Microplastics in Water: Occurrence, Human Health Impact, and Methods of Analysis

Microplastics are widely present in the environment, with some being deliberately produced while others are the result of plastic disintegration, degradation, or abrasion. The origins of their generation might be either terrestrial or aquatic, but they are present across the whole planet. Their existence leads to many ecological consequences, including risks to human health and economic losses. Recent studies focus on probable sources, sampling and analysis methods, and potential hazards to the environment and ecology. However, the absence of a standardized procedure for sampling and analysis makes it difficult to compare the existing results. The objective of this study is to investigate the complex processes involved in the formation of microplastics, occurrences in different environmental compartments, detrimental effects of microplastics on human health, and the methods used in the collection, laboratory analysis, identification, and characterization of samples.