Macroissues with Microplastics: A Review on Distribution, Environmental Impacts, Pollutant Interactions, Toxicity, Analytical Methodology and Mitigation Strategies
Although plastic has many desirable properties and numerous social benefits, it is a serious ecological problem due to massive application and difficult decomposing. Various environmental and anthropogenic impacts indicate that plastic breaks down into small particles that are ubiquitous in the envi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/7/4057 |
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| author | Aleksandra Anić-Vučinić Dunja Turk Anja Bek |
| author_facet | Aleksandra Anić-Vučinić Dunja Turk Anja Bek |
| author_sort | Aleksandra Anić-Vučinić |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Although plastic has many desirable properties and numerous social benefits, it is a serious ecological problem due to massive application and difficult decomposing. Various environmental and anthropogenic impacts indicate that plastic breaks down into small particles that are ubiquitous in the environment. Microplastics (MPs) are detected in oceans and seas, freshwater, wastewater, glaciers, soils, air, sediments, precipitation, plants, animals, humans, food and drinking water worldwide. Traces of MPs have been found even in remote and sparsely populated areas, indicating far-reaching movement through environmental compartments. Inadequate waste management and wastewater treatment is considered the major source of MP pollution. MPs are persistent contaminants that can adversely affect the ecological balance of the environment and may damage the health of living organisms, including humans. This review emphasizes the current global problems of MP pollution. It covers different areas of MPs, which include basic characteristics, interactions with other pollutants, occurrence and impacts in the environment, toxic effects on living organisms, sampling, sample pre-treatment and analytical methodology for the identification and quantification of MPs in different matrices as well as potential reduction and remediation strategies and the possibilities for effective control of MPs in the environment. Various interesting and useful previously published knowledge collected in this review can serve as a valuable foundation for further MP research. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e9f2ff2d095e4d55993d63b536dfdc4d |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-e9f2ff2d095e4d55993d63b536dfdc4d2025-08-20T03:08:44ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-04-01157405710.3390/app15074057Macroissues with Microplastics: A Review on Distribution, Environmental Impacts, Pollutant Interactions, Toxicity, Analytical Methodology and Mitigation StrategiesAleksandra Anić-Vučinić0Dunja Turk1Anja Bek2Faculty of Geotechnical Engineering, University of Zagreb, Hallerova Aleja 7, 42000 Varaždin, CroatiaBioinstitute Ltd., Rudolfa Steinera 7, 40000 Čakovec, CroatiaFaculty of Geotechnical Engineering, University of Zagreb, Hallerova Aleja 7, 42000 Varaždin, CroatiaAlthough plastic has many desirable properties and numerous social benefits, it is a serious ecological problem due to massive application and difficult decomposing. Various environmental and anthropogenic impacts indicate that plastic breaks down into small particles that are ubiquitous in the environment. Microplastics (MPs) are detected in oceans and seas, freshwater, wastewater, glaciers, soils, air, sediments, precipitation, plants, animals, humans, food and drinking water worldwide. Traces of MPs have been found even in remote and sparsely populated areas, indicating far-reaching movement through environmental compartments. Inadequate waste management and wastewater treatment is considered the major source of MP pollution. MPs are persistent contaminants that can adversely affect the ecological balance of the environment and may damage the health of living organisms, including humans. This review emphasizes the current global problems of MP pollution. It covers different areas of MPs, which include basic characteristics, interactions with other pollutants, occurrence and impacts in the environment, toxic effects on living organisms, sampling, sample pre-treatment and analytical methodology for the identification and quantification of MPs in different matrices as well as potential reduction and remediation strategies and the possibilities for effective control of MPs in the environment. Various interesting and useful previously published knowledge collected in this review can serve as a valuable foundation for further MP research.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/7/4057microplastic pollutionenvironmentdistributiontoxicitymethodologymitigation strategies |
| spellingShingle | Aleksandra Anić-Vučinić Dunja Turk Anja Bek Macroissues with Microplastics: A Review on Distribution, Environmental Impacts, Pollutant Interactions, Toxicity, Analytical Methodology and Mitigation Strategies Applied Sciences microplastic pollution environment distribution toxicity methodology mitigation strategies |
| title | Macroissues with Microplastics: A Review on Distribution, Environmental Impacts, Pollutant Interactions, Toxicity, Analytical Methodology and Mitigation Strategies |
| title_full | Macroissues with Microplastics: A Review on Distribution, Environmental Impacts, Pollutant Interactions, Toxicity, Analytical Methodology and Mitigation Strategies |
| title_fullStr | Macroissues with Microplastics: A Review on Distribution, Environmental Impacts, Pollutant Interactions, Toxicity, Analytical Methodology and Mitigation Strategies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Macroissues with Microplastics: A Review on Distribution, Environmental Impacts, Pollutant Interactions, Toxicity, Analytical Methodology and Mitigation Strategies |
| title_short | Macroissues with Microplastics: A Review on Distribution, Environmental Impacts, Pollutant Interactions, Toxicity, Analytical Methodology and Mitigation Strategies |
| title_sort | macroissues with microplastics a review on distribution environmental impacts pollutant interactions toxicity analytical methodology and mitigation strategies |
| topic | microplastic pollution environment distribution toxicity methodology mitigation strategies |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/7/4057 |
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