Advancement and Challenges of Microplastic Pollution in the Aquatic Environment: a Review

• Published in: Water, air, and soil pollution air, and soil pollution, 2018-05, Vol.229 (5), p.1-18, Article 140
• Main Authors: Yu, Yue, Zhou, Dongren, Li, Zhanming, Zhu, Cheng
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aquatic ecosystems; Aquatic environment; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Beaches; Climate Change/Climate Change Impacts; Deep sea; Deep sea environments; Distribution; Earth and Environmental Science; Environment; Environmental monitoring; Estuaries; Fresh water; Hydrogeology; Identification; Laboratories; Lakes; Microplastic pollution; Microplastics; Ocean currents; Oceans; Organic chemicals; Plastic debris; Plastic pollution; Plastics; Pollutants; Pollution; Sampling; Sediments; Soil Science & Conservation; Stainless steel; Water column; Water pollution; Water Quality/Water Pollution
• ISSN: 0049-6979; 1573-2932
• DOI: 10.1007/s11270-018-3788-z

As a new persistent environmental pollutant, microplastic pollution has attracted great interest recently. Microplastic particles are distributed widely throughout the world’s freshwaters, oceans, and seas, including the water column and sediments reaching as far as the deep sea. However, the practical considerations and protocols for microplastic pollution have, to the best of our knowledge, not been reviewed properly with regard to assessing their distribution, biotoxicity, sampling, and identification in the aquatic environment. In this review, the implications of microplastic pollution, including its wide distribution, biotoxicity threats, sampling, and identification challenges in the aquatic environment , were discussed and evaluated. The challenges and perspective of the related research are also presented to identify knowledge gaps and to prioritize future research needs. Graphical abstract In this review, the implications of microplastic pollution, including its wide distribution, biotoxicity threats, sampling, and identification challenges in the aquatic environment, were discussed and evaluated. The challenges and perspective of the related research are also presented to identify knowledge gaps and to prioritize future research needs.