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An Overview of Microplastic Pollution: Origins, Movement, and Effects in Marine Ecosystems
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This bibliometric review synthesizes global evidence on how microplastics accumulate in marine ecosystems and enter the food chain through ingestion by seabirds, fish, whales, and turtles, ultimately reaching humans who consume seafood contaminated with toxic co-pollutants like heavy metals and PAHs. The rapid growth of this research field underscores microplastics as a systemic threat to marine biodiversity, food web stability, and human health.
Over an extended period, the ocean has been utilised as a convenient sink for the disposal of various waste materials, including plastics. The presence and accumulation of plastics and microplastics in marine environments, including both open seas and coastal systems, are primarily driven by increased population growth and human activities. Once it has been dumped in the environment, plastic debris disperses in the sediment throughout the water column and has been documented in marine organisms via ingestion and entanglement. Microplastic debris is frequently ingested by marine organisms, including seabirds, whales, fish, and turtles, which often results in starvation due to gastrointestinal blockage. Moreover, floating plastics serve as vectors for the dispersal of invasive marine species, posing significant threats to marine biodiversity and the stability of the aquatic food web. The ingestion of microplastics also leads to the transfer of toxic pollutants such as heavy metals and Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from the environment into the food chain and eventually into the human bodies which accumulate those toxins. This research compiles the most recent studies on microplastic (MP) pollution in the global marine environment and is further strengthened by a bibliometric analysis of Scopus-indexed publications over the past five years. The analysis highlights the rapid growth and increasing visibility of this field, thereby providing empirical depth to the review. Three key sections are emphasized: (1) sources, distributions, and major pathways of MPs in the marine environment, (2) interactions of MPs with heavy metals and PAHs contamination, and (3) the impacts of MPs and associated contaminants on marine ecosystems as well as Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Additionally, the global strategies for mitigating this issue have been outlined, with an emphasis on the roles played by various stakeholders. This includes the involvement of industries, government, non-government organisations (NGOs), stakeholders and consumers. The input in this study will serve as a foundation for future marine management and promote greater awareness of the impact of MPs on the marine environment.
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Microplastics in marine environments: Occurrence, distribution and effects
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Beyond the visible litter washing up on beaches, our oceans are filled with tiny plastic fragments called microplastics that are too small to see but widespread in marine waters. This review pulls together existing research on where these particles come from, how they spread through ocean ecosystems, and how they may affect marine life, research that matters because these same particles can work their way up the food chain into the seafood we eat. While scientists are still studying the full health impact on humans, understanding how microplastics behave in the ocean is a crucial first step.
Understanding microplastic pollution of marine ecosystem: a review
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This review summarizes the current understanding of microplastic pollution in oceans, covering where they come from, how they spread, and their harmful effects on marine life and potentially human health. Microplastics are found throughout the ocean -- from surface waters to deep sediments -- and can transfer toxic chemicals to organisms that consume them. The authors highlight that significant gaps remain in detection methods and understanding the full scope of how marine microplastics affect the food chain that leads to our plates.
Occurrence, effects and risks of marine microplastics
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This review summarizes the state of knowledge on the occurrence, biological effects, and ecological risks of microplastics in the marine environment. It covers plastic sources, distribution patterns, ingestion by marine organisms, and the transfer of chemical pollutants through marine food webs, concluding that microplastic pollution poses serious and growing risks to ocean ecosystems.
Efectos de la contaminación por micro plásticos en los ecosistemas marinos
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Researchers conducted a systematic literature review on microplastic contamination in marine ecosystems, documenting ingestion by organisms from zooplankton to marine mammals, bioaccumulation of co-contaminants, and evaluating mitigation strategies, concluding that coordinated global action and circular economy transitions are urgently needed.
Micro Plastics in The Marine Environment: A Review of Their Effects on Marine Organisms and Ecosystems
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This review examines the effects of microplastics on marine organisms and ecosystems, summarizing evidence for MP ingestion across trophic levels, physical and chemical harm to marine life, and the pathways through which marine MP pollution threatens biodiversity and fisheries.
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