Distribution of Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Aquatic Ecosystems and Their Impacts on Aquatic Organisms, with Emphasis on Microalgae

Abstract

Plastics, with their many useful physical and chemical properties, are widely used in various industries and activities of daily living. Yet, the insidious effects of plastics, particularly long-term effects on aquatic organisms, are not properly understood. Plastics have been shown to degrade to micro- and nanosize particles known as microplastics and nanoplastics, respectively. These minute particles have been shown to cause various adverse effects on aquatic organisms, ranging from growth inhibition, developmental delay and altered feeding behaviour in aquatic animals to decrease of photosynthetic efficiency and induction of oxidative stress in microalgae. This review paper covers the distribution of microplastics and nanoplastics in aquatic ecosystems, focusing on their effects on microalgae as well as co-toxicity of microplastics and nanoplastics with other pollutants. Besides that, this review paper also discusses future research directions which could be taken to gain a better understanding of the impacts of microplastics and nanoplastics on aquatic ecosystems.

Keywords: Aquatic ecosystem; Co-toxicity; Copper; Daphnia magna; Dunaliella tertiolecta; Endocrine-disrupting chemicals; Fish; Food chain; Heavy metals; Leaching process; Metal oxide nanoparticles; Microalgae; Microplastics; Nanoplastics; Persistent organic pollutants (POP); Phytoplankton; Plasticizers; Plastics; Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC); Polyethylene; Polystyrene; Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata; Sediment-water interface; Shellfish; Tetraselmis chui.