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Article ? AI-assigned paper type based on the abstract. Classification may not be perfect — flag errors using the feedback button. Tier 2 ? Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence. Marine & Wildlife Sign in to save

Plastics and Microplastics: Impacts in the Marine Environment

2020 23 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Madeleine Steer, Richard C. Thompson

Summary

Plastics and microplastics have achieved near-universal distribution in marine environments from surface waters to deep-sea sediments, persisting for decades while fragmenting into increasingly smaller and more biologically available particles. The growing concentration of microplastics in oceans represents a long-term threat to marine biodiversity and the food safety of seafood consumed globally.

Accumulation of plastics and, more recently, microplastics, in the marine environment has become a global concern. Plastics are highly durable materials and this persistence coupled with increasing emissions to the environment has resulted in a wide-scale...

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