A review: Research progress on microplastic pollutants in aquatic environments

Yuanqiang Tang; Yunguo Liu; Yu Chen; Wei Zhang; Jianmin Zhao; Shaoyao He; Chunping Yang; Tao Zhang; Chunfang Tang; Chen Zhang; Zisong Yang

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142572

A review: Research progress on microplastic pollutants in aquatic environments

Sci Total Environ. 2021 Apr 20:766:142572. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142572. Epub 2020 Oct 8.

Authors

Yuanqiang Tang¹, Yunguo Liu², Yu Chen³, Wei Zhang⁴, Jianmin Zhao⁵, Shaoyao He⁶, Chunping Yang⁷, Tao Zhang⁸, Chunfang Tang⁹, Chen Zhang¹⁰, Zisong Yang¹¹

Affiliations

¹ College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, PR China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control, Hunan University, Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, PR China. Electronic address: bobtang2016@hnu.edu.cn.
² College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, PR China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control, Hunan University, Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, PR China. Electronic address: liuyunguo@hnu.edu.cn.
³ School of Architecture, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, PR China. Electronic address: cy2016@hnu.edu.cn.
⁴ College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, PR China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control, Hunan University, Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, PR China. Electronic address: zhangweisx@hnu.edu.cn.
⁵ School of Architecture, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, PR China. Electronic address: 1430793925@qq.com.
⁶ School of Architecture, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, PR China. Electronic address: syhe829@163.com.
⁷ College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, PR China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control, Hunan University, Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, PR China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Petrochemical Pollution Processes and Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, Maoming, Guangdong 525000, PR China. Electronic address: yangc@hnu.edu.cn.
⁸ Qingyuan Agricultural Science and Technology Extension Service Center, Guangdong Province, Qingyuan 511500, PR China.
⁹ College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, PR China.
¹⁰ Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan 316000, PR China.
¹¹ College of Resources and Environment of Aba Teachers University, Wenchuan 623002, PR China.

PMID: 33183825
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142572

Abstract

The ubiquitous problems of microplastics in waters are receiving global attention as microplastics can harm aquatic organisms, and finally can accumulate in the human body through biological chain amplification. In addition, microplastics act as a carrier capable of carrying heavy metals, organics, which form complex pollutants. These new combinations of pollutants, once ingested by aquatic organisms, are amplified through the food chain and can have unpredictable ramifications for aquatic organisms and human beings. Therefore, human beings are not only the source of plastic pollution, but also the sink of microplastic pollution. Therefore, this study reviews the source and distribution of microplastics, and their combined ability with heavy metals, antibiotics, and persistent organic pollutants in aquatic environments. Furthermore, it describes the interaction between aquatic organisms and microplastics. Finally, some suggestions are put forward to promote the sustainable application of microplastics. This work provides theoretical guidance for combining microplastics with other pollutants in water, and the accumulation of microplastics in food chain.

Keywords: Aquatic organisms; Biosphere; Ecological hazards; Ecotoxicology; Trophic transfer.

Publication types

Review