Microplastics are everywhere — but are they harmful?

Lim, XiaoZhi

doi:10.1038/d41586-021-01143-3

Cited by 406 publications

(213 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…The large amount of MPs in the ocean has an impact on the ecology of the ocean and the food chain. In the ocean, MPs could affect the photosynthesis and growth of phytoplankton [40] , slow down the swimming of zooplankton and thus reduce their reproductive efficiency [41] , and may also impact the ocean carbon stock [42] . In addition, floating MPs could become a transport vehicle for microorganisms and even some pathogenic microorganisms, accelerating the spread of infectious diseases [43] .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A review on marine plastisphere: biodiversity, formation, and role in degradation

Liu

Dong

et al. 2022

Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A review on marine plastisphere: biodiversity, formation, and role in degradation

Liu

Dong

et al. 2022

Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal

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“…Again, marine pollution is a huge problem leading to an array of abnormal changes to the water ecosystem and affecting human health over time, which has drawn significant attention to media and academic outlets. However, plastic pollution to drinking water could be detrimental to human health over time, though this research is still sparse within the scientific group [8]. Such risks steadily cross man-drawn administrative boundaries, and gradually amplify its threat to wider civilization.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dhaka Sitting on a Plastic Bomb: Issues and Concerns around Waste Governance, Water Quality, and Public Health

Nadiruzzaman

Shewly

Esha

2022

Earth

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Plastic, an offer of modernity, has become one of the essential parts of our everyday life. However, it is presenting a massive threat in altered forms, to our health and environment. Plastic does not only pollute the surface environment, freshwater, and marine ecosystems, but toxic elements released from plastics also percolate down the surface and contaminate groundwater, which we often use as ‘safe’ drinking water. This probable future risk is deeply rooted in the entire governance infrastructure of plastic waste which could potentially lead to contamination of groundwater. Thus, a state-sponsored ‘safe drinking water’ initiative could contrarily produce a ‘risk society’. A recent study finds 81% of tap water samples collected worldwide contained plastic pollutants, which means that annually we may be ingesting between 3000 and 4000 microparticles of plastic from tap water. Based on review, ethnographic observations and interviews, and lived experience in a plastic-wrapped city (Dhaka), this paper sheds light on the complex interface of plastic, water, and public health, on the relevance of Beck’s ‘risk society’ to understand this complexity, and on replicating the idea of ‘risk society’ in the case of Bangladesh. Through understanding the plastic–groundwater–waste management nexus, this paper highlights and advocates for a new strategy of plastic governance in modern states.

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“…Recently, many efforts have been devoted to study the pollution of microplastics in aquatic environments [5,6]. Despite the fact there is a lot of research describing microplastics occurrence and accumulation in marine environments, it is still limited for freshwater systems (see recent reviews by [7,8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microplastic Pollution in the Surface Waters from Plain and Mountainous Lakes in Siberia, Russia

Malygina

Mitrofanova

Kuryatnikova

et al. 2021

Water

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Microplastics (MPs) contaminations of freshwater and marine environments has become a global issue. Lakes in southern Siberia provide a wide range of ecosystem services and are essential elements in the annual and interannual runoff distribution of the Great Siberian Rivers. However, the extent of their MPs pollution remains unknown. In this paper, for the first time, we analyze the concentrations, composition, and spatial distribution of MPs in six lakes in southern Siberia. The studied lakes are located both in the Altai mountains and the West Siberian plain. Some of them are significantly impacted by human activities, while others are located in protected areas with no permanent population. Nevertheless, MPs were detected in all of the studied lakes. MPs concentrations ranged from 4 to 26 MPs L−1. Comparing with other inland lakes, South Siberian lakes presented moderate MPs concentrations. Among the registered MPs forms, fragments and films were dominant, with a size range between 31 and 60 nm. The MPs’ sources depend on local human activities (fishing, transport, landfilling). Therefore, sufficiently high concentrations were observed even in remote lakes. The present study set a baseline that emphasizes the need for increased attention to waste management and sustainable water use in Siberian freshwater environments.

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Microplastics are everywhere — but are they harmful?

Abstract: Scientists are rushing to study the tiny plastic specks that are in marine animals -and in us.

Cited by 406 publications

References 16 publications

A review on marine plastisphere: biodiversity, formation, and role in degradation

A review on marine plastisphere: biodiversity, formation, and role in degradation

Dhaka Sitting on a Plastic Bomb: Issues and Concerns around Waste Governance, Water Quality, and Public Health

Microplastic Pollution in the Surface Waters from Plain and Mountainous Lakes in Siberia, Russia

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