Microplastic Pollution: Fate, Sources, Transport and Identification

Abstract

The environment, both aquatic and terrestrial, is highly polluted with microplastics which are found everywhere across the ecosystem. Microplastics, particles of plastic with a diameter lesser than 5 mm, have become of global environmental concern because they can be transported to far distances and end up in the ecosystems and cause harms to marine life as well as a range of other living things including algae, zooplankton, fish, crabs, sea turtles, birds and human health. The increasing concentration and negative impacts of microplastics on environment and health are further exacerbated by their non-biodegradable nature and has made microplastics to attract attention. In this review, we highlight the sources and fate of microplastics in the environment as well as their transport and methods (destructive and non-destructive) of identification.