Exploring microplastic pollution from origin to environmental impact and remediation approaches

Plastics are synthetic polymers found in commercial and industrial areas, they are also found in food packaging, shopping bags, household items, such as toothbrushes, pens and cosmetics. Due to the high disposability, low recovery of waste materials, high durability, plastics have become debris accumulating in the environment. Microplastics (MPs), defined as plastic particles < 5 mm, are pervasive in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. This review critically examines their sources, environmental fate, detection techniques, and health risks to organisms, including humans. This review includes a general assessment of specimen and their treatment which compares methods for structural and physical classification with methodologies for chemical classification and measurements of the microplastics. This review addresses the advantages of these techniques and the policies adopted by various organisations to reduce microplastic pollution. It further synthesizes current mitigation strategies and regulatory responses, identifying major knowledge gaps and proposing future research directions.