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Review
. 2021 Apr;11(4):954-966.
doi: 10.1002/2211-5463.13120.

From plastics to microplastics and organisms

Oliver Bajt  1   2
Affiliations
Review

From plastics to microplastics and organisms

Oliver Bajt. FEBS Open Bio. 2021 Apr.

Abstract

The amount of plastic waste and microplastics released into marine environments has increased rapidly in recent decades. The durability of plastic materials results in major problems following their release into the environment. This study provides an overview of recent findings on issues related to plastic degradation, the accumulation of microplastics in mussels and fishes, and the toxicological effects associated with the ingestion of microplastics. These findings confirm the serious problem of slowly degrading plastics (which rarely degrade fully) in natural marine environments. Microplastics have become widespread pollutants and have been detected in mussels and fish around the world. Microplastic particles, whether virgin or with adsorbed pollutants on their surfaces, pose a health problem after being ingested by marine organisms. This paper ends by highlighting the need for certain improvements in studies of these phenomena.

Keywords: degradation; fish; marine environment; microplastics; mussels.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Fibers in sediment, fish (sea bass), and mussel (Mediterranean mussel) from the Gulf of Trieste (northern Adriatic). Photo M. Grego and O. Bajt, National institute of biology, Slovenia.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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