Microplastics in Our Planet: Source, Distribution, Effects and Biodegradation

In this last decade, the environmental problems of microplastics have been occupied a large place in the world scientific researches. The unbreakable property of these particles causes their rapid accumulation in the environment. Their micro and millimetric sizes let them to be distributed over the world in a way almost uncontrollable. Works are still multiplying in identification of the source and nature, in the fate and effects of the microplastics on the different ecosystems. The accumulation of these debris in our ecosystem is a serious problem in the way of their distribution and migration: from the aquatic to the terrestrial ecosystem, all food web class will be affected. Different solutions for escaping their over distribution in the world have been studied. However, the biodegradation of this tiny particles seems the perfect solution of their disappearance from our environments. Studies seem slowly progressed because of different types of microplastics and the unknown mechanism of most of microorganisms on the surface of microplastics. This review is a synthesis of works done in microplastics by offering a good comprehension in microplastics source, effects and biodegradation both in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Researchers will have to expand their working fields by approaching to the extreme ecosystems such as caves in the hope of finding microorganisms capable of producing enzymes that will serve in a complete degradation of these debris.