Journal
LIFE-BASEL
Volume 11, Issue 12, Pages -Publisher
MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/life11121349
Keywords
microplastics; food chain; organic pollutants; microorganisms; health
Categories
Funding
- Scientific Grant Agency of the Ministry of Education of the Slovak Republic (MESR)
- Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAS) [VEGA 1/0464/21, APVV 19-0250]
- European Regional Development Fund [313011ASS8]
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Microplastics have become a widespread environmental contaminant, endangering animal life and the food chain, requiring more attention for further research and protection of public health.
Currently, microplastics represent a widespread contamination found in almost every part of the environment. The plastic industry has generated waste since the 1950s, which unfortunately now counts in the millions. The largest share of plastic consumption is used to produce packaging materials, including those applied in the food industry. The versatility of plastic materials is mainly due to their lightness, flexibility, strength, and persistence. Although plastic materials are widely used due to their beneficial properties, contamination of the environment with microplastics and nanoplastics is an emerging problem worldwide. This type of contamination is endangering animal life and thus also the food chain and public health. This review summarizes the knowledge about microplastics in the food chain. The effect of microplastics on the food chain has been particularly studied in marine organisms, and research deals less with other food commodities. Therefore, based on the studied literature, we can conclude that the issue is still not sufficiently examined, and should be paid more attention to maintain the health of the population.
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