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Microplastics: Applications in the Cosmetic Industry and Impacts on the Aquatic Environment
Summary
This review examines how microplastics are used in cosmetics as microbeads in products like exfoliating cleansers, and how these particles enter waterways through drain disposal and harm aquatic life. The authors summarize the main problems caused by cosmetic microplastics and discuss regulatory efforts to phase them out.
Environmental pollution from plastics and microplastics is currently one of the most relevant issues of the scientific community and cosmetic industry. In particular, microplastics are referred to as small pieces of plastic less than five millimeters (<5mm) and do not dissolve in water, can be harmful to the ocean and aquatic life. Microplastics can be designated as i) primary - particles that are intentionally developed as micro sized plastic particles used in cosmetic formulations like microbeads, and ii) secondary microplastics - stem from all kinds of plastic material debris result of decomposition caused by UV radiation, mechanical stress (ocean waves) and wind action. This article gives an overview about plastics/microplastics, that are mainly used in personal care products and cosmetic. Moreover, we attempt to demonstrated some of the major problems that microplastics based materials can cause in the aquatic life leading to a human health concern. In this context, the interaction between microplastic-contaminants and possible effects in the environment or organisms was explore based on the literature analysis.