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Microplastics in Surface Waters: A Critical Review of Emerging Challenges and Future Perspectives
Summary
This review examines microplastic contamination across aquatic environments, covering detection technologies, ecological risks from ingestion by wildlife and transfer through food webs, and how microplastics serve as vectors for pesticides, heavy metals, and chemical pollutants.
ABSTRACT Plastics are widely used due to their low cost and versatility, but their durability has led to severe environmental consequences. Accumulating in urban waste and natural waterways, plastics degrade into microplastics, now detected in nearly every aquatic environment. These particles pose serious ecological risks as they are ingested by fish and wildlife, causing physiological stress and enabling the transfer of toxic substances through food webs, including to humans via seafood consumption. Microplastics also act as carriers for pesticides, heavy metals, and microfibers, increasing chemical exposure. Although detection technologies have improved, research is limited by inconsistent methodologies and the absence of global standards. This review summarizes current knowledge on microplastic sources, environmental behavior, ecological impacts, and human health risks, while identifying key gaps related to biodegradable alternatives, standardized monitoring protocols, and integrated policy frameworks essential for safeguarding aquatic ecosystems and public health.