Environmental emission, fate and transformation of microplastics in biotic and abiotic compartments: Global status, recent advances and future perspectives

The intensive use and wide-ranging application of plastic- and plastic-derived products have resulted in alarming levels of plastic pollution in different environmental compartments worldwide. As a result of various biogeochemical mechanisms, this plastic litter is converted into small, ubiquitous and persistent fragments called microplastics (<5 mm), which are of significant and increasing concern to the scientific community. Microplastics have spread across the globe and now exist in virtually all environmental compartments (the soil, atmosphere, and water). Although these compartments are often considered to be independent environments, in reality, they are very closely linked. Ample research has been done on microplastics, but there are still questions and knowledge gaps regarding the emission, occurrence, distribution, detection, environmental fate and transport of MPs in different environmental compartments. The current article is intended to provide a systematic overview of MP emissions, pollution conditions, sampling and analytical approaches, transport, fates and transformation mechanisms in different environmental compartments. It also identifies research gaps and future research directions and perspectives. (c) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The widespread use of plastic products has led to alarming levels of plastic pollution globally, with microplastics becoming a significant concern to the scientific community. Despite extensive research on microplastics, there are still gaps in knowledge regarding their emission, occurrence, distribution, detection, environmental fate, and transport in different environmental compartments. The article aims to provide a systematic overview of microplastic emissions, pollution conditions, sampling and analytical approaches, transport, fates, and transformation mechanisms, as well as identify research gaps and future directions.