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Ecotoxicity of Microplastic Pollutants to Marine Organisms: a Systematic Review
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Researchers conducted a systematic quantitative literature review of microplastic ecotoxicity in marine organisms, finding that polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene particles (1–100 µm) are most commonly ingested and cause mortality, reproductive impairment, genotoxicity, and behavioral effects across a wide range of species.
Plastic is a ubiquitous material used across the globe. It is easily transported to various habitats and can then be ingested by animals, with the potential to bioaccumulate up the food chain further. Although classified as solid waste, some plastics can be considered hazardous waste due to the chemicals used in the production process and those that can be adsorbed, such as hydrophobic pollutants in seawater. Plastics can break down into secondary particulate plastics, or be microscopically primary plastics, smaller than 5 mm. Marine organisms of all sizes can mistake plastic for food or consume prey with microplastics. This can cause detrimental toxic effects at a cellular, biochemical, and muscular level. This research uses a systematic quantitative literature review (SQLR) method to determine the most common polymers, hazardous chemicals, and marine organisms to ingest microplastic and incur ecotoxicological consequences. The results indicated polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS) to be the topmost common polymers, with sizes between 1 and 100 μm. Plastic was observed to be a sink for non-additive pollutants more than a vector. Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) were the most common pollutants found. Biological impacts and side effects included mortality, reproductive effects, genotoxicity, accumulation, and behavioral effects. Further research is needed regarding the interrelationship of plastic polymers, additives, and non-additives combined for inducing toxic effects.
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Researchers reviewed how microplastics move through aquatic food webs, finding evidence that these particles accumulate across trophic levels, but noted that most toxicity studies are conducted in labs rather than real ecosystems, leaving major gaps in understanding the true ecological and human health risks.
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Marine zooplankton ingest microplastics, mistaking them for food, which reduces feeding, impairs reproduction, and can transfer particles up the food chain. Because zooplankton form the base of marine food webs, their ecotoxicological responses to microplastics have cascading consequences for ocean ecosystems and human seafood consumers.
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Researchers review the biological impacts and ecotoxicity of microplastics across ecosystems, documenting how these persistent particles transfer through trophic levels, disrupt feeding behavior, obstruct digestive tracts, impair respiratory and reproductive systems in aquatic species, and have been detected in human placentas, while calling for stronger regulations to limit environmental accumulation.
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