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“Microplastics”
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This overview introduces microplastics — plastic particles smaller than 5 mm from degraded or manufactured sources — and discusses the environmental concern they pose due to their persistence, their ingestion by aquatic organisms, and their ability to carry associated toxicants.
Microplastics are plastics with smaller than 5mm particle size and they originate from sequential degradation of larger plastic molecules or are manufactured, and they have found use in many realms of life. Their gradual degradability and ingestion by aquatic organisms have become an environmental concern. Microplastics are regarded as a “tiny problem” requiring massive attention. Occurrences of microplastics have been detected in almost all environment matrices. Although several committees have taken steps towards handling the menace, most of the regulations' guidelines refer to “all wastes” in general, leaving many loopholes. This chapter views microplastics, occurrences, detection, and existing policies. The roles of industry and individuals in preserving the ecosystems are deliberated. In summary, emphasis on the bottom-up strategy to curb the escalating amount of plastics waste in our environment is sought and adoption of the “avoid the avoidable” attitude for a more holistic approach in tackling the severity of the impending threat.
More Papers Like This
Microplastics are Everywhere
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This brief overview explains what microplastics are, where they come from, and why their persistence in the environment is a concern. Microplastics smaller than 5mm take decades to degrade and have been found in oceans, freshwater, soil, and living organisms worldwide. It is a general-audience introductory piece rather than original research.
Impact of Microplastics on Aquatic Ecosystems
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This short overview summarized the impacts of microplastics (particles <5 mm) on aquatic ecosystems, covering contamination sources, uptake by organisms, food chain transfer, and ecotoxicological effects. It provides a general introduction to the field without novel empirical findings.
Microplastics in Ecosystem – an Overview
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This overview reviews how microplastics—particles smaller than 5 mm—originate from plastic degradation, are found globally in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, can be ingested by animals at multiple trophic levels, and pose risks to human health through chemical leaching and endocrine disruption. It highlights the need for further research on pollution control and mitigation strategies.
Microplastics in aquatic environment
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This Croatian-language overview covers the sources, properties, and environmental distribution of microplastics, defined as particles from 5 mm down to 100 nm. It discusses how their physical and chemical characteristics make them persistent in aquatic environments, where they pose the greatest risk to living organisms through direct ingestion.
Microplastics in the Environment
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This chapter reviews the sources, distribution, and environmental persistence of microplastics — small plastic debris less than 5 mm — in both marine and terrestrial environments. It provides an accessible overview of how microplastics enter ecosystems and the concerns they raise for wildlife and human health.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.