Microplastics and Nano-Plastics: From Initiation to Termination

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Date

2023-01-31

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection

Abstract

Following the advent of the Industrial Revolution, plastic pollution has been a serious environmental issue while micro- and nano-plastics have been a cy nosure of researchers’ attention in the twenty-first century. This is due to the improved knowledge of its ecotoxicological effects and the global pushfor ward towards sustainability. There is a growing concern that the increasing presence of microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) in aquatic habitats poses a threat to marine life, and it is predicted that nanoplastics will be just as ubi quitous as macro- and micro-plastics, but far more destructive to living or ganisms due to their ability to infiltrate cells. Recent research has shown that marine and freshwater biota become entangled with plastic litter, which dis rupts the ecosystem. Aquatic creatures are known to absorb and deposit these new pollutants in their digestive systems, as has been documented in several studies. More recent research has also examined their co-occurrence and tox icity with other emerging contaminants, including their prevalence and ef fects in food, air, and soil. Using articles extracted from a six-year period from Scopus, ACS Publications and Google Scholar, this review explores the origins, fates, occurrence in the food chain, exposure routes, cellular interac tions of microplastics and nano-plastics, in addition to the ecotoxicological impacts, analytical methods, and the potential remedies for combating pollu tion and toxicity. Ultimately, this review is a comprehensive, updated adden dum to available reviews on micro- and nano-plastics.

Description

Keywords

Microplastics, Nano-Plastics, Occurrence, Transport, Toxicity

Citation

Awolesi, O., Oni, P., & Arwenyo, B. (2023). Microplastics and Nano-Plastics: From Initiation to Termination. Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection, 11(1), 249-280.