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Marine micro(nano)plastics toxicology: Knowledge gaps and perspectives

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Micro(nano)plastics (MNPs) have emerged as pervasive contaminants widely documented across diverse environmental systems. Concerns regarding their environmental and human health impacts have escalated. Numerous studies have explored various aspects of the environmental toxicology of MNPs, particularly their effects on marine biota. However, significant knowledge gaps persist, hindering the ability to conduct effective environmental risk assessments for these plastic particles. This perspective highlights the critical aspects of MNPs' environmental toxicology that require advanced technological approaches to track and quantitatively reveal their subtle yet profound impacts. These aspects include ecological contexts extending beyond traditional toxicology, MNPs kinetics (uptake, transformation, and accumulation), modeling for simulating these processes under various scenarios, and identification of specific biomarkers associated with MNPs exposure. The establishment of environmental quality criteria for MNPs, if deemed necessary, will depend heavily on a comprehensive understanding of their behavior, toxicity, and ecological consequences. Ultimately, a deeper understanding of MNPs' environmental toxicology is essential for safeguarding both ecological integrity and human health in the face of this growing global challenge.

Source: Journal of Hazardous Materials

DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.138086

Author: Wen-Xiong Wang

Institutions: City University of Hong Kong, City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen Research Institute, State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution

Language: English

Topic: Microplastics and Plastic Pollution

Subfield: Pollution

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,340

Funders: National Natural Science Foundation of China, Research Grants Council, University Grants Committee