Microplastics in Lagoon Ecosystems: A Review on Occurrence and Methods for Microplastic Detection

ABSTRACT: Lagoons are known to act as a source and a sink of microplastics in the environment. The extent of their occurrence is, however, still largely unknown. This study reports available scientific evidence on the occurrence and abundance of microplastic in lagoon ecosystems, globally. This study identified knowledge gaps as well as recommendations to overcome barriers for an effective emerging pollution management. Microplastics of various shapes, polymer types, colours and sizes have been recorded in water, sediments and biota in different lagoon environments. Sampling processing methods and differences in reporting units across different studies make it difficult to create a general picture of the current state of knowledge. This review concluded that most of the studies were mainly focused on the occurrence and fate of microplastics in water, sediment and biota of the lagoon ecosystems with a lack of studies investigating the uptake of microplastics by humans and its risks.