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Impacts of Microplastic Exposure on Animal Physiology and Health: A Global Perspective
Summary
This global review synthesized evidence on microplastic health effects across diverse animal species and environments, covering physical damage, inflammatory responses, chemical toxicity, and behavioral changes. The authors emphasized long-term chronic toxicity as a key concern and highlighted microplastics' role as vectors for harmful substances within food chains.
Microplastic (MP) pollution has emerged as a critical global concern, infiltrating both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Its potential impact on animal health is drawing increasing scientific attention. This review highlights widespread MP contamination across a diverse range of species and environments, with evidence emerging from all continents, including both industrialized and developing regions. The health effects of MPs on animals are multifaceted, encompassing physical damage, inflammatory responses, chemical toxicity from adsorbed pollutants, and behavioural alterations. Long-term exposure raises serious concerns about chronic toxicity and the role of MPs as vectors for harmful substances, contributing to bioaccumulation within food chains. These disruptions can cascade into broader ecological consequences, affecting animal behaviour, population stability, and overall ecosystem functionality. Understanding these dynamics calls for an integrative research approach, drawing on insights from ecology, toxicology, biology, and environmental chemistry. Importantly, as MPs may transfer from animals to humans via the food web, the implications for public health demand urgent and continued global investigation.