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Emerging challenges of microplastic impacts to ecological health and climate change
Summary
This review examines how microplastics contribute not only to environmental pollution but also to climate change by altering microbial processes, disrupting biogeochemical cycles, and promoting greenhouse gas release. Researchers found that microplastics affect carbon cycling, phytoplankton photosynthesis, and atmospheric processes in ways that may exacerbate global warming. The study highlights significant knowledge gaps in understanding the mechanisms linking microplastic pollution to greenhouse gas emissions.
Microplastics (MPs) pose a serious environmental hazard, contributing to pollution and potentially impacting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and climate change trends. This study addresses this critical gap by conducting a comprehensive review of existing literature to consolidate current knowledge on the ecological and climatic challenges posed by MPs. Through this review, we find that MPs alter microbial processes, disrupt biogeochemical cycles, and promote GHG release through degradation and ecosystem interactions. The review highlights that MPs not only impact biodiversity and ecosystem health, but also exacerbate climate change by influencing carbon cycling, photosynthetic dynamics in phytoplankton, and atmospheric processes. However, knowledge gaps remain regarding the mechanisms linking MPs to GHG emissions and long-term ecosystem impacts. Our findings emphasize the urgent need for systematic research, standardized methodologies, and integrated policy strategies to mitigate the dual threats of plastic pollution and climate change.