Microplastics: A Significant Threat to Freshwater Ecosystems

The exponential growth in global plastic production, amounting to a remarkable 360 million tons annually, has led to a critical environmental crisis. With a mere 7% of plastic undergoing recycling, the majority of this waste accumulates unchecked in the environment, posing a severe threat in the form of microplastics to Earth’s diverse organisms. Microplastic pollution has become a major threat to the health of aquatic ecosystems. An in-depth analysis of the origins, distribution, sampling techniques, mitigation, monitoring, and toxicological effects of microplastics in freshwater environments is provided in this thorough review. Emphasizing the need for a standardized global identification protocol for microplastics, this chapter navigates through factors influencing the transportation and distribution of microplastics in freshwater systems. Furthermore, this chapter also promotes a multimodal strategy to counteract microplastic pollution, including decreased plastic consumption, conscientious recycling and disposal methods, cutting-edge microplastic removal technologies, increased public awareness, and the establishment of sensible laws and practices.