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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

The behaviors of microplastics in the marine environment

Marine Environmental Research 2015 810 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Jundong Wang, Zhi Tan, Jinping Peng, Qiongxuan Qiu, Meimin Li

Summary

This review synthesized research on the behaviors of microplastics in the marine environment — including transport, weathering, biofouling, ingestion, and chemical interactions — to characterize their full environmental lifecycle.

Despite the pollution of microplastics being internationally recognized, the understanding of their behaviors in marine environment is still developing. Microplastics are ubiquitous in the marine environment, with the potential to cause harm to marine ecosystem. Here, we would classify the behaviors of microplastics as physical behaviors (i.e. migration, sedimentation and accumulation), chemical behaviors (i.e. degradation and adsorption) and biobehaviors (i.e. ingestion, translocation and biodegradation), and a further discussion on their behavioral mechanisms were presented to better understand their impacts for the marine environment.

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