Distribution and Impact of Microplastics
in the Aquatic Systems: A Review
of Ecotoxicological Effects on Biota
Tadele Assefa Aragaw and Bassazin Ayalew Mekonnen
Abstract Microplastics (MPs) are emerging pollutants attracting attention due to
there have been widely distributed in the aquatic and terrestrial environment. MPs
have been quantified and identified in marine, freshwater, and terrestrial environments from biota samples. May originate from macroplastic waste due to improper
management of them and also from the primary sources, so that emerges as a problem
for the aquatic biota. This review aimed to discuss (a) the occurrence of MP, (b) the
interaction and uptake mechanism, (c) effects on the biota, (d) microplastics and
associated pollutant effect on the aquatic biota. The retrieved literature confirmed us
MP and its associated contaminants have adverse effects on aquatic biota, thereafter
affect human health through the food chain. Finally, future research directives and
recommendations on the MP pollution research, emphasized on the experimental
ecotoxicological studies and risk assessments of MP to aquatic organisms were
highlighted.
Keywords Microplastics · Aquatic pollution · Aquatic biota · Microplastics
ingestion · Interaction · Mechanism · Ecotoxicity · Associated contaminant
Abbreviations
AChE
Anti-cholinesterase
Ag
Silver
BAF
Bioaccumulation Factor
T. A. Aragaw (B) · B. A. Mekonnen
Faculty of Chemical and Food Engineering, Bahir Dar Institute of Technology-Bahir Dar
University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
e-mail: taaaad82@gmail.com
B. A. Mekonnen
e-mail: bassa.ched@gmail.com
B. A. Mekonnen
Bahir Dar Energy Center, Bahir Dar Institute of Technology-Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar,
Ethiopia
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
S. S. Muthu (ed.), Microplastic Pollution, Sustainable Textiles: Production, Processing,
Manufacturing & Chemistry, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-0297-9_3
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