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Microplastics in marine and aquatic habitats: sources, impact, and sustainable remediation approaches
Summary
This review examined the sources, environmental impact, and remediation approaches for microplastics in marine and aquatic habitats. Researchers found that microplastics bind to toxic chemicals and metals, acting as vectors that introduce these substances into living organisms through the food chain. The study highlights several sustainable remediation technologies and emphasizes the need for integrated approaches to address microplastic contamination in aquatic environments.
Plastic trash dumped into water bodies degrade over time into small fragments. These plastic fragments, which come under the category of micro-plastics (MPs), are generally 0.05-5 mm in size, and due to their small size they are frequently consumed by aquatic organisms. As a result, widespread MPs infiltration is a global concern for the aquatic environment, posing a threat to existing life forms. MPs easily bind to other toxic chemicals or metals, acting as vector for such toxic substances and introducing them into life forms. Polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, and other polymers are emerging pollutants that are detrimental to all types of organisms. The main route for MPs into the aquatic ecosystems is through the flushing of urban wastewater. The current paper investigates the origin, environmental fate, and toxicity of MPs, shedding light on their sustainable remediation.