Abstract
Plastic pollution has become a major environmental concern due to its omnipresence and degradation to smaller particles. The potential toxicological effects of micro- and nanoplastic on biota have been investigated in a growing number of exposure studies. We have performed a comprehensive review of the main determining factors for plastic particle toxicity in the relevant exposure systems, from publications until including the year 2018. For a focused scope, effects of additives or other pollutants accumulated by the plastic particles are not included. In summary, current literature suggests that plastic particle toxicity depends on concentration, particle size, exposure time, particle condition, shape and polymer type. Furthermore, contaminant background, food availability, species, developmental stage and sex have major influence on the outcome of plastic particles exposures. Frequently reported effects were on body and population growth, energy metabolism, feeding, movement activity, physiological stress, oxidative stress, inflammation, the immune system, hormonal regulation, aberrant development, cell death, general toxicity and altered lipid metabolism. Several times reported were increased growth and food consumption, neuro-, liver- or kidney pathology and intestinal damage. Photosynthesis disruption was reported in studies investigating effects on phytoplankton. For the currently unquantified plastic particles below 10 μm, more toxic effects were reported in all aquatic life, as compared to plastic particles of larger size.
Highlights
Today, plastic comprises a large fraction of marine litter globally (Barnes et al, 2009)
Adding on to this obvious problem, large plastic pieces are degraded to less- or invisible micro- and nanoplastic particles (MNPs) by various mechanisms, such as abrasion during the time the product is in use, mechanical wear such as wave action, photo-oxidation and biological degradation (Cozar et al, 2014; Gigault et al, 2016; Lambert et al, 2013; Lambert and Wagner, 2016; O'Brine and Thompson, 2010)
There is evidence speaking against the assumption that plastic remains in the gastrointestinal tract: More plastic was found in filets, as compared to the gastrointestinal tract, in two of four investigated species in one study (Karami et al, 2017)
Summary
Plastic comprises a large fraction of marine litter globally (Barnes et al, 2009). Sewage sludge, produced in waste water treatment plants, is commonly applied to agricultural land as fertilizer, and has been reported to contain synthetic clothing fibers, shown to persist five years postapplication (Zubris and Richards, 2005) From these and other sources, MNPs are distributed by air and snow (Bergmann et al, 2019; Catarino et al, 2018; Dris et al, 2015) and recently the recognition of the plastic pollution problem as a biogeochemical cycle was launched (Bank and Hansson, 2019). There is a need for standardization of the applied methods and standardization in the reporting of the results for comparability These measures are important to facilitate meaningful guidelines for monitoring of plastic contamination and to improve decision-making on all levels towards streamlined future efforts. Safety authorities, environmental agencies and food security stakeholders such as UN organs
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