Micro- and nano-plastics pollution in the marine environment: Progresses, drawbacks and future guidelines

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Marine Biology
• Ecotoxicology

Background:

• Marine pollution by micro/nanoplastics (M/NPs) presents significant ecological and economic challenges globally.
• Existing research necessitates a comprehensive assessment of M/NPs pollution, including progress, challenges, and future strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide updated insights into marine M/NPs, covering sources, detection, global distribution, and mitigation challenges.
• To review the current state of M/NPs pollution and propose integrated solutions.

Main Methods:

• Literature review synthesizing data on M/NPs sources, detection, and distribution in marine ecosystems.
• Analysis of ecological impacts, economic losses, and challenges in M/NPs pollution mitigation.
• Exploration of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) for M/NPs monitoring and management.

Main Results:

• Oceans contain an estimated 5.25 trillion plastic debris pieces and 50-75 trillion M/NP particles, with deep-sea regions heavily contaminated.
• M/NPs pollution stems from human activities like industrial practices and aquaculture, threatening 17% of marine species and causing substantial economic losses.
• Challenges in nanoplastics analysis include aggregation with contaminants and low concentrations; inadequate funding and policy frameworks hinder mitigation efforts.

Conclusions:

• Urgent global cooperation among stakeholders and the public is essential to address M/NPs pollution.
• Integrating scientific, engineering, and AI approaches is critical for effective monitoring, control, and sustainable solutions.
• Addressing M/NPs pollution requires enhanced funding, robust regulations, and proactive policy development.