Microplastics in the aquatic environment: Evidence for or against adverse impacts and major knowledge gaps

Emily Evelyn Alison Burns; Alistair Bruce Alleyne Boxall

doi:10.1002/etc.4268

Microplastics in the aquatic environment: Evidence for or against adverse impacts and major knowledge gaps

Emily Evelyn Alison Burns, Alistair Bruce Alleyne Boxall

Environment and Geography

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

There is increasing scientific and public concern over the presence of microplastics (MPs) in the natural environment. Here, we present the results of a systematic review of the literature to assess the weight of evidence for MPs causing environmental harm. We conclude that MPs do occur in surface water and sediments. Fragments and fibers predominate with beads making up only a small proportion of the detected MP types. Concentrations detected are orders of magnitude lower than those reported to affect molecular level endpoints, feeding, reproduction, growth, tissue inflammation and mortality in organisms. The evidence for MPs acting as a vector for hydrophobic organic compounds (HOC) to accumulate in organisms is also weak. The available data therefore suggest that these materials are not causing harm to the environment. There is however a mismatch between the particle types, size ranges, and concentrations of MPs used in laboratory tests and those measured in the environment. Select environmental compartments have also received limited attention. There is an urgent need for studies that address this mismatch by performing better quality and more holistic monitoring studies alongside more environmentally realistic effects studies. Only then will we be able to fully characterize risks of MPs to the environment in order to support the introduction of regulatory controls that can make a real positive difference to environmental quality.

Original language	English
Number of pages	21
Journal	Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
Early online date	16 Oct 2018
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.4268
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 16 Oct 2018

Bibliographical note

© 2018 SETAC. This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self-archiving policy. Further copying may not be permitted; contact the publisher for details

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Microplastics in the Environment_TEXT_FINAL_SUBMITTED
© 2018 SETAC. This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self-archiving policy. Further copying may not be permitted; contact the publisher for details.
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Cite this

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title = "Microplastics in the aquatic environment: Evidence for or against adverse impacts and major knowledge gaps",

abstract = "There is increasing scientific and public concern over the presence of microplastics (MPs) in the natural environment. Here, we present the results of a systematic review of the literature to assess the weight of evidence for MPs causing environmental harm. We conclude that MPs do occur in surface water and sediments. Fragments and fibers predominate with beads making up only a small proportion of the detected MP types. Concentrations detected are orders of magnitude lower than those reported to affect molecular level endpoints, feeding, reproduction, growth, tissue inflammation and mortality in organisms. The evidence for MPs acting as a vector for hydrophobic organic compounds (HOC) to accumulate in organisms is also weak. The available data therefore suggest that these materials are not causing harm to the environment. There is however a mismatch between the particle types, size ranges, and concentrations of MPs used in laboratory tests and those measured in the environment. Select environmental compartments have also received limited attention. There is an urgent need for studies that address this mismatch by performing better quality and more holistic monitoring studies alongside more environmentally realistic effects studies. Only then will we be able to fully characterize risks of MPs to the environment in order to support the introduction of regulatory controls that can make a real positive difference to environmental quality.",

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N2 - There is increasing scientific and public concern over the presence of microplastics (MPs) in the natural environment. Here, we present the results of a systematic review of the literature to assess the weight of evidence for MPs causing environmental harm. We conclude that MPs do occur in surface water and sediments. Fragments and fibers predominate with beads making up only a small proportion of the detected MP types. Concentrations detected are orders of magnitude lower than those reported to affect molecular level endpoints, feeding, reproduction, growth, tissue inflammation and mortality in organisms. The evidence for MPs acting as a vector for hydrophobic organic compounds (HOC) to accumulate in organisms is also weak. The available data therefore suggest that these materials are not causing harm to the environment. There is however a mismatch between the particle types, size ranges, and concentrations of MPs used in laboratory tests and those measured in the environment. Select environmental compartments have also received limited attention. There is an urgent need for studies that address this mismatch by performing better quality and more holistic monitoring studies alongside more environmentally realistic effects studies. Only then will we be able to fully characterize risks of MPs to the environment in order to support the introduction of regulatory controls that can make a real positive difference to environmental quality.

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