environments.

Article Tier 2

Microplastics in aquatic systems: A review of occurrence, monitoring and potential environmental risks

AI summary Read the abstract

Researchers review the presence of microplastics — tiny plastic fragments less than 5 mm — across freshwater and marine environments worldwide, finding that polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene are the most commonly detected types. Exposure disrupts feeding, movement, and reproduction in aquatic wildlife, and the authors call for standardized measurement methods and legal limits to protect ecosystems.

Research digests by email

When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.

Email me about

Share this paper