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Jun 01 2021
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Introduction
Microplastics are defined as pieces of plastic that are less than 5 mm (0.2 inch) in length. Over the past decade or so, these minute structures have been discovered in marine, freshwater, terrestrial, and atmospheric environments in alarming abundance.
In aquatic environments, microplastics often enter freshwater systems within which they migrate to marine environments where it can take up to 600 years for them to degrade. They are also ingested by aquatic fauna and absorbed by aquatic flora, which can result in their bioaccumulation within food chains. Finally, toxic chemicals can be adsorbed by microplastics and harmful pathogens can adhere to particle surfaces. The resulting impacts of microplastics on aquatic ecosystems are not fully known at this time, but there is growing interest and research focused on gaining a better understanding of this and how to address