Current status of the direct detection of microplastics in environments and implications for toxicological effects

Abstract

Microplastics (MPs) have received much more attention as a novel breed of pollutant due to their tiny size and difficulty to degrade in natural conditions. MPs are produced from primary sources that are purposefully engineered to be small in magnitude and subsequently discharged into the earth after usage, like resin pellets seen in microplastic factory spills. MPs can also be produced by secondary sources such as the breakdown of macro debris and breakdown of particles, or dust released during the wear and tear of artificial garments, tires, and brake pads. Since rivers meander through municipalities and cities, as well as transporting effluent from plastic-related enterprises and other sewer pollutants into them, which automatically causes MP's contamination in a river to intimately tie to the land environment. Current reports suggest that the amount of plastic trash produced in the upstream watershed can be positively correlated to the amount of plastic waste in the river. While there are currently several sensing approaches for MPs today, there are still several restrictions such as lengthy sensing times, an elevated false sensing rate, and costly sensing apparatus that make detecting MPss in natural environments difficult. Direct, quick, effective, and precise sensing techniques for MPs are direly required to enhance environmental conditions. This study focused on the current analysis methods for the detection of MPs. Direct detection methods for MP pollution in water and sedimentary environments are also outlined. Finally, the toxicological impacts of MPs on aquatic life and other living organisms are discussed.

Keywords

• Microplastics (MPs)
• Direct detection
• Visual sensing
• Chemical- thermal detection
• Environments