Topic: Microplastics in the Environment: Exposure and Risk to Human and Non-Human Biota

The omnipresence of microplastics (MPs) across environmental matrices and their potential as an emerging pollutant is attracting immense attention from researchers and the media. Studies have reported MPs as carriers of contaminants, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, pharmaceuticals, metals, pesticides, and even microbes. Evidence to date, however, suggests that MP concentrations in the environment are markedly lower than those of natural and combustion-derived atmospheric aerosol, along with those of phytoplankton, zooplankton, and suspended particulate matter in the aquatic environment. Hence, concerns in the context of global seafood security and sustainability require careful consideration, and information on MP concentrations and related co-contaminants in the environment needs thorough examination of the contaminant-pathway-receptor relationship. This Special Issue will publish articles that provide data for underpinning the assessment of the risk posed by MPs to human and non-human biota, providing a solid basis to evaluate the overall impact of MPs on human health and food security. Articles that explore the translocation of ingested and inhaled MPs across organs and tissues are also of interest. All submitted articles must address one or more aspects of biota exposure to MPs.

Microplastics, translocation, toxicity of MPs, adsorbed chemicals, leaching from MPs, degradation of MPs

30 Nov 2023