Advances in quantification, degradation and ecotoxicology of microplastics in marine resources

Plastic pollution and associated ecological risks are prominent environmental issues in marine resources worldwide. Previous studies have demonstrated that 82% of marine debris' hazardous impacts were associated with plastic pollution. Physical, chemical, and biological aging processes decompose these plastic wastes into miniature fragments, including fibers, fragments, spheres, and particles, referred to as nanoplastics (microplastics (MPs, 1-1000 µm). Compared with MPs could pose more serious ecological risks owing to their small particle size, large surface area, and higher internalization potential. These tiny plastics can adhere to algae and plankton or be ingested by aquatic organisms such as fish, invertebrates, bivalves, and shrimp. A recent review article summarized the MPs abundance in the gills, foot, mantle, intestine, muscle, and visceral mass of bivalves. This study further revealed multifaceted toxicological implications associated with MPs exposure in mussels, including an increase in ROS levels, cytotoxicity, inflammation, and a decrease in filtration activity and lysosomal membrane stability. Moreover, the quantification and treatment methods are still in a developing stage. Regarding quantification and characterization of MPs in marine resources, a large number of studies are available while those for MPs studies are extremely elusive due to challenges in extraction and quantification methods. Moreover, the degradation of large plastic fragments through ...