Impact of regulated and emerging pollutants and microplastics in marine ecosystems (IMPACTA project)

The fate and impacts of microplastics in marine systems

Plastics and Microplastics: Impacts in the Marine Environment

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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.

Microplastics as Pollutants in the Marine Environment

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Researchers reviewed the pathways and consequences of microplastic pollution in marine environments, focusing on how post-consumer plastic waste breaks down and accumulates across ocean ecosystems. The review underscores the widespread ecological risks posed by microplastics to marine life, with potential implications for human health through seafood consumption.

The effects of microplastics on marine ecosystem and future research directions

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Researchers summarize how microplastics accumulate throughout marine food webs and affect growth, behavior, reproduction, and survival of marine organisms, while calling for standardized testing methods and greater focus on fiber and fragment morphologies to better quantify real-world ecological risks.

Insights on Ecotoxicological Effects of Microplastics in Marine Ecosystems: The EPHEMARE Project

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The EPHEMARE project systematically examined microplastic ecotoxicology across multiple marine species and life stages, finding that effects depend strongly on particle size, polymer type, concentration, and co-exposure with chemical pollutants. These multi-species results underscore the complexity of real-world microplastic risk and the limitations of single-species laboratory studies.