A Critical Review on Biological Impacts, Ecotoxicity, and Health Risks Associated with Microplastics

Microplastics (MPs) present in the environment are pervasive and tenacious as emerging pollutant concerns due to which global environment, flora, fauna, and aquatic bodies are now at an alarming stage. This is due to the result of anthropogenic activities and the unsuitable disposal, and unplanned segregation of plastics by humans. MPs are now additionally precarious because they enter into a higher level of organisms through a trophic level and biological magnification. This makes MPs an obscure risk to human health. According to certain research, MPs have a negative impact on feeding behaviour and obstruct digestive tracts in aquatic species, leading to sluggish growth. It also affects their respiratory, digestive, circulatory, and reproductive systems. Raman microspectroscopy was used to find MPs in the human placenta. The present review articles explain the glitches faced by microplastics to the environment along with animals, classifications, their mechanisms of entry, accumulation biological effects and mitigation process. In-depth study regarding MPs entry, accumulation and effects needs further research on the interactions with MPs which would provide an understanding of its impacts on the organisms due to its capability to sustain in the ecosystems for a long period. It has become crucial to propose the proper regulations and their implementation to reduce the generation and the occurrence of MPs in the environment.