Abstract
The ubiquitous contamination of the environment with plastic debris and the possible associated risks to ecosystems and, ultimately, human health has recently attracted a great deal of public and scientific attention. Among the plastic materials found in aquatic environments, microplastic particles have attracted particular attention since harmful effects on various organisms have been discussed, especially related to their ingestion. However, possible risks associated with microplastics cannot be generalized, as microplastics comprise a very heterogeneous group of particles that differ in their physicochemical properties. At present, there is a considerable lack of knowledge on the effects of microplastics at the molecular, cellular, tissue-specific, and organismic levels and the resulting consequences on environmental and human health. This chapter addresses the benefits of plastic products but also why plastic has turned into an environmental problem. It briefly explains how environmental contamination is assessed and shows on which biological levels potential harmful effects are expected.
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Laforsch, C., Ramsperger, A.F.R.M., Mondellini, S., Galloway, T.S. (2021). Microplastics: A Novel Suite of Environmental Contaminants but Present for Decades. In: Reichl, FX., Schwenk, M. (eds) Regulatory Toxicology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-36206-4_138-1
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