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Environmental perspectives of microplastic pollution in the aquatic environment: a review

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Abstract

Microplastics are a highly concerning pollutant that have gained attention from the scientific community and other regulatory authorities due to their potential risks to organisms and ecosystems. Microplastics are widespread in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and can be found even in Antarctica and deep-sea sediments. The ability to survive for long periods in the environment and their aptitude of inter- and intra-environmental translocation can prompt poor environmental outcomes. The adsorption of heavy metals and other toxic persistent organic pollutants is a further cause for concern. Furthermore, microplastics enable the development of a distinct microbial niche within an ecosystem, which could potentially impair ecosystem function by promoting the growth of selective microbial communities. The acquisition of metal-resistant, antibiotic-resistant genes, and the enrichment of antibiotic-resistant bacteria on microplastic surfaces have recently been reported. Moreover, some studies have also reported the colonization of pathogenic bacterial strains such as Vibrio spp. on microplastic surfaces. This review aims to address the sources of microplastic pollution in the freshwater and marine environments and to discuss their potential functions in the environment.

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Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (nos. 91951205, 31850410475), the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (no. 2018M643294), and Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation, China (no. 2020A1515011139). This research was funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University through the Fast-track Research Funding Program.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China

    Manzoor Ahmad, Jia-Ling Li, Pan-Deng Wang & Wen-Jun Li

  2. State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ürümqi, 830011, China

    Wen-Jun Li

  3. Bioproducts Research Chair, Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia

    Wael N. Hozzein

  4. Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, 65211, Egypt

    Wael N. Hozzein

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  1. Manzoor Ahmad
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  2. Jia-Ling Li
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  3. Pan-Deng Wang
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  4. Wael N. Hozzein
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  5. Wen-Jun Li
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MA and W-JL designed and wrote the manuscript. J-LL helped in data collection and making figure and tables. P-DW and WH helped in writing and critical review of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Wen-Jun Li.

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All the authors contributed equally and declared no conflict of interest.

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No human or animal subjects were used during the course of this research.

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Edited by Chengchao Chen.

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Ahmad, M., Li, JL., Wang, PD. et al. Environmental perspectives of microplastic pollution in the aquatic environment: a review. Mar Life Sci Technol 2, 414–430 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42995-020-00056-w

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